SWITZERLAND AND THE SAAR
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] Sun ,—As a Swiss citizen I should like to state the case of my country and her goverr ment in the affair of the Saar Police. The Federal Council has not agreed to the enlistment of individual Swiss recruits for the supplementary police force required for temporary service in the 'Saar. This decision is founded on the reason that to agree to the demand of the Saar Government would or might compromise Swiss neutrality. There may he some Swiss citizens who would' be willing to take that risk in the interest of the League of Nations policy. But not one, not the fiercest opponent. of our Government will agree with your opinion that the reasoning of the Federal Council is puerile. Neutrality is a sacred tradition, the real raison d'etat of our country. Our Government does not need any outside pressure to know that its first duty is to keep a jealous watch on our neutral position. The German diplomacy knows that pretty well and we are sure that they have not even tried any undue influence. The great majority of the Swiss are deeply convinced that essential interests of our foreign policy have asked the negative answer of the Federal Council. Many of them think that other countries would be entitled to reproach Switzerland for that if they had a really spotless record of sacrificing their own interests in the common cause of mankind or the League of Nations. The revival of the pre-War system of alliances will unavoidably lead Switzerland to an enforced stress on her traditional neutrality which has been recognized by the London declaration of the League's Council on February 13th, 1920, as being justified by the interests of general peace.—Believe me, dear Sir,
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