Evening star., 1924-03-02
SWISS DREAD CLASH
OVER NEUTRAL ZONE
frances Dispute, Involving Tracts
Near Geneva, Threat
ems Publicity.
ISSUE 1C0 YEARS OLD
League Action May Cause Trouble
Either Way It Goes.
ISSUE 1C0 YEARS OLD
BY Gable to The Star and Chicago Daily News
Cory right. 1874

BY Gable to The Star and Chicago Daily News.
Cory right. 1874.
BERN. March 11.-Switzerland does
not feel comfortable at the prospect
that it might become a front page
story in the newspapers in the near
future.
I'VE are much happier with our po-
nticai obscurity and must tell you
r-aEs!y that we rather dread the
IDEA of our republic drawing hosts of
newspaper men who will want to
write up the eventual crisis" said a
high Swiss official to the writer to-
day.
For the last eighteen months there
has been conflict between France
and Switzerland over small tracts of
land in the neighborhood of Geneva.
The story is this:
Over a century ago French terri
tory around Geneva was proclaimed
a neutral zone, and, while remaining
under French rule, the inhabitants
of these territories enjoyed privileges
of free trade
During the Versailles conference
the French decided it would be ad-
yantageous to suppress these zones,
and suggested that the Swiss govern
ment include in the treaty provi-
sion that the zones be abolished, de-
tails and compensation to be ar
ranged later.
Question Seemed Trivial.
At first sight. it seems that the
whole question is trivial, since 1t
does not matter whether the terri
tory around Geneva is neutralized or
not. For the inhabitants of the
Geneva country, however, the ques-
tion is of considerable Importance,
since Geneva possesses only two
miles of frontier with the rest of
Switzerland, while the frontier with
France is over fifty miles in length.
Practically the entire food supply
for the country comes from French
territory, and the Genevese are profit
ing considerably from the privilege
of free trade with neighboring vii
tages. This fact seems to have been
overlooked by the Swiss authorities
tn 1919 when they carelessly agreed
to the French demand to abolish free
trade zones. According to the Swiss
law, however, the federal government
Is compelled to submit all important
internal and foreign questions to a
referendum of the nation, and when
the French-Swiss agreement was sub
mitted to the Swiss people they voted
against it with an overwhelming
majority.
The French. however. paid no at
tention to the popular vote. and on
the strength Of the Versailles treaty
they moved the economic frontier to
the political frontier thus iSolating
Geneva from the districts from which
IL used to obtain most of its food
supplies.
Swiss Government Protests.
The Swiss government protested
and the French having established
strict customs control. suggested that
the federal governmnt find a salts
factory solution. but that the pres
ent frontiers could not be changed
again. The Swiss government de-
manded that the whole question be
submitted To a rhifraf in IN.
ternational court at The Hague.
me demand was rejected by the
French, who consider the question
settled from a legal viewpoint, but
are willing to arbitrate as to what
compensation Switzerland is entitled.
They have declared willingness to
submit the question to a Franco
Swiss commission under the presi-
dency of a neutral.
The federal government argues
that Switzerland is not bound by the
treaty Of Versailles, since it took no
part in the great war, and all ar
rangements of the government are
not binding unless approved by the
whole nation.
Situation Critical.
The situation. without being dam
SerouS, is critical. The Swiss COM
Ilain that big power is trying
bully a small national nation,
while France refuses to have rights
n the international court. In the
meantime it is limited in Swiss quar-
.ers that in case France persists in
ler refusal to bring the matter be-
ore the international court, Switzer-
and will avail herself of the right
o bring the controversy before the
eague of nations, which is most re-
'uctant to get involved in a dispute
rom which nothing good can be
expected.
1t is argued that if the league set
tied the question in favor of France,
Switzerland might refuse to obey the
decision on many good legal grounds.
On the other hand. if the league re-
fuses to intervene, Switzerland might
withdraw, and withdrawal might
prove fatal to the precarious exist
ence of the league