Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-26
SCANDINAVIAN CRISIS
VIEWS OF FORMER MINISTER OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
An Interesting Interview of the Sit-
uation With a Representative o.
the Associated Press.

Correspondence Of the Associated Press
STOCKHOLM. Sweden. July 13-Count
l. Douglas. former minister Tor foreign Il
fairs OF Sweden and Norway. now gov
ernor general of the province of OstcrEoct-
land and leader Of the province ofOstergoet-
patriotic party, whose name has been men
toned as the next premier OF Sweden. re-
ceiVed the correspondent of tho Associated
Press today while awaiting the publication
of the report OF The special committee ap-
pointed by the riksdig to deal with the
crisis between Sweden and Norway. Count
Douglas said:
IN Norway they say, and have spread
broadcast over the world that the 'stor-
svenska party is party of the nobility
the object of which is to give the nobility
of Sweden the power of government. This
talk is, as all sane persons know. mere
nonsense and childiShuess. They also say
that our object is to give Sweden some
KIND OF sovereignty over Norway. Such
was never our Objects you know Nor
way has IN respect of self-goveumcnt been
one of the freest nations in the world
Duplicity Perceived.
But the fact is that long before the
other parties we perceived the duplicity
OF some of the Norweglaus who were work
ing with the object In view OF causing a sep
aration. To obtain their object they were
necessarily searching for seeds of dissen-
sion and when found planting them. They
worked hard and heartily for dissolution
Oh the union, and we worked hard to
counterfeit their efforts
In the first excitement after the Nor
Wegian revolution and after the Swedish
people had recovered from the stunning IN
suit to 1t and It's king, many persons came
to the exclusion that it is well as it is II
they-the Norwegians-are unwilling to live
in peace with US and Share the apparent
blessings of this union of more than ninety
years duration, let them go their own way
and we Will go ours, but they could have
chosen more honorable way to break off
this union that at least we might have good
reasons to expect.
Ought Not to Dissolve Union
Now, when the first excitement has pass
cd. Sweden ought to exert herself TO the
utmost not to give up the union, because in
reality the differences are so Insignificant
that they easily cou.- be overcome. \ new
| union must be offered by us to the Nor
wegians, founded on full liberty. equality
and interior independence of both coun-
tries, but in which the principle that the
Scandinavian peninsula against the
world is one VIII oh Cst be consequen ~ ear
ried through Thus we must. besiGes "A COM
mon king, have common departments of
foreign affairs. of commerce and naViga-
ton, of war and of the navy. And the
peninsula must be joined in a commercial
union so far as the commercial policy is
concerned
"All the places in these four departments
from the highest to the lowest should he
open to either Swedes Norwegians A
union parliament meeting alternately in
Stockholm and Christiania should have con-
troll