Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-09
Is A BUFFER STATE
DENMARK OCCUPIES THAT POSI-
TON IN NORTHERN EUROPE.
Signs of the Formation of United
Scandinavia-Could Make Con-
siderable Trouble.

| Julius Moritzen. in American Review of Reviews.
| The tension between Germany and
France. and the widespread European
! complications bound TO follow should the
| Moroccan situation be the cause of war;
| give color to the belief that when Norway
| broke away from Sweden she sounded the
| first not of warning for the powers to keep
| hands off Scandinavia. There can be little
| doubt that, once the Swedish nation be-
! comes reconciled to the action of the Nor
| wegians in dissolving the union, the brother
peoples will enter upon q season of real
| friendiiness such as has been unknown in
| that section for close on to century. Dem
mark, Norway and Sweden are sure to ap-
| pear in the new role of united Scandina-
via. the good will of which will be worth
While cultivating. Both England and Ger
many have for some time been suitors for
! the iavors of the northern countries, and
| this in itself is an evidence that the friend
| ship of Scandinavia, whatever EVENTUAL
| ties may be precipitated, has current
| value.
| Previous to the Russian naval defeats at
| the hands of Japan, England might have
| looked in the direction of the Baltic. fear
| ing antagonist sufficiently strong in
! ships to give her concern. Even at that
| time Denmark constituted the buffer state
| between the two powers. Scandinavia as
a whole, may be considered the dividing
| line between these great nations.
A Decisive Quantity.
| Not only would an alliance with Den
mark, Norway and Sweden prove a decisive
| quantity to either the Muscovite or the
| Englishman in war, but Scandinavia on
! the offensive against either England or
! Russia would have a fighting chance to
| keep off the enemy for considerable
period 1t Is this fact which has led the
Danes eyppnd millions nf -kr0uer N
| defense system of the country. And while
| q conflict between Great Britain and the
| empire of the car Is a remote possibility,
Denmark preparedness will go far toward
| iastiiing that respect which is the hand
maid of diplomacy where points at issue
await settlement. .a ,a.
That Germany within recent times has
| paid considerably more than passing at
| tention to the defense plans OF Denmark
! has not escaped the Danes, whose military
aStuteness Is proyerbiai.
The Danish capital, for this reason.
has been made into a great fortified camp.
| with immense breastworks guarding the
western side Toward the north the fortl-
| fcatiors are even more redoubtable, while
| the inter secting of many canals lnsureS q
| floating of the entire district in case OF
attack from that quarter. In the estimate
| of Won Bieberstein. however. who may be
| said to represent the German view of the
| situation the bombardment of Copenhagen
| will be somewhat difficult to prevent. The
| measures taken may result In checking an
| enemy advancing from the sea, but 1t Is
! ointe3 out that the northern entrance TO
| the sound Is still considerably exposed.
The greatest strength lies toward the
| southern end of the sound.
Principal Defense
An Inner and outer line OF forts con-
stitute the principal defenses. Their
| equipment is of the finest in existence. The
| possession of Copenhagen harbor, with It's
| every facility for the reftting OF men-of-
war, would prove of the utmost value to
| the enemy and place him at an advantage
| should some ally come TO the assistance OF
| the Danes The sound once gained, the
! aggressor would control the better part OF
the North sea and the Baltic
In a war between Germany and france
| Copenhagen would hold the key TO the sit
uation in case the French feet could be
spared In the Mediterranean, and, enter
| ing the northern waters, overwhelm the as
| vet inferior German fleet. 1t might then
| be possible to bring to completion plan
| like that of 1870. which purposed the land
| ing of army in Denmark, from where q
| diversion was to be made against northern
| Germany. Faulty preparations on the part
| of France and the quick march OF events
| In Alsace precluded the contamination OF
| not repeat itself as matters happened In the
| sixties and the seventies, Denmark con-
! fesses to no little uneasiness lest the one
| or the other OF the four great powers
| SHOULD Ieel lTlpSIleu 10 ldho tcLipoi diy poo-
| session OF the country in case of warfare.
How to bring the troops from Jutland
| and Funen to Seeland in the quickest pos
| sible time and without interference on the
| part of the hostile fleet is what concerns
! the Danish defense commission in It's plans
| for the protection of the nation. 1t is al
| ready agreed that only sufficient troops be
| left in the provinces to guard against the
| depredations of raiding parties On See
| land will gather the main strength of the
| Danish army. Railroad and steamship ar
| rangements have already been completed
for the transporting Of the troops. On
| the island where is located the capital OF
| Denmark the issue will be awaited. Here
| fate will decide whether the Danes are to
remain independent
Four Roads to Choose From.
| The peninsula apart, the enemy which
| will attempt to reach Danish territory by
water has four roads to choose from. From
| the standpoint of Germany, object
would probably be to prevent the assem-
bling of troops on Seeland. To take the
route from Wilhelmshaven the Elbe,
however, is unsuitable by reason of the
time 1t takes-the distance around the Skaw
would take twenty-eight hours. Through
the Little Belt only the smaller ships could
pass and their effectiveness would be neg
alive in view of the reception awaiting
| them from the Danish shore batteries.
1t Is, perhaps, In the Great Belt that the
enemy from the south will center its efforts
a suffi Client depth to permit the largest bat
tleships unhindered passage. Still. it
will require pilots thoroughly acquainted
with the thoroughfare to avoid the many
hidden rocks and sand banks that Turk
here Considering the Importance of the
Great Belt to Denmark in the event of
war, it is likely that the plans of the de-
Tense commission for the terrifying of the
shores of Funen and Seeldnd will be brought
to maturity In the quickest time possible.
There Is every reason to believe that be-
fore long the northern entrance to the
sound which is the door to Copenhagen,
will be safeguarded as thoroughly as is the
southern gateway. When the time for ac-
ton arrives an enemy will find himself con-
fronted by conditions differing totally from
those which obtained in 1901 and 1907,
when unwelcome visitors laid siege to CO.
penhagen and despoiled Denmark of her
navy.
The Banker and the Poet.