the Swiss are just about as distrustful of all their neighborsn(except for Liechtenstein and possibly Austria) as Israel is ofnthe Arabs. The Swiss are in one sense very internationallynminded, but they resolutely put first things first. In 1986, inna nationwide referendum, the Swiss rejected by a substantialnmajority the proposal that Switzerland become a member ofnthe United Nations. The government and most of thenmedia urged membership, but the Swiss people massivelynrefused, on the grounds that the UN regularly meddles innthe affairs of member nations — for example, by demandingnsanctions against South Africa.nThe Swiss regularly profess abhorrence of the apartheidnsystem, but they are not prepared to seek to change foreignngovernments by economic, diplomatic, or military sanctions.nAll of the industrialized Western European nations haven”enjoyed” a large influx of foreign workers, but in contrastnto West Germany, the Swiss have kept the problem underncontrol by a severe limitation of the duration of worknpermits. Under the Social Democrats in the late 1960’s andn1970’s, West Germany tried to establish “equality” fornseveral million foreign workers, giving them virtually everynbenefit short of citizenship. Gonsequently, despite economicnconditions that make them totally superfluous. WestnGermany is now faced with the continuing presence ofnseveral million hard-to-assimilate foreigners. The Swissnavoid this problem by giving most foreigners work permitsnvalid for nine months only, renewable only after threenmonths outside of Switzerland. Being born in Switzerlandndoes not make one Swiss. A native Swiss must have at leastnone Swiss parent. In order to be naturalized, an immigrantnmust find a local community {Gemeinde, commune, i.e.,ntownship) willing to accept him by popular vote. Childrennof non-Swiss, if born and/or raised in Switzerland, can moreneasily become citizens, but it is not automatic. There is nonsuch thing as landing or going ashore in the last stages ofnpregnancy, giving birth to an instant citizen, and thennapplying for a visa as a relative of a citizen, as is common innthe USA and Canada. An American educator with whom Indiscussed this a few days ago reacted in shocked horror atnthe Swiss attitude: “A genetic criterion for citizenship!”nQuite so; the Swiss find it altogether natural and actnaccordingly; Americans find it natural, too, but are intimidatednby doctrinaire liberalism and sacred pluralism intondenying their natural instincts and creating a situation innwhich we are morally incapable of defending our frontiers.nThe Swiss sometimes adopt a rather sanctimoniousnattitude towards normal self-interest on the part of othernnations: a recent major article in Reformiertes Forum, thenmajor publication of Swiss Protestantism, lauded the “sanctuary”nmovement in which some American churches sheltern”refugees” that the American government considers illegalnwhile uttering pious denunciations of American immigrationnand foreign policy. The Forum makes it plain that itnshares the judgment that U.S. policies are jingoistic, repressive,nand immoral. However, similar attempts to creatensanctuaries in Swiss churches — and Swiss immigrationnpolicy is both more restrictive and far more efficienflynpoliced than U.S. policy — have been rather prompflynsuppressed with very litfle hand-wringing. The Swiss allownthemselves the luxury of telling Americans how we ought tonreact to an influx of illegal immigrants, but they have nonTo Clarenby James MichienNo bigger than my hand, I see a cloudnOver your mind. I comment, you deny it;nAnd then because we’re both of us too proudnTo talk about it—silence. By and by, itnLours, but your thunder never speaks out loud.nNor will your lightning ever clarify it.nSo gloom persists for days, for half a week, say:nSince we’re in France I’d call the weather fixe.n’Stormy’ barometers, when gently tapped.nImprove to ‘Variable,’ if not ‘Set Fair,’nBut whether you are kissed or stroked or slapped,nWhether I care too much or try to carenNot in the least, adapt or don’t adapt,nLow pressure remains constant. Well, that’s Clare.nAlthough I sometimes want to throw a bomb at her,nShe’s still my only fair, unfair barometer.nWithout you in the sitting-room, the hall,nThe kitchen, not to mention rooms more private,nThere’d be no meteorology at all.nNo winds to shiver in, heat-waves to revive at.nOr snow for fun, but just a cosmic palln(Conclusion I’ve been hoping not to arrive at)nOf grey, undifferentiated mist:nThe self-made climate of the solipsist.nintention of doing likewise in Switzerland, as they know thatnsuch a policy would be speedy national suicide. The UnitednStates is a far vaster country, and it takes us longer to injurenourselves fatally; the Swiss quickly calculate the implicationsnof lax immigration policies for Swiss national survival andnact accordingly.nSwitzerland, with its six and one-half million people,nproduces as much of what it needs as it possibly can.nFarming is heavily subsidized — not by direct payments, butnby setting import regulations that permit Swiss farmers tonsell their produce at prices that enable them to make andecent living. Milk, for example, costs about Fr. 1.60 pernliter — $1.25 per quart at present rates — and good beef asnmuch as Fr. 30.00 or even more per kilogram — $10.00 ornmore per pound. Prices across the border in Germany aren30-50 percent cheaper, and frontier dwellers do cross overnfor a liter or two of milk or a couple of pounds of steak, butnin general Swiss buy Swiss food when available, despite thenhigh prices, without complaint. They know that French,nGerman, Italian, and American farmers are not going tonfeed them in a crisis, and so they want to keep their farmsnalive.nThe Swiss do not try to manufacture things that exceedntheir practical capacity. There is no automobile industry innSwitzerland, apart from one luxury model. But they donmanufacture weapons and military equipment of allnkinds — for their own army, but also for others. Mostnconsumer goods — clothes, appliances, heavy and fine machinery,ntheir own locomotives and rolling stock, pharma-nnnMAY 19881 ISn