 It's time for the Lawn Jean Chronoscope, a television journal of the important issues of the hour, brought to you every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. A presentation of the Lawn Jean Wittner Watch Company, maker of Lawn Jean, the world's most honored watch, and Wittner, distinguished companion to the world-honored Lawn Jean. Good evening, this is Frank Knight. May I introduce our co-editors for this edition of the Lawn Jean Chronoscope? Mr. William Bradford Huey, author and analyst, and Mr. Elliott Haynes of United Nations World. Our distinguished guest for this evening is His Excellency Charles Brookman, minister from Switzerland to the United States. Mr. Brookman, many of our viewers, of course, know that you've been in the United States for about 13 years, that you're one of your third or fourth among the ministers to our country, and point of service, and that Mrs. Brookman is an American. And tonight, sir, we'd like first to discuss with you the nature of this Swiss neutrality. It's rather amazing that through all the great wars, you've managed to remain neutral. So first of all, sir, in this current great struggle between the West and the Soviet Union, are you still trying to maintain your traditional neutrality? Indeed we do. Neutrality is a principle which, of course, we want to observe under all circumstances if we are not attacked. Well, now, about your neutrality, that's also if you're not a member of the United Nations, are you? You are not a member of the United Nations for that very reason that we want to be neutral. Why is it, Mr. Brookman, that you were a member of the League of Nations and are not a member of the United Nations? In the League of Nations, Switzerland has accepted notwithstanding its neutrality. And the United Nations doesn't can't do that, cannot accept you with your neutral position? According to the dispositions of the United Nations of today, it is not possible to be neutral and a member of the United Nations. Mr. Brookman, part of your neutrality, or rather going hand in hand with it, is a rather good defensive preparation in the country itself. You have a very fine militia, I understand. Indeed, our neutrality is an armed neutrality. We do our best and did our best for a very long time to be strong enough to defend our boundaries if attacked. This militia has quite a history, I understand, too, doesn't it? It has quite a history. It goes back for centuries in different ways. It hasn't been exactly the same neutrality as it is now, as it has developed. But since 1815, our neutrality has been recognized by the European powers and is therefore rooted in international law. I think our first president, George Washington, made some remark about your militia, didn't he? You are very kind to remember me of that remark because it's a very flattering one. But I read it with great pleasure and gratitude. Your first president, George Washington, wrote to Alexander Hamilton on May the 2nd, 1783, under the heading Sentiments on Peace Establishment. We might see with admiration the freedom and independence of Switzerland supported for centuries in the midst of powerful and generous neighbors by means of a hardly and well-organized militia. Well, sir, now, of course, since George Washington, our countries have known good relations between one another. Are there any problems existing between our nations today, sir, between the United States and Switzerland? There are always the normal problems of trading, of course, for example, of increasing the exchanges. There is now a problem which, of course, occupies us. That is the situation of the Swiss who come over here and who are bound to do military service if they don't want to be punished by different status. Well, to take the first one, sir, about the trade today, is there an extensive trade between our two countries now? It's quite an extensive trade. And is the balance favorable to you or to us? The balance is favorable to the United States. In other words, you buy more from us than... We buy more from the United States than we buy from Switzerland. What do you sell to us mainly? Watches, of course. Watches is a very important item, but we send to machinery, we send cheese, we send instruments, certain chemicals. You'd like to see a more liberal trade policy on our part so you could sell more to us, I suppose. We would like to see that. What do you buy from the United States, sir? We buy from the United States all kinds of machinery, particularly also automobiles. We buy foodstuff, raw materials, debacle. Now, Mr. Ambassador, coming to the second problem between our two countries, the Americans drafting Swiss nationals or if they don't join the American Army punishing them, isn't that the McCarron Act that did that, set those conditions? That's the indirectly McCarron Act, which puts them in an inferior position compared with the positions they had before. And that devoid of a treaty that was 100 years old between the two countries? The treaty is 100 years old and 103 years old. Well, sir, the problems of Western Europe, for instance, the refugee problem that came after the Second War, was Switzerland affected by the refugee problem? Has your country been overrun by refugees as many other countries have in Western Europe? We had, during the war, very many refugees. We accepted them, but we couldn't keep them. They couldn't settle in Switzerland. So they were allowed to stay there until they had found other places for their work and to stay