DEMOCRACY THAT WORKS.

Evening Star, Issue 25672, 21 December 1945, Page 4

DEMOCRACY THAT WORKS.

In the centre of a seething Europe tho Swiss are an example to the rest of the world as a race—or conglomeration of races—who have succeeded in making democracy work. Among the closer belligerents they may have incurred some hostility for their failure to show partisanship in the last two wars, but their successful effort to retain neutrality in a chaotic world commands admiration. It has not been without cost to themselves that they have remained outside international conflicts. National life in Switzerland during the last six years has been as severely restricted as in any of the countries at war in order that no offence should be given to the belligerents of either side. Trading difficulties have caused food shortages, and normal trading activities have been disrupted. Yet Switzerland, as the official central headquarters of the International Red Cross, has lived up to her reputation of providing relief and help to the victims of the war she herself avoided. Refugees poured into the country in increasing number as the war progressed, and at the time when hostilities ceased in Europe Switzerland was providing shelter for more than 100,000 war victims. Since the war ended elaborate plans to give aid to the warravaged countries have been prepared. A recent official report stated that the Swiss programme of relief and reconstruction of war-stricken European countries includes the organisation of medical groups to fight epidemics abroad, help for bombed-out families in the purchase of necessities, hospital care in Switzerland for child war victims, relief for children in foreign lands, the organisation of repatriation convoys in transit through Switzerland. The Swiss Government is expected to contribute up to 100 million francs in cash or kin(l to the fund which the people are building up. Every person in Switzerland will be called upon to make a substantial gift as a thank-offering for having been spared the horrors of war. Such foodstuffs as can he spared have been sent across the frontiers .to help relieve starvation, and many thousands of unfortunate children have been brought in from adjoining countries and provided with hospitality and much-needed food.

The example of the Swiss people is one that might be pondered by their German cousins, who were inflamed to arrogance by Hitler and his henchmen and brought to destruction. Six centuries of democracy. and more than, a century of peace have made the Swiss more than ever determined not to surrender their freedom. The German Swiss iti the north, speak . the same language, have similar racial origins and many inherited traits in common with the Germans of the Reich, but there the resemblance ends. The country provides a unique union of Germans, Frenchmen, and Italians into one cohesive nation which is resembled only by the conglomerate association of races comprising the United States of America; But American observers, looking at the Swiss, .find that the European nation has in some ways more highly-developed standards of democracy than those that have been found possible in the New World. A British observer writes that politically the Swiss have come through the war without serious internal or external trouble. There have been no important constitutional changes. The country has been governed by decree under special powers granted to the Federal Council in 1939 “ for the protection of the country and the maintenance of its neutrality.” These have lately been reduced, and will shortly be rescinded.