Imperial Valley press., 1926-10-28
BY FREDERICK KUH
United Press Staff Correspondent

O4Ateu fleSS Std1I correspondence
LOCARNO. Switzerland, Oct. %.
\ year ago little group of men
sitting around a square table in an
improvisca conference room, met to
sign 4 sheet nf parchment with
golden pen. This performance put
Locarno on the man in big letters.
All the wiles and adroitncss of the
world 5 press agents could not have
started 4 boom such ~ that simulc
act launched for this village. For
mcrlv merely one of manv little sun
burnt towns. nesting in the foot
hills of the Swiss Alps. Locarno has
suddenly risen 10 TIE heights Of an
historical site visited by stream Of
tourists
For weeks during and after the
conference Of Lorarno. the name of
the town was cmblazoncd across the
front pages Of the world 5 press.
Ever since the DAYS when BRAND.
Chamberlain. Luther. Stresemarn
Bones. and Skrzvuski buried the hat-
clet, the peaceful tranquil. sunny
climate Of Locarno has been brought
20 our attention by an intcrminable
/ flow of statesmen : speeches and
/ correspondents culogies. Even the
most untiriug American small town
boosters must doof their hats to me
feat which made this niggling
/ Swiss town. with its 5000 souls, one
+ Of the most talked OF spots in the
world.
! Since the conference. European
statesmen have delivered scarcely \
/ single speech. in which the ubiquit
ous esprit of Locarno" has not
been raised to the austerc dignity Of
a hvmn. With the word Locar-
no being flung from tribunals.
pulpits and headlines throughout
this year. il is small wonder that the
village ON Lake Maggiore, with its
palms, churchhalls and sunshine,
has become the new mecca for Amer
lean. English, French, German, ltal-
ian and Swiss sightsecrs.
Tourists Visit Scene
For months after the conference
ended in October. 1925, business
ID.
tourist, undertook trek TO the lit
tie courthouse in which the famous
statesmen had conferred. The con
ference room remained intact-iusi
as the distinguished delegates left
il when they arose from their chair
after the security pact had beer
signed. The wall clock was stop
ped at 7:3j y. m, the minute al
which the golden pen was affixeC
to the famed treaty. and the hands
Of the clock have remained station
arv over since in order to pcrpct
uate that historical moment. The
chairs are still arranged at the tabl'
, as they were during those ominou'
sessions. the golden pen is dipped
into the ink we'll: the flags Of Tho
sionatorv nations droop from th'
walls. Even the made-in-Gcrman,
ash travs, upon which the delegate
dc"o-i'cd their cigars, are shown =
an avidiy iuquisitive public. Yield
ing to popular demand. the munlci
nqlity decided to transform the lit
tie courtroom into public exhibit
Wandering tourists are now remind
cd Of Versailles and Postdam as the,
approach the Locarno courthouse.
\ courteous guide receives then
and for q trifling fee, recites hi
piece.
..Hcrc, ladies and gentlemen, j
I the chair in which Mussolini sat. ,
AS though he were narrating tn
, scenes Of historic drama, playe'
centuries ago, he makes his dry lii
tie speech.
On an average about 1000 tourist
l have visited the little conferenc
| room each month since it was offic
ially opened to the public. Hundred
Of school children have even bee
brought from Italy by their teacher