Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-09-29
PROTOCOL MADE PUBLIC
Announcement of Terms Of Nor
Wegian-Swedish Dissolution
Agreement.
FIVE MAIN ARTICLES.
Arbitration, Neutral Zone, Reindeer Pas
lures, Intertrafic and Common
Waterways Are Dealt With.

the ulSSOIuI-On OF the union OIL Norway
and Sweden, subject to the ratification
of the Riksdag and Storthing, has been
made public.
The historic document, which will be-
come a treaty when ratified by the two
parliaments, consists Of five main arti-
Giles and thirty-fve sub-clauses. The
first article deals with arbitration; the
second with the neutral zone, and the
terms Of the demolition of the fortiica-
tiOns: the third with the reindeer pas
lures, ETC.; the fourth with inter-traffic,
and the fifth with common waterways.
Provides for Arbitration
The agreement provides for the COM
pulsory arbitration before The Hague
court of all disputes except matters Of
vital interest, for the period of a decade,
with extensions for other periods of ten
years, unless TWO years previous notice
is given of an intention to abrOgate it.
The treaty provides for a zone on
either side Of the frontier which shall
forever be neutral, and for the demoli-
ton of the fortresses within that zone,
with the exception of the old portions of
the Notifications of Fredriksten, Gylden-
loeve and Overbejerget, which may re-
main, but which are not to be used as
Notifications.
a headquarters staff and garrison may
be maintained at Fredriksten to the
same extent as prior to the erection of
the new Notifications. No extension of
the kongsvinger group of Notifications
will be permitted, nor of the new forts
erected within ten kilometers of the old
fortress of Kongsyinger.
The Arbitration Clause.
Article 1, relating to arbitration. is
Subdiyided into eight clauses as follows:
(a) The two countries undertake to sub
nit all matters Of dispute to The Hague
arbitration court which Go not affect
the independence, integrity Or vital in
terests Of either; CO. the event of diff
ference of opinion between the two
countries as to whether a given question
touches the vital interests of one of
them the matter shall be submitted to
the arbitration tribunal for decision: (c)
disputes in regard to the Interpretation
of the method of carrying out the agree
ment to be arrived at in connection with
the dissolution of the union. shall not,
however be submitted to The Hague
court; clauses d. e and provide for
the constitution of the court in accord
ance with the rules of The Hague con-
Yentlon, the exchanges of documents,
and who are qualified to act as arbitrat-
ors, ETC.; (h) this agreement is to remain
in force for decade from the date of
signature. 1t may be extended for a
similar period if it is not renowned by
either party at least two years before
the expiration of the term of ten years.
Details of Neutral Strip.
Article =, dealing with the neutral
zone, is subdivided into nine clauses: (aD
in order to insure peace between the
two countries, a zone is to be provided
on each side of the frontier. which shall
no MOI ltrol o,,I !,
by either country for war operations
nor can there be stationed or gathered
within the zone military forces except
as provided in 81 and such as are neces-
sary to maintain and cope with acct
dents. Ii either country constructs
ported and people living within the zone
may be collected there for military duty
but must immediately be taken away.
Outside War Suspends Pact.
Fortifcations, war ports or depots for
the army or navy must not be main
tanned, nor new ones established, within
the zone. This agreement is suspended
in case the two countries assist each
other in q war against q common enemy
and also if either goes to war with a
third power. CO. Therefore the fortifca-
lions now existing within the above neu-
trail zone shall be demolished, viz, the
Norwegian groups of Notifications al
Fredriksten, with Gyldenloeve, Over
bejerget and Weden ana Hjeimkollen
Oerje, with KrOksund and Dingsrud
(c) The above mentioned Notifications
shall be demolished as such. I'D The
measures mentioned in clause sc" must
be completed within eight months of this
treaty becoming effective (e) Provides
that the above measures shall be car
ried out under the supervision of q COM
mission composed of three officers of for
eign nationality, neither Swedish nor
Norwegian, each country choosing one
and the third to be selected by those two.
or in case of disagreement by the pres
ident of Switzerland. More explicit rules
concerning the control are to be con-
tanned in the aforementioned separate
treaty.
Submit Differences to Tribunal
The succeeding clauses provided that
in case of disa greementS as to the mean
ing of this clause which diplomacy may
be unable to solve, they shall be sub
mitted to an arbitration tribunal of
three members chosen IN accordance
with the Hague convention.
The last clause reads: This agree
ment becomes effective immediately 1t
can not be broken by only one party to
the agreement
as follows: ca for humanitarian rea-
sons. both countries agree to grant each
country's nomadic Laplanders the priv
ileges contained in the amendment of
1888 to the treaty of 1851. which
amendment neither country shall de-
mand to be cancelled without the con-
sent of the other; (b) enumerates the
conditions under which Laplanders may
pasture reindeer in Norway until the
end of the year 1917; (c) in ample time
before the end of the year 1917 negotia-
tions are to be opened concerning the
above matter; Cd stipulates arbitration
in case of differences.
AS to Intertraffic
Article deals with intertraffic. as
follows: (al Each country agree. neither
through prohibitory import or export
laws to interfere with or make difficult
the transport or transit of goods In
case of war complications with or be-
tween other powers or in other extra
ordinary cases, arms and ammunition
and other war material shall be deemed
contraband. Explanations may be made
as demanded by international laws or the
security of their own neutrality. Excep-
tons may also be made for sanitary rea-
sons. (bl Transit goods must not be
taxed with export duty or smaller
charges, nor must any distinction be
made in charges of transit. Clauses c,
and e contain rules concerning the
charges on transit goods. The principal
effect is that no higher charges shall be