The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-03-31
Switzerland d Prepares Her Frontiers For War
Call-Japan Seizes Islands Belonging F to France

Zurich, Switzerland, March 31.- (UP)-Switzerland had taken emer- gency precautions within the last few days to guard all frontiers against surprise attack, 1t was learned today.
 All frontier residents liable for army service are ready to fight within two or three hours after an alarm and they possess emergency ammunition whose exact nature is secret.
 The federal government has or- dered all mines along the frontier loaded ready for use, and roads and bridges specially guarded.
 Measures taken in view of alarm ing reports are more extensive even than those taken in Sptmber during tn Czechoslovak crisis, 1t was under stood.
 In taking them the government denied that its measures were the result of concentrations of German troops in southern Germany, and warned the public not to be alarmed at rumors that the country was in danger.
 As part of it's precautionary cam- paign the government called up special troops to reinforce the IA companies of permanent frontier troops, who man several hunderd little Qualifications on the frontiers.
 Stop Any Surprise Attack
 These so called alarm groups, in addition to the regular army force, are believed sufficient to permit the country to retard any surprise att tack pending mobilization. The num- Der of men called out is secret but it is sufficient to cause unusual hustle and activity in such border towns as Basic. All men are fully armed and weapons include machine guns, anti-tank guns and artillery. {. In addition to the forces on the frontier, several regiments are hav- ing their annual training. The coun- cil has decided to prolong these "freshener" courses for so-called ter- ritotrial troops-men ranging from 37 to 48 years old--by one week to acquaint all men with new weap- ons and tactics.
 The entire Swiss military system is organized on the basis of a surprise attack. General mobiliza- tion would be effected through a regional system, designed to bring the most rapid assembly of men pos- sible. Every able bodied man in Switzerland between the ages of 20 and 48 is liable to service.
 Japan Seized Islands
 Tokyo, March 31-(UP)-The foreign office announced today that it had advised France that Japan wat anncxing the Spartly Island group off the southeast coast of French Indo- China.
 Charles -Arsene Henry, the French ambassador, was notified of Japan's decision today, it was said.
 France in 1883 announced the an- ne;ntion of the Spratly, Amboina Cay, Itu-Abu, Deux Hes, Loaita and Thi-Tu groups of tiny islands, hard- ly more than dots on the map, which spread eastward from a point about 300 miles southeast of Indo- China.
 Zhre groups-of which only Sprat- 1y was mentioned-lie ebtween 7:52 and 11:29 north latitude, 111.55 and 114.25 east longiture.
 They are about midway between Indo- China and Palawan Island, the westernmost of the Philippine Islands.
 Explaining its action, the foreign office said that Japanese nationals had been active in the Spratly group since 1917. The statement con- tinued:
 learned ems Ga, ,yltinued :etaoinu-
 But the absence of administra- tive jurisdiction over the reefs hu not only caused inconvenience with regard to protection and regulation of lives and property. and enter prises of Japanese Nationals there but has been likely to give rise to unnecessary disputes with France.
 Accordingly the Japanese govern ment in order to eliminate such in- conveniences and disadvantages has decided to place the reefs under the jurisdiction of the government of Taiwan, Formosa, which lies about 400 miles north and Vice Foreipn