DEMOCRACY.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 14725, 2 August 1921, Page 6

DEMOCRACY.

WHAT* THE SWISS CAN TEACH US. Our M's.P. should go to Switzerland and learn what democracy means. They would find a prosperous little country where the people really govern themselves. In Switzerland an M.P. is not on his own, to do as he pleases.-He is a mere servant of the people. He is supposed to do only what his constituents wank done; and if he neglects his duty, voters can start laws and pass them over his head. The Swiss vote directly on every new tax. A special war tax was passed by 436,898 votes to 26,651 ?gainst. .No law —no tax —no Ministry, can be put on them against their will be political trickery. The Swiss have a right called tne initiative," which we British people do not possess. Any citizen can write out a bill—then, if he can get 50 000 signatures, his bill is submitted to the whole nation. If it is approved, it becomes law without any interference from M's.P. The Swiss have abolished representative government, such as we have in Britain. In its place they have put direct governments They found that representatives made themselves into rulers. The* found that elections were farcesmere sham battles arranged by party Swi&erland There are 900,000 vot--5£ and they vote directly on measures ?s well as on men. That is «£v ihore is no squandermania in SwftzeJiand 'anS The Swiss have real^self-government.