Democratic, progressive Switzerland finds itself in strange company on one point. It is one of only 14 countries in which women are barred from voting. The others: Afghanistan, Colombia, Costa Rica, Haiti, Honduras, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia.
Last December the nation's chief executive body, the Federal Council, ruled that the woman suffrage question was "too premature" for national consideration. It recommended that votes for women be tried out first on the local level. Last week in the canton of Vaud, a test referendum was held. Result: Vaud...