Evening star., 1942-07-05
Switzerland, Symbol
of Freedom
BIZ Frederic J. HaSkin.

In the ever-changing pattern OF tne
map of Europe the anomalous position
of Switzerland is more than footnote
to the stability of that small democracy
and its ability to survive. Wedged in
| between Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany and
uncertain France, Switzerland is about
to become the last symbol of free
| people in that portion of Europe.
| Switzerland's unusual position in war
| torn Europe is scarcely understandable,
| and certainly not without scanning the
| pages Of this gallant mountain republics
history that stretches over a period of
more than 900 years. And even then
| one might conclude as did Bismarck
| that Switzerland is only a geographical
expression. Like all such epigrams, the
Iron Chancellors phrase leaves out more
than it takes in. 1t is about as true
and untrue of Switzerland as 1t would
be of England, because the sea has
played much the same role in the de-
velopment of English liberty as the
mountains have played in the develop
ment of Swiss liberty.
Doubtless SWitZerland's mountains
have been an all-important factor in
that result, first, as in Greece, in de-
veloping the individualism in its COM
ponent parts, and next in maintaining
interdependence and also dependence
against the res. of Europe, Freedom
in Switzerland is a sort of religion.
Switzerland has been so long the play
ground of Europe that the memory Of
its martial quality, of which the Papal
Guard is the last concrete remainder, has
been obscured. In the modern world
the ubiquitous Swiss waiter has taken
the place of the once ubiquitous soldier.
Yet this does not mean that the Swiss
have not fought and cannot fight. In
1893, when the Emperor Macmillan
threatened to pay the Swiss visit,
Sword in hand" he received this un-
usual reply: I'VE humbly beseech your
imperial majesty to dispense with such
VISIT for our Swiss are rude men and
do not even respect crowns"
The Federal Government of the United
States is closely patterned after the Swiss
Federation, and the ideals that are the
backbone of this country are similar to
those which Switzerland has fostered
since 1921 when the men of the Valley
of Uri met and formed IAN everlasting
league for the purpose of self defense
against any one who should attack or
trouble them" That any small fedora
ton should have been able to keep it's
ideals and independence through the
troublous centuries when European erc.,
pireS were in the making is remarkable
enough, but that the % small states, or
cantons as they are called, of this fed
Grafton should be comprised of people
who differ from each other in language,
religion, social instincts physical attri-
buteS, and even in climate, is still more
remarkable Nationally the inhabitants
of the Swiss Republic are probably the
most patriotic people on earth, yet each
canton is more jealous of its govern
mental rights than are the States that
compose the American Union.
One of the most remarkable things
about Switzerlands democracy is that
of the % cantons, 13 are German-speak-
ing, four are French, in three both
French and German are spoken, and in
the other two there is a mixture of sew
eral languages. So polyglot is the ma
ton that all public documents, most
street and railway signs. and all the
paper money are printed in at least
three languages. Yet local and national
governments are not threatened by in
ternal enemies and the country has taken
no part in Europe's boiling cauldron of
war.
There are other reasons why the world
at this time should be interested In
Switzerland for it has served as a bal
ance wheel for Europe for centuries.
When Europe was torn by religious and
social strife in the Middle Ages, Switzer-
land offered not only refuge but COM
plete liberation to those who found their
native lands unsafe. This liberation still
exists and the country remains an asylum
for social and political rebels, and for
that reason honestly can be said to be a
clearing house of international thought.
The first great board of international
arbitration met in Switzerland to settle
claim between Great Britain and the
United States. There, too, was held in
1864 the first meeting of the Interna-
tional Red Cross. Switzerland was chosen
to be the seat of the League Of Nations,
WAC lldlIOlldI bdllk anu Lle inter-
national Labor Office
To understand, even in part, this
vastly important nation composed os
100000 inhabitants and occupying an
area about one-fourth larger than Mary
land, 1t is necessary to understand the
background of its people. The earliest
settlers We're known as lake dwellers, a
very ancient tribe that lived along the
edges of the many lakes of Switzerland
and built their houses on piles driven
into the shallow waters near the shore
They were Celtic tribe known as the
Helvetii, and racially affiliated to the
Celts who went to Ireland. From
Caesars time until the death of the
great Emperor Charlemagne the Hell
vetii were not greatly bothered with
marauding tribes that overran Europe.
the Alps forming natural barrier which
kept the invaders out of the territory.
Missionaries from Ireland established
schools and churches, and upon the
death of Charlemagne his empire was
broken up and Switzerland which had
been part of it, began long struggle
that eliminated in complete independ-
ence. From the beginning there was
unity of purpose by all inhabitants and
that unity has remained a strong bond
of nationalism
This unity in Switzerland has de-