GERMAN TREATMENT OF SWITZERLAND

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3050, 11 April 1917, Page 6

GERMAN TREATMENT OF SWITZERLAND

BAD FAITH AND BULLYING ANGLO-SWISS FRIENDSHIP Writing'on January 31, a correspondent of the Londou "Times" at Berne said that the people of Switzerland were less concerned over the danger of German invasion than they were annoyed by the German commercial policy towards their country. It is not possible, he continued, to regard that policy otherwise than as one of studied and contemptuous discourtesy deliberately designed to inflict inconvenience and provoke irritation. The dosing of the German frontiers to imports, which is not, of course, confined to Switzerland, hurts probably less by any actual injury which it is likely to cause than by the -way in which it wae done. It is understood that the primary objects are to contribute something towards arresting the decline of the mark by 'diminishing'the adverse balance of trade, and to prevent the spending, of money by the German people on articles of luxury, especially on articles of luxury of foreign manufacture. It is understood that the tabu is not to be complete, but that licenses will be 1 granted for the transport of goods over the frontier under certain conditions. "What those conditions will be, and by whom the licenses are to be granted, however! is as jet.unknown; but the assumption is that, while dairy produots and other desirable articles of staple consumption will be permitted to pass freely, such things as wat«hes\a_nd embroidery— both very important items in Swiss Industry—will be under embargo as undesirable luxuries. This, however, is mere conjecture: and the uncertainty which prevails at the moment is extremely irritating to Swiss manufactr.r»re and shippers. The annoyance is not lessened by the very general suspicion that Germany has an ulterior object in view. The present agreement "for the exchange of merchandise," entered into on September 2. 1916, will expire at the end nf 'April, 'and negotiations for its renewal, or for the formation of a new agreement, must shortly be begun. Tt is conjectured thnt Germany is purposely aiming to make the condition of Switzerland ' as uncomfortable as possible, so as to be able to extort better tprms when those negotiations tnkc place. So far, however, the onlv visible effect has been to produce in the Swiss people, not any inclination to docility, but only exasperation. \

The Coal Agreement. The irritation ; would not be so intense if Germany had approximately kept faith under the existing agreement. But she has done nothing of the kind. The agreement provide<rthat Germany shall furnish Switzerland with 253,000 tons of coal a month, as well as with "all tho iron and eteel of'which Switzerland has need," and a certain -unknown quantity of potatoes. One hears complaints of failure to comply with the terms of the agreement both in the matter of iron and steel and in the matter of potatoes: but ns figures, are not accessible to the public, it is impossible to say to what extent these complaints are justified. In reprard to the coal there is no doubt.

The purposes for which the coal (including coke and is required aro clearly set forth in the text of the agreement—as 28.000 tons of coal and briquettes and 22,000 tons of coke for tho Federal railways, 51.000 tons ' of coal for thfi nrotluction of gas, 75.000 tiniß as fnflT for industrial establishments. ?ik! so forth. The whole amountis essential tnthe maintenance of the ordinary machinery of life in Switzerland and to tho comfort of the people. Yet in no single month has Germanv mado any serious effort, to live up to 'her agreement: and, while the iinconyenience alreadv caused is preat, the inconvenience, threatened in the immediate future is much greater. Economy of Fuel. Whilfl no exact figures havft "boon published, it is bolieved .that the total amoimt of conl fnr.ir'shao' has in ro month exceeded 230.000 tons, and in ! jwno months I'*r" fallen short of 220 - 1 000 tons. Promises were made {.that in January there would 'be an improvement, and that I the arrears would be wiped off. Ro far j from that being tm«, tho total for j Jaimarv will asnin fall much Mow the sproifiwl 253,000 tons; and the resiilis to Switzerland are, smoiip-. 1+ ; s not, yet' possible to sav what the,, disinwKon of industry will amount to, or what hardship domestic users of coal ■will nnderflo, but abrpndy steps are beinp taken , to reduce the street lightine s;id so fortli wh"r"vpr, coal is used in th<* production of light, and new. timetables nr". in preparation on all coal-, \isinfj railways providing, it is understood, for a general reduction in £•"* services of ppsnensrer trains of about SO per cent. At the same time- there is to be i> reduction in Hie heating of carriages. These reforms are to come into nffeck some time not, hter thsin tho middle of Februarv. and they are ■Ho-nb.tfeabi «-ny? the beginning of a Tpo-iiy? of strict #conomv in the vp of fuel in all wavs. Apart from tlio diffiwiHv of irwteriiillr redncitig tho jmontt- of ensil ons"m_'yl in industrial establishments, th« Swiss' winter climnte is not onp in which fur 1 fnr domestic hsp ran be economised without discomfort.

Swiss Opinion. ■ The ways of German thought are as incalculable ?s Gernmn morality is exceptional. Public opinion in Switzerland naturally associates Germany.'s contempt for the convenience of _ the Swiss Tieorile with the threats of invasion, which, not for the first or second time since the war began, were doubtless spread by German agents. The two are part- nf one policv; an immediate incidental object of that policy may be the possible advantage, _ already mentioned, +o be gained in the renewal of comrcercial negotiation?;. In the main, however, it appears to be merelv in pursuance of the apnersl plan of Fabre-raftlinp: and bullying intended to keep neutral neighbours in a proper condition of timidity and to impress nn them that German* is a very terrible fellow wl'o may do frightful thlntce if not sufficiently conciliated—which, of course, is true. Judging from the undoubted trend o? Swiss sentiment at the moment, one doubts whether the poliev is workiiip; quite in the way which Germany desires.

Tlic interest of flveat Britain in the situation is twofold. In ( the first i)lr?c, it. must increase our sympathy with the Swiss people nncl Government, who in a very'difficult position are trying hard and in the utmost good -faith to live up to the requirements of a strict and impartial neutrality. In the second place, German had faith and truculence throw into preater relief the excellent of our commercial relations wMh • the i Swiss. While there may he difficulties in transport and in the delivery of goods throujrh Franco, owine; to the congestion of the railways there, no question has heen raised of our desire, on the one hand, to fulfil every engagement into which we have entered. On the other hand, wo. are equally- convinced of Swiss sincerity, and our commercial co-operation through the medium of the "R.S.S.! , (tW.Societo Snisse do Surveillance Econo'jnique, which trols tho distribution and destination of goods after their arrival in this country) is most cordial and friendly.