Evening star., 1928-08-04
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL y. COLLINS.

Austrian throne (of the German en-
pire) and held great feudal holdings In
Switzerland. He continued to buy other
Swiss feudal rights, which brought fear
that his intent was to surround the
three chief cantons with his feudal
rights and cut them off from the Lake
LuZerne King Rudolph died and his
son Albert ucceeded-Albert the Cruel.
Thoroughly alarmed at this succession.
the three threatened cantons bound
themselves together into a perpetual
league" of mutual defense. That was
August /. 1891. They did not then de-
mand independence, but the preServa-
ton of ancient liberties threatened.
Cautious and informal as we're the
terms of the league. often as its over
throw was menaced both from within
and without it nevertheless remains the
starting point of all subsequent political
development in Switzerland. The his
tory OF the country since 1891 may be
divided into the following periods:
l. The old confederation Q29l-l798).
III. The Helvetic republic t1798-l803).
III. The act of mediation (lSO3-
". The pact of 1915 1Sl5-1S4sl.
v. The period of the federal consti-
tuition from 1843 to the presently.
The fears of the Confederates regard
ing the tyranny of Albert of Habsburg
eliminated in 1892. when the Swiss
Joined with rival, Adolph OF Nassau,
seeking the throne, but they were de-
feated. but every subsequent struggle
against the Hahsburgs strengthened the
league and eventually brought alliances
with other cantons The struggle OF the
centuries was against Habsburg tyranny.
Quoting from a United States Govern
ment handbook. Government and Poll
tics OF Switzerland" by Robert c.
Brooks:
"An attempt by the Emperor Maxi
milan in 1899 to reaSSert German au-
thority over Switzerland resulted in
short but bloody war. in which the Con-
federates were again victorious. The
influence of Germany. which had been
growing less since the Burgundian War,
now ceased entirely. although the inde-
pendence of Switzerland from the en-
pire was not formally recognized until
the peace Of Westphalia in l64S.'
y
Space ferbids much reference to the
Napoleonic conquest of Switzerland
(l303-1815), but the July revolution
1890 in France was reflected in revolt
in Switzerland demanding new con-
Stitution and total independence. A
decade later came an expulsion OF the
Jesuits and a civil war between Catho-
lies and Protestants which threatened
TO involve Intervention by Prussia, re-
strained by Great Britain. The present
constitution, based largely upon the
American Constitution. with liberal
notifications, in initiative and refer
endum rights retained by the people.
was adopted in iS4S and revised IN
1874
Controversies over the Jesuits, It will
be remembered. were largely responsible
for the Sonderbund War. Upon its con-
cluSion the triumphant secular party
wrote into the constitution of l84S
provision that the order of JesuitS, and
the societies affiliated with them, shall
not be received in any part Of SwitZer-
land"
This anti-Jesuit provision was
strengthened In 1874 by This prohi-
bition may be extended by means of
federal decree TO other religious orders
whose activities are dangerous TO the
state or disturb the peace betewecn re-
ligiouS denominations"
y X
The reference to the Emperor Maxi
milan Of 1899 recalls the critical COM
mentS OF readers of last week in refer
ence to the later Emperor Maximilian."
uSurper of the Mexican throne, and the
denial Of some of my critics that the
United States had been active In over
turning that Erench and Austrian con-
spiracy against our Monroe Doctrine.
Even though in answer to challenge I
cited Gen, Grants own memoirs con-
tirming military action by the Union
Army under his orders il may be
apropoS TO cite also a book Just trans
lated from the German. "Maximilian
and Charlotte OF Mexico" by Egon
Caesar Count Corti. translated by Cath
arine Allison Phillips, volume II, page
$50; "On June 20 he (NIaXimiliam again
expressed in a letter his satisfaction
that the Emperor's Napoleon III Of
Francel personal feeling towards him
had not changed. His overeStimate OF
Napoleon and his strength was shown
by his expressing the hope that in order
to solve the problems outstanding in
Europe European congress would meet,
with Napoleon as its president, and draw
up declaration against the United
States and the Monroe Doctrine at the
Emperor'S tNapoleon'sl instance"
Page a79' AT the end Of December
(lS65l Seward unamhlguouSly demand
I'd the withdrawal of the French troops.
without giving any sort OF reciprocal
pledges. But 10 avoid swallowing such
4 humiliation. the French government
behaved as II the United States had
pledged itself. If not To recognize Maxi
milan, at any rate to a sort Of neu-
fality. Aa a matter of fact. nothing of
he sort had been promised, Napoleon
'ould have no further doubts II was
obvious 60 him what a cataS-
rophe might ensue for his troops IN
he event of a collision between them
md the victorious Army of the United
States, which was clearly unavoidable
| they remained In Mexico"
In brief, Secretary Seward notified
10Th France and Austria directly and
'unambiguouSly" that unless they got
nut OF Mexico immediately they must
ace war with the United States It
vas the HahSburg dynasty which op-
losed liberty. both IN Switzerland and
America,
Page 6l9 The United States was
irnly resolved TO place the Republican
government IN power again In Mexico.
They no sooner heard Of the conclusion
I the new agreement than Seward sent
Instructions To MIR, Motley, the Ameri-
an Minister TO Vienna, 20 ask for his
laSsportS aS soon as the Austrian troop
hip eft for Mexico. lie also declared
o Romero In the presence OF several
'erSonS that IN future any Intervention
" European power IN the internal at
airs of Mexico would be regarded BY
tAA - aN hall