Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-06
SWISS SEA OUTLET
PROJECT REVIVED
Old Scheme of improving
Rhone Waterway Is Under
Consideration.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

special DlSpatch TO Inc star.
GENEVA, october 6.-The generations
old scheme of connecting Switzerland
with the Mediterranean by improving
the waterway of the Rhone has once
again come into the limelight with a
possibility of an accord being arrived
at between France and Switzerland,
though the sine qua non is that France
shall take no steps in canalizing ana
activating the flow of Rhone water to
the dstriment of the level of Lake Lee
man from its headwsters to Geneva.
What the Swiss call a phantomlike
National Rhone Association was born
in France in 1921. which, though 1t was
promptly put to sleep on the morrow OF
its birth. bids fair to be awakened by
the claims of Marseilles shipping inter-
ests seeking to outdistance Genoa,
Italys greatest mainland Mediterranean
seaport, in the race for the overseas
freight traffic of South Germany and
Switzerland.
River Loses Itself.
The Swiss pretend to see in the
French project chiefly the development
of the French River Isere, the Rhones
SISdIeSI dlhuCilb, Dub iJAAAS "tASANJ ga
French soil, and that the real improve
ment of the facilities of the Rhone, so
far as affecting Switzerland Is con-
cerned, Is q matter which is focused
200 years away.
Furthermore the fact is pointed out
that Just below Geneva the Rhone
loses itself In hole in the ground
for a considerable distance only to come
again to the light Of day on the other
THE f1rnh-
lem Of making this natural river tunnel
available for barge or canal boat trafnc
is something which for the moment has
nos entered into the French scheme OF
things,
Tha; Switzerland would benefit
greatly from 6irecs communication with
the Atlantic by way Of the Medlter-
ranean IS generally admitted. AS an
illustration l. Is pointed out that during
rsse wcrid war Switzerland. cut OF
grus1 virtually all communication from
North Sea and Channel ports. was &C
ITALY the poSSesSor of port OF Its
own. temporarily and by complaisance
Of France. in Cette. on the Mediter-
rsnean juSt 70 the westward OF Mar
seliie. and that Switzerland's own char
tered ships brought notably grain and
coal from America to this port ana
thence transferred to Switzerland by
by Swiss train crews.
Would Protect Lake Leman.
The explanation of what direct COM
munication of Switzerland with the out
side world by the Rhone waterway really
means is clear. What Switzerland does
not want is the development of the
lower Rhone to the detrin1ent of water
levels higher up, above all in the level
1F ToIr xxt1in oh a. economic
asset, is of untold value to Switzerland.
The Swiss point of view is further
emphasized by the statement that the
Rhone must be inviolable unless the
steps taken are such that the economic
interests of Switzerland and Central
European contiguous countries are taken
into consideration before centime is
expended, when it may be expected that
the classic irony which has ever re-
ferred to the Swiss Navy" will actually
come into being.
The Swiss federal authorities have
recently undertaken an investigation as
to the possibilities of safeguarding the
water level of Lake Leman throughout
the year and protest that nothing will
be allowed to interfere with this unless
some equity is received in exchange.
The League of Nations Transit Com
mission, which so successfully solved
the problem of the Danube communi-
cations, with the aid of Walter D.
Hines, has not as yet taken hold Of the
matter of the regulation Of the in
ternational Rhone, but may be expected
to do so when the measures ervisaged
come into the plane Of actuality.
(Copyright, 1900
Because Of the grape shortage in
France wine prices there have been
soaring.