SWISS PRESIDENCY

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19785, 16 January 1936, Page 4

SWISS PRESIDENCY

NEW OCCUPANT. i A JOURNALIST EGONOMIST. NEW YORK, December 13. \Vithout any fuss and heated campaign speeches, Switzerland has just had its annual presidential election, and Albert Meycr, member of the Federal Council since December, 1929, has been chosen as the nation’s Chief Executive for the year 1936, says the Home correspondent of the Christian Science Monitor. Switzerland picks its leaders from~ many walks of life. Rudolph Minger, the popular President for the year 1935, has the distinction of having attained his high office without any college background, but with a lifelong experience in agriculture, and various successful activities in public li e. Mr Meyer, on the other hand, is a veteran newspaperman and economist, and his election will undoubtedly have a stimulating efiect on many an embitious journalist. ‘ Holds Degree in Law. The President-elect was born _on March 13, 1870, at Zurich and he is a citizen of this largest Swiss city, as well as of the near—by village of Fallanden. Mr Meyer got his unia versity degrees in law in Zurich, Leipd zig and :Berlin, and then started his career as secretary of finance in his native city. ‘ However, in 1897 he gratified his urge for journalism and joined the editorial stafl" of the Neue Zurcher Zeitung, becoming general manager of this prominent Swiss daily in 1915. Mr Meyer took his first steps into politics when he became a member of the Municipal Council of Zurich in 1907. In September, 1915, he was elected into the National Council and from 1923-1929 he was president of the Swiss Liberal Democratic Party. Secretary of the Treasury. When Mr Meyer became a member of the Swiss Federal Council, succeed—ing Mr R. Haab, who retired, he took charge of the Department of the Intérior. -On May 1, 1934, after the retirement of Federal Councillor Musy, he took over the portfolio of Secretary of the Treasury. Through his long and brilliant journalistic career, Mr Meyer is well known'and liked throughout Switzerland. He is regarded as an authority in economic and financial questions, but it is said that he is of such extreme modesty that he accepted his election into the Federal Council merely as a patriotic duty. The President~elect has done his full quota of military service in the Swiss Army, his rank being lieutenant-colonel in the infantry. Presidential Succession. It may be recalled that the Federal Council is the executive power in Switzerland. It consists of seven members elected for a term of three years by the Federal Assembly. Their reflection follows “automatically: _

Two members of this Council of Seven hold respectively the office of President and Vice-President of the Swiss Confederation for one year. After this short term the Vice-Presi-dent is elevated to the Presidency and in his turn another member of the council becomes Vice-President.