THE WAY THROUGH SWITZERLAND.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 11, 13 May 1915, Page 4

THE WAY THROUGH SWITZERLAND.

The utter disregard of Germany for solemn pledges makes it quite possible to believe that the neutrality of Switzerland will not be respected one moment longer than it suits the degraded enemy to do so. A writer in the Auckland Star, discussing this aspect, says; It must he admit tod that

if, by treachery or terrorism, tta German! could make a way tor themselves through Switzerland without serious loss, the risk might he, from their standpoint, well worth taking. For a glance at the map shows that the only vulnerable part of France's eastern frontier is covered by the Swiss frontier, and if this were once exposed, it would be possible for the Germans to attack France from a point south of Belfort, and clear of the strung Fortress barrier that has hitherto Mocked their way. Now that all, their attempts to break through be-! tween Verdun and Belfort have failed, ( u is possible that the Germans may, be inclined to contemplate the possi-j bility of such a dangerous step as the ( invasion of Switzerland in a last desperate effort to outflank the French armies from the east, and to compel them, by falling back, to open a way to Paris'. But while we can lie certainj that the Swiss would make a stubborn J resistance to the German advance, we may reasonably assume that the Allies would be able to mass a sufficient body of troops on the eastern frontier to hold the invaders in cheek, j To put it briefly, the moment for such a stroke as Germany now seems to con-l template has gone by, and opportunities of this sort are irrecoverable.