Switzerland

Confederation.

On the cessation of the Federal Pact in 1848 a new constitution was accepted by general consent. This is fundamentally the constitution in operation today, but sundry revisions were made in 1874 and 1931, and the amended constitu tion is the one now in force. Any subsequent revision can be made by normal Federal legislation with a compulsory referendum, on the demand of 50,00o or by popular initiative. Changes require a favourable majority in total votes and total number of cantons. Federal sovereignty is exercised by the legisla tive Federal assembly (Bundesversammlung) and by the executive Federal council (Bundesrat), both meeting at Berne. The assem bly consists of two chambers—the National Council (National rat) and the Council of the States (Stdnderat). The National Council are chosen in direct election by the enfranchised males; the franchise has not yet been extended to females. The basis of representation is one deputy for each 22,000 total population of the canton, with an additional deputy for any remainder exceeding 11,000. On the 1930 census returns there are thus 187 representa tives varying from 31 for Berne and 28 for Zi_irich to 1 for Uri; 14 of the 22 cantons have less than eight representatives each.

The deputies receive attendance pay and travelling expenses from Federal funds ; neither allowance is lavish. The States Council consists of two members from each canton and one from each half-canton, or 44 in all. The mode of their election, term of membership and rate of pay are entirely cantonal matters and vary accordingly. The average financial allowance is less than for a deputy to the National Council. A general election of repre sentatives takes place every four years, suffrage is universal, voters becoming enfranchised at 20 years of age, and any voter, other than a clergyman, may be elected a deputy. Laws passed by the Federal Assembly, though this represents both people and canton, can be vetoed as a result of a majority-supported referendum based on a popular initiative demand of 30,00o en franchised citizens.

The seven members of the Federal Council are elected for four years by the Federal Assembly. The following departments are represented : Foreign Affairs, Justice, Interior, Military, Finance, Public Economics, Railways and Post Office. The president of the Confederation no longer holds the foreign portfolio. Presi dent of the Confederation and vice-president of the Federal Council are elected for one year only (Jan. 1–Dec. 31) by the Federal Assembly, and cannot be immediately re-elected.

Federal councillors cannot hold a plurality of office, either federal or cantonal, and must not engage in any calling or office. The salary for each councillor is ii,000 per annum, except in the case of the president, who receives an extra al lowance of £8o per annum. The Federal Government (Assem bly and Council) is supreme in matters of peace, war and treaties. It regulates the army, railways, posts, mint, national banknote issues, weights and measures of the republic, and is being increasingly entrusted with matters formerly considered to be purely cantonal.

Religion.

The Federal Constitution of 1874, while recog nizing no established Swiss Church, guarantees full religious liberty and freedom of worship, as well as exemption from any compulsory church rates. It repeats the Constitution of 1848 in forbidding the settlement of Jesuits and all affiliated religious orders in Switzerland, and extends this prohibition to any other orders that may endanger the safety of the State, or interfere with the peace of other creeds.

The Protestants formed 59.3% of the total population in 185o, in 1900 and 57-3% in 193o; the Roman Catholics, 40.6% and 41%, in these respective years, while the Jews in creased from o.i % to 0.4% in 1930—the remainder (other re ligions or none) showed a considerable increase in the 20th cen tury. Twelve cantons in 1930 had a majority of Protestants and ten of Catholics.

Of the more populous cantons, Zurich, Bern, Vaud, Neu chatel and Basle are mainly Protestant, while Lucerne, Fribourg, Ticino, Valais and the Forest cantons are principally Catholic.

Although a Federal Swiss Church is not recognized, any canton may establish one or more Churches (Landeskirchen). Practices differ considerably in the several cantons ; some have one creed solely established, others have two jointly; Neuchatel has three established churches (Protestants, Roman Catholics and Chris tian Catholics), and Geneva, in 1907, disestablished both of her existing Churches. The Roman Catholic priests are much more numerous than the Protestant clergy, and comprise more than 6,000 regular and secular priests under five diocesan bishops— Sion (founded in the 4th century), Geneva and Lausanne (4th and 6th century), Basle (4th century, but reorganized in 1828), Coire (5th century), and St. Gall (a separate see since There are besides the sees of Lugano (created in 1888 for Italian Switzerland—but now united to the see of Basle), and Bethlehem (a see in partibus, annexed in 184o to the abbacy of St. Maurice in the Valais). The Christian Catholics are a sect split off from the Romanists in 1874 on the question of papal infallibility, and since 1876 have had a bishop of their own who resides in Bern. They are strongest in Bern, Soleure and Geneva. A few monasteries in Switzerland escaped suppression. The prin cipal are the Benedictine houses of Disentis (founded in the 7th century), rebuilt in 1846 and now used as schools; Einsiedeln (loth century), now a great pilgrimage centre: 18o,000 yearly ; and Engelberg (12th century) now famed also for its cheeses. There are also Augustinian houses at St. Maurice (founded in the 4th century—held by Augustinians since 1128) and on the Great St. Bernard (11 th century). The government of the Protestant Church is Calvinistic.