Evening star., 1928-08-04

The world is talking Of outlawing war
as a national policy and even listening
considerably to the pacifstic proposal
to disarm, both as to naval and land
defense. If all the world were like
Switzerland nothing would be more nat
| ural than to abolish both the Navy and
| thu Army.
The Swiss navy is standard joke,
| for she has no contact with the Seven
| Seas but how about the Swiss army?
| In times of peace it consists of 230 Off
cers-no soldiers of the line. No other
paid officers. Within "a hours after the
command for mobilization it consists of
| 24O ,000 all armed and trained officers
and men, organized and marching
against whatever enemy appears. With
| in another "a hours there comes an
other line, another army of 250000.
Within three days of the menace ''un-
armed" Switzerland has an army of half
million trained and organized men
all s1arpShooters, tOo-Stationed and
intrenched behind every gateway Of her
| frontiers.
* n
Military duty is compulsory. The total
days training for the soldier is 80, for
corporal I69 and for a lieutenant 3l8:
increased length and intensity of train
ing for higher ranks Every citizen owes
military duty from the age of 20 up to
! 48 and must present himself during his
twentieth year for physical and mental
examination During periods of train
ing they are paid enough TO cover ex-
penses. but neither men nor officers re-
ceive wages. This expenditure amounts
to total of about S7000000 year
an average received by each, including
# No.,
dier takes his arms and uniform home
and is held accountable for them
All of this $1,000, 900 annual cost is in
connection with the training of the first
line of defense The second line, being
previously trained, requires no expense.
All of these soldiers are civilians. en-
gagged in "gainful occupations" outside
of training days, just as are our boys
Of the training camps. The officers are
ed lcated and successful business men,
graded according TO ability.
Throughout the year the national rec
reation and sport and patriotic passion
In Switzerland is in target shooting
The crack of the rifle is continuous.
Every man holds possession of a govern
ment rife and is fined II it is ever left
out Of order for instant use. Shooting
galleries and long-range galleries are
everywhere and always occupied--crowd-
ed on Sundays and holidays. Every
Swiss is a william Tell sharpShooter.
though using modern weapon in place
Of Tells bow.
The American Army costs in proper
ton, or per man. 28 times as much as
the Swiss and is no more thoroughly
trained. Quoting from Senate document
500. page rs.
Switzerland can mobilize an army
corps in three days, ready In every par
ticular of organization, equipment mu-
nitionS and transport to march against
the enemy: they can mobilize four such
corps at one and the same time. just
how many days 1t would require to con-
centrate in one place 10000 of Our
Regulars. with all their baggage and
transport. or how long to assemble four
such commands of Regulars and militia
II is difficult to say, but probably it
would be nearer three weeks than three
days" The above was written by an
American officer. military attache.
Last Wednesday Switzerland cele-
brated her anniversary OF independence
and lihertyl Is 1t any wonder that she
was not invaded during the World War
like Belgium? For more than six GEN.
turies Switzerland has been free and
safe from foreign invasion. independent
and wonderful Yet il comprises I9
eantonS (statesl and half cantons,
peopled by races which cannot under
stand each other of different religions
and different ideals outside OF the one
motivating ideal--patriotism Switzer-
land is the enigma of civilization. yet
IL is the concrete demonstration of what
all civilization might be II all the peo-
pie were patriots and Self-dependcnt.
prepared, liberty lovers like the Swiss.
IL Is the style now TO Scon at tales OF
William Tell. He never existed. he
never shot the arrow of his child's
head, he never hid a spare arrow with
which to Slay the tyrant who had bade
him shoot at the apple "He was
myth, There arc S,f00000 such myths
in Switzerland, for the loved story OF
liberty which Is thus denied by literal
iconoclasts springs reincarnate i'll the
character of every Swiss patriot, male
and female. and of all ages II Is en-
tlrely immaterial. therefore, whether
that historical Tell ever lived or not,
his character Is multiplied. and is very
real
All but six cantonS have German
NRSNAAtA tiAJbkANA va t&tt%V NAAs k&NN
speak French and one Italian. BY per-
centageS, 60 per cent speak German, 80
French and 7 Italian and : per cent
other vernacuiar There is no Swiss
language, other nations make great
ado about compelling conquered peoples
to adopt and use the language of their
conquerors. In order to Suhdue In gem
erationS To follow the love OF their ma
tive allegiance. But switzerland rises
above such natural ties, Language Is
nought patriotism Ia everything. Al
German speaking SwiSS~a French OF ,
Italian Swiss-~all are Swiss patriots,
Said an American Army officer lec~ /
turing to field officers class before |
We entered the World War.
THE Swiss are very loyal to their |
country and its democratic institutions. !
Very few emigrate TO other countries, :,
Those who do generally come to the /
United States, 90 per cent of the total |
annual emigration being credited to this :
country"
~ "a
The history of the Swiss. who cele~ |
hrate August | as their Independence |
day, Is romantic and at times thrilling, |
In the earliest times the country was /
inhabited BY Kettle tribes Rhaetians |
and HelyetianS. In So &c. Caesar be- /
gan conquest of them, and their prua~ !
perlty increased through Roman traffie, |
though their Independence ceased Early |