THE SWISS CELEBRATE A CENTURY’S EXAMPLE

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25537, 3 July 1948, Page 6

THE SWISS CELEBRATE A CENTURY’S EXAMPLE

federal unity

[By a special correspondent of “The Times,” June 18.) (Reprinted by Arrangement.)

The Swiss Confederation celebrates the centenary of its Constitution tomorrow [June 193 in Berne. It is an event of supreme importance to the Swiss nation and a fact of no small significance to her neighbours Few countries have more links with European history than Switzerland. Lying at the cross-roads of Europe, at the meeting place of French, Italian, and Germanic cultures, she was a highway and battle-ground long before she became a peaceful playground. The Switzerland of to-day can be un^® r ' stood only through her history-. The Constitution of 1848 has its roots :in the year 1291 when three sturdy Swiss met on the field called Ruth, above the Lake of Lucerne, and swore that the tiny Swiss States wouid stand faithfully together against all oppressors. Their military alliances, and the threat of foreign domination, kept the Swiss cantons together between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, but the obsolete rule of the Patrician period proved incapable of withstanding the assault of the Revolution, which crossed the frontiers and left the country under French domination. The Reform of 1848 Modern Switzerland takes it origin from the Congress of Vienna, where Britain used her influence to secure confirmation of the Federal Pact of 1815. The people were moved by tne will to reform, and to secure, a national Parliament and federal Government. In 1848 the confederacy of States disappeared and the Federal State emerged. . : It is a fundamental principle of the Swiss Constitution that sovereignty is vested in the mass of the people and all government is exercised directly by them The country is divided into 22 cantons, all of which are almost sov--ereign States, but have surrendered certain powers to the Federal Government. The Federal Assembly, which is the legislative body, consists of two chambers—the National Council, representing the people, and the Council of States, representing the cantons. The members of the National Council are elected by secret ballot for a period of four years, in the proportion of one to every 22,000 of the population. The Council of States consists of two representatives for each canton and one for each half canton, elected for a term of four years. Both these councils have equal rights and powers. They normally sit separately, but meet in joint session to choose th© Federal Council —the Government. The Federal Council is the Executive body, and consists of seven members elected every® four years. The Swiss Government does not resign when its decisions are pronounced unsatisfactory, but conforms to the wishes expressed by the Federal Assembly.

Vital Guarantees Since the members of the Federal Council <Jo not all belong to the same political party, Switzerland enjoys the advantages and disadvantages of coalition government. There is no head of State—the Federal Council acts as a body—but one of its members is elected for one year as Chairman or President of the Confederation and represents the whole nation when necessary. By tradition the President never travels abroad, a practice which enabled him to refuse any invitation extended by Hitler. An essential feature of the Swiss Constitution is the existence of two vital guarantees—the referendum and the right of initiative. The referendum can be regarded as the right of the people to decide finally whether a law shall be enacted or rejected- The right of initiative for constitutional amendments gives the people the opportunity of demanding amendments in part or in whole. The Confederation is the entity which represents abroad the unity of Switzerland, but the political structure of the country rests first on the cantons, then on the communes. The Cantonal Parliament, or Great Council, has extensive legislative and administrative powers and everything concerning public works, administration, public relief and justice is subject to it. The cantons owe certain obligations to the Confederation. They may not form groups which would jeopardise the general prosperity of the country, .and private treaties of a political character among themselves are forbidden. They are divided into arrondissements composed of several communes. Each commune is a state in miniature and exercises delegated authority. Every Swiss citizen is first a citizen of a commune; as such he possesses cantonal citizenship which, in its turn, is the basis of Swiss citizenship. Switzerland has more than 4,000,000 inhabitants, speaking four languages, professing both the Protestant and

Roman Catholic faiths. In a geneous State the legal protection £ national minorities is of Particui^r it J portance. This protection is sc tS‘ fectly assured to the Swiss that th are conscious neither of niinoriSS nor of majorities. The four nations languages—Germaq, French, ha and Romansch—are regarded ag emh by the Federal Constitution, and th first three are recognised as Every citizen is free to correspond wi+i the Federal authorities in his Z language. Cantonal autonomy, W hi> allows all education to be organist according to local ideas, ensures tural freedom to all. Switzerland has always given sanr tuary to the exiled champions o* li? erty from other lands. In the eich eenth century, when almost eveother State on the Continent whr * despotism, travellers spoke with env of this “island” of tolerance in th troubled sea of Europe. Freedom i the basis of Swiss life and histon but the individual is not free to itf oblivious of the rest of the communib The Swiss Constitution requires o every citizen that he should take a’ interest in his duties as a citizen ani be conversant with the methods o exercising his rights. In a countr where the masses play their part ii external affairs, education is a ma+te of paramount importance. Every chiL is taught the constitutional law of hi country as part of his or her ed UCft tion. Education, controlled by th State, is free and is looked upon a an undisputed right. Social and Economic Change The Swiss sense of citizenship find expression in the acceptance of miltary training as a national obligate Each soldier keeps his uniform and equipment at home. On the outtreak of war in Europe. Switzerland was able to call upon 600.000 men. Mili’tary service in time of war eiftaiis real sacrifice, especially to the fnall man. At a moment’s notice he nusj leave his shop or business and rffiorl to his assembly point. The neutrality of his country, his citizenship, military service, and the humanitaiian aid that Switzerland dispenses to ohej States form one indissoluble whole 1 . Switzerland appears to have siccessfully established a tradition ©fife, mocracy that is both conservative progressive, based on the dignity fol hard work and on a self-imposed # cipline combined with respect for fa individual. The policy of the C& federation -has been one of reasons progress, seeking to regulate tjti which should be controlled and |fc leave unregulated that which shoiid be free. For 106 years the Swiss C®. stitution has proved an effective nstrument. Asa result of two world wars, ever, many changes had to be in the Constitution to maintain & financial balance between the C|fc federation and the cantons. In SMitzerland, as elsewhere, social questlihj have come to the fore. Old-age Insurance, so long rejected by the pow. lation, has now been adopted, ate referendum, by a majority. Anotfa important step is the attempt to iii economic relations on a healthier baV. l by means of corporations. The Sw& Corporative Union aims at collabort tion between employers and workei with a view to safeguarding the mon and social interests of all those bt longing to the same profession; group. These aims can only b realised through collective bargain between employers and workers an bind every member of the trade c profession.

Doubts on Neutrality A vital question for Switzerland today is neutrality. The army, held in readiness for any emergency, has up to the present given the abstract principle of neutrality a political validity. This policy has proved its wrath. Machiavelli’s dictum “Svizzeri, liberissmi e armatissimi.” still holds good even in the twentieth century.- Switzer lane! has regarded her neutrality not only as her right but as her duty. She looks upon the trans-Alpine roads and railways as a trust to be defended against all aggressors. At the same time the nation is loth to sacrifice this asset by allying itself to any “new order” based on the armed lorct of any group of Powers. In the words of Professor W. E. Rappard, “Neutrality is particularly distressing J.to Switzerland. . . . Neutrality is never glorious; it is less so than ever in a conflict where all right and truth are on one side and all wrong and falsehood are on the other.” Though about nine-tenths of the population l«4 upon Swiss neutrality as their essential birthright, these words undotitedly express the views of the majority of the nation. How they cosM be reconciled with any sort of European alliance only the future can show. In spite of the difficulties, howerw. Switzerland remains an example of ■democratic federal unity.