ROLE OF SWITZERLAND

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 October 1939, Page 10

ROLE OF SWITZERLAND

! KEY POSITION IN EUROPE. ! Trade, father than armaments or natural defence barriers, is seen here as the key to Swiss neutrality, writes ’ the Geneva. correspondent of the 1 “Christian Science Monitor.” I While this little country is making every effort to give military concolida--1 tion to its protectors—the great moun- ■ tain, ranges—it is recognised that economic pressure might undermine resistance. Switzerland holds one of the key ; positions in the Continent. If it remains unshaken in its determination to defend its soil it will be a difficult and expensive task to break through. Neutrality will then be respected, and ! war, more difficult to wage, will become less likely. During the World War, Switzerland faced starvation between warring enemies and tight economic block- ■ ades; it owed its salvation to the American and French Governments, which allowed supplies to reach it in 1918 through the French harbour of Scte on the Mediterranean. The ships with the task of transporting foodstuffs for Switzerland from the United States to iSete then flew the Swiss flag, which was thus for the first time seen on the seas. The situation is now somewhat different. At present, well over twothirds of the Swiss external trade is carried on the Rhine, and uses the city of Basle as its harbour. About 3,000,000 tons yearly go this way to reach the Swiss “shores”; and even Roumanians prefer to send wheat this long detour from the Black Sea through Istanbul, Gibraltar, and the netherlands to the Rhine, since water is less expensive than rail. But in case of war, the Rhine would be closed, and Switzerland would have to resort to other means of transport. A surprising but actual fact is that the Swiss National Railways are not equipped to supply traffic to the French harbours on the Mediterranean. and fetch food from there, as they were during the World. War. Neither would the French railways find themselves in a position to fill this bill. As . a. result, Switzerland may have to face the predicament of choosing between starvation and taking sides, that is, taking the side of those who will pro- 1 vide it with food. Under such conditions, the problem o‘‘ using the Rhone River as Switzerland’s waterway to the sea assumes c international significance. The Rhone . (tines out of the Lake of Geneva and 1 flows flnii miles into French territory •

before it reaches the Mediterranean. It is the only French waterway accessible from Switzerland. Through Italy and the River Po, Switzerland could reach the Adriatic. Works are now rapidly being completed south of Lake Maggiore, so that within a, few months craft will be able to reach Locarno, on the Swiss shore of Lake Maggiore, north-west of Milan. As long, however, as Italy remains a partner in the “Axis,” this new waterway is no answer, and relief against possible emonomic pressure still has to be sought through the French Rhone. The French authorities had so far remained reticent about regulating the Rhone. They considered that their advantage lay rather in the use of Marseilles or Sets as harbours fori Switzerland, with railway communication to the Swiss boundary. The technical aspect, of the problem is therefore attracting international attention. I