READY TO FIGHT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24255, 25 March 1940, Page 9

READY TO FIGHT

> THE SWISS PREPARE HATRED OF DICTATORS I am writing in Zurich, where, through intimate contact, I have come to know the Swiss, their aims, and their beliefs, said Thomas L. Robinson in a recent article in the Christian Science Monitor. Six and one-half centuries ago, in the mist of an August dawn, three men of Switzerland, with a few followers, met on a little mountain top not far from here. They swore to preserve for all time “Die Freheit” and “ Die Heimat freedom which they meant to have and the homeland which they loved. For long years they had been driven, taxed, 'beaten, deceived, and outraged by a motley crew of tyrants, big and little. Hence the oath-taking on the Rutliberg. That was in August, 1291. From the beginning, these people realised that to protect their freedom and their homes they mus,t ever be ready to fight, if fighting need be. Through these years, time and again, fighting it was, and the Swiss have won through to 1939 and are still in their mountains. But to-day around the borders of this country they have constructed two lines of fortifications; further inland, certain great fortresses are being built, while a sturdy army waits and watches. No Hesitation

The people of Switzerland face the future and their task without hesitation. As their President stated last year, they were ready to defend their democracy “to the last franc and to the last drop of blood,” and at 5 o’clock in the grey of another morning a few weeks ago up in the alpine hamlets the ancient deep drums were beating the long roll. Further down, the sending station at Beromunster was flashing an order; the army radios, telephones, telegraphs, aeroplanes—all were at work. Every man, woman, and child knew what was meant; the longexpected mobilisation. On that morning the man with a blue ticket reached for his fur-covered knapsack, the hobnailed shoes, the broad steel helmet, and the well-kept gun, and went quickly to his station, whether a border fortress or a pillbox on his own little farm. The next morning the men with red tickets repeated these actions, and on the third morning the third) and last group, those with white tickets, left for the post assigned. Die Schweiz, La Suisse, La Svizzera was under arms in a general mobilisation. And general mobilisation means just that. There was no long-debated question of calling youths and men of all ages of 20 to 25, or 20 to 30, and so on. Of course, there were certain essential home services exempted, but generally speaking every man went from the age of 20 to the late fifties-

Half a Million Men This is no toy army. It can within a few hours put 500,000 men in the field, including auxiliary branches; if need be this could be increased with oldsters and trained women to over 1,000,000. They have all been drilled and trained since early youth. It is strange to me, as an American accustomed to the Sullivan law against the possession of firearms, to be in a country where every citizen is required to keep an army gun in his own house, together with a six months’ allowance of ammunition! The Swiss guns, large or small, are as good as any. They make them here, thus are not dependent on some distant arms factory in another country. This year’s world champion with the rifle was a Frenchman who used a regulation Swiss Army gun. and declared it was the best he had ever seen. Since war was declared, the country through its Parliament has chosen a general, the fourth in history. As they say, they have never left the need of generals except in times of great stress. They think colonels are enough to do the work and “we have seen a few too many generals elsewhere.’’ The Swiss trv to be neutral, and politically and internationally they do a good job. But one cannot control the thoughts and opinions of men—at least one cannot in a democracy. I mav say without reservation that the hatred of dictatorship and aggression is deep and bitter here. Aggression Must End There are four official languages in Switzerland —French. German, Italian, and Romansh, also perhaps some twenty variations or patois. Yet every voice from Basel to Geneva and Lugano speak the same language when it comes to his 'horror of to-day: “ This evil thing must go.” While they realise that they are not strong enough themselves to put an end to it. they still believe that they can protect their “ Freiheit and Heimat.” In Boswell’s “ Life of Johnson ” there is to be Jjound this passage by the pen of the famous doctor, dated 1742: “ Let those who deride the capacity of the Swiss, tell us by what wonderful policy. or by what happy conciliation of interests, it is brought to pass, that in a body made up of different communities and different religions, there should be no civil commotions, though the people are so warlike, that to nominate and raise an army is the same.” So Switzerland has mobilised and is ready for what may come. I have a belief that when this, war is over the red banner with the great white cross will still be flying over Zurich and Bern, Basel and Lucerne, Geneva and Lausanne. Montreux, Lugano. Locarno, and many another beautiful town, mountain, and valley.