New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-14
THE SCANDINAVIAN UNION.

The controversy between Norway ana Swe-
den has assumed q new phase 1he Storth-
ing ut Chrstianla adopted on Friday reso-
luton altering the design of the flag. Hlther-
TO the Norwegian and Swedish flags have dlt-
fered chiefly in color both bearing in the corner
superlulposed crosses cmblematic of the union
of the two Kingdoms Just the crosses OF 81
George St Andrew and st. Patrick are used
in the Union Jack of Great Britain. Fridays
resolution directs the removal of the swedish
emblem, so that the flag will be purely Nor
wecian. with no mark upon it of union with
Sweden.
That might be either a trlfiing or a serious
matter If 1t meant merely change in the
flag and nothing more, it would be or httle I'M
portance. But ii means far more imam thaI
1t is a proclamation to the people or the TWO
Kingdoms that Norway will henceforth strive
for a greater measure Of Independence IMAM
she has hitherto enjoyed such measure rs
she believes herself TO be entitled TO under the
terms of the union Of 1914 but OF when, as
she thinks, Sweden has arbitrarily ana wrong
fully deprived her The change in the nag Is
indeed quite logical, from the Norwegian point
of view 1t IS not intended to dissolve the
union but merely to indicate the true nature
of it, or rather. to cease indicating an Untrue
nature The old flag Indicated union Ike
that Of England Scotland and ireland, not
only with n common sovereign. Out WIN
common Parliament and Ministry ana dipio-
matte service. Now there is no such union
between Sweden and Norway They are bound
together by the personal tie or common
sovereign. hut each has It's own iarllaihoh'
and Ministry. Just as Austria and hungary
have theirs. AZ present they have too COM
mon Ministry for Foreign Affairs. and diplo-
matte and consular service. as Austria ana
Hungary have
II is over this last-named fact that all the
trouble has arisen. Norway wants. and claims
10 be entitled to under the Act Of Union or
1914, separate Foreign Minister ana dlpio-
matte and consular service of her own Inc
present Joint service. which she says Is prac-
tically a Swedish service, she declares 10 en-
tail upon her serious commercial ana hhah-
cal loss. besides humiliatins her with an ap-
pcarance Of dependence and infcIorliY. IN"
Swedish reply IS obvious and strong. 1t j. that
the King must have unity of representation.
He cannot send To another country two MIN
lsters 10 represent him, the one from sweden
and the other from Norway with the prob
ability that they would materially dlher from
each other In policy. There is, Sweden admits.
no expressed constitutional warrant for unity
or Identity Of foreign service but she insists
that IL IS warranted by the law OF practcal
necessity She has been trying 10 get Nor
way 10 adopt II as provision of the ConstItu-
ton. Offering various other concessions III re-
turn as an inducement but Norway seems III
clincd to persist In fat refusal
The Norwegian rejoinder is twofold. First
she proposes 10 make III" two kingio neutral
states Ike Switzerland and Belgium, under
the protection Of arbitration treaties. In such
n condition Of affairs the Foreign Minister
would become merely Minister Of Commerce
and ENJOYS sent 10 foreign lan,E would hc
merely commercial agents. The diplomatic
service would become a consular service. Ihell
there could he Norwegians argue. no harm ana
no embarrassment in having two independent
services Second if such an arrangement j.
not acceptable to Sweden. Norway proposes IN"
more radical step Of abolishing the union ana
substituting for il an alliance. In that case
Norway would have a King OF her own. whom
she would choose from the royal family OF
Sweden. selcctin, perhaps the second son OF
King Oscar That would make the two king
doms entirely separate and independent. win
no tie but a treaty of alliance and the rcla-
tonshlp between their sovereignS.
sweden seems far more likely 10 accept the
former than the latter plan. Indeed there is
not the slightest reason to suppose she VIII
ever accept the latter. unless under the com
pulsion of defeat IN war. The former she has
taken under consideration. Both Sweden and
Norway are meanwhile. making military prepa-
rations on land and sea, as If for war. That
there will actually BE- war Is most unlikely.
however The Norwegians say Sweden does
not ,iare to attack them. Perhaps that Is SO;
hut II II IS il Is not for fear OF Norway so much
as for fear Of Russia. Sweden knows that
Russia covets another Of her provinces, TO add
to the Finland which she so uniustly took from
her and she is persuaded that In case OF an
internecine war with Norway the Car would
quickly improve his opportunity, find or make
pretext for interfering and seize province
or two from both the belllgcrcnts For that
reason she will not break peace with Norway, II
she can possibly help It, And despite the
action Of the Storthing concerning the flag the
outlook IS still for peace
--,-.-
OVER THE EAST RIVER.
Iol, all,