definitely. It's very difficult for one of them to become a citizen of Switzerland, isn't it? It is rather difficult. It takes about 11 years to become a Swiss citizen. And the community in Switzerland itself is responsible for admitting citizens or rejecting them? Indeed. The community has to consent. The canton means the state has to consent. And the federal government has to consent. Well, now, of course, there's been a rather harsh criticism. It's probably unjustified, but rather harsh indeed, that Switzerland simply sat on the fence and grows rich while the rest of us fight the wars. Now, has Swiss economy profited from the Second World War, for instance? It hasn't profited. Switzerland had to contribute to the other European countries almost in the same degree as you people have done by the Marshall Plan. And whilst economy is good, of course, the prices have gone up, and as a whole one cannot say that Switzerland has been profited. Have you suffered from inflation in Switzerland? We have suffered some or what by inflation, but not very much. And you still have the soundest money in Europe, I believe. We have the good money, certainly among the best currencies. One of the good aspects of Switzerland is your labor piece, isn't it? You have very few strikes. Since the beginning of the Second World War, we had no strikes of any importance. Well, sir, throughout most of the world, in the last 40 years, there has been a steady decline in individual liberty. And of course, you Swiss have a reputation for being self-reliant and liberty-loving. Now, has there been some loss of personal liberty in Switzerland over the last few years, sir? Of course, we have many more laws than formally, and we have particularly much higher taxes than before. But as a whole, I don't think that the personal liberties have suffered considerably. Has there been a rise in socialistic activities on the part of the government? Does the government extend more and more benefits to its individual citizens? Yes, it's a better distribution of duties. For example, people in the military service get better pays. And the people who don't do military service have to contribute to that. But the people in general in Switzerland are so satisfied that you have a very small communist population, don't you? We have a very small and insignificant communist part in Switzerland. Mr. Brugman, I'd like to interject one question here. I made a mistake and called you ambassador a minute ago. You are your country's first representative. Why is it that Switzerland has no ambassadors? That's just a Swiss custom to have only ministers. A form of modesty, you might say? It is certainly a kind of modesty and just the opinion that a small country like Switzerland should represent in foreign countries on a modest level. Well, Mr. Brugman, as a final question, sir, Switzerland was fortunate enough to remain free during the great totalitarian sweep across Europe. It began in 1941. Now, if there is a second great totalitarian sweep across Western Europe, do you think you also will be able to maintain your freedom? What the question? Why do you think of such a possibility? We hope it will not come. But, of course, we have to be prepared for any eventuality, not only by our army, by our equipment, but particularly by our mentality. I think the strongest weapon for a small country like Switzerland is the love for freedom and independence. Well, thank you very much for being with us this evening, sir. The opinions you've heard our speakers express tonight have been entirely their own. The editorial board for this edition of the Laun Jean Chronoscope was Mr. William Bradford Huey and Mr. Elliott Haynes. Our distinguished guest was His Excellency Charles Brugman, minister from Switzerland to the United States. North, south, east or west, no other name in a watch means so much as Laun Jean, the world's most honored watch. Now, actually, Laun Jean watches are sold in all the capitals of the free world for the appreciation of things fine and beautiful is universal. And in all these countries, millions of discriminating men and women own and cherish Laun Jean, the world's most honored watch. And it's significant that among the finest watches in the world, only Laun Jean watches have won ten World's Fair Grand Prizes and twenty-eight gold medals. And so many prizes, bulletins and citations from leading government observatories. Now, at this season of gifts, these are important facts to remember. For a birthday or anniversary, an important present to a graduate, as a gift to bride or groom, no other name on a watch means so much as Laun Jean. And yet, do you know that you may buy and own or proudly give a Laun Jean watch for as little as 7150. Laun Jean, the world's most honored watch, the world's most honored gift, premier product of the Laun Jean Wittner Watch Company since 1866, maker of watches of the highest character. We invite you to join us every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening at this same time for the Laun Jean Chronoscope, a television journal of the important issues of the hour, broadcast on behalf of Laun Jean, the world's most honored watch, and Wittner, distinguished companion to the world-honored Laun Jean. This is Frank Knight reminding you that Laun Jean and Wittner watches are sold and serviced from coast to coast by more than 4,000 leading jewelers who proudly display this emblem. Agency for Laun Jean Wittner watches. Crime syndicated is exposed on the CBS television network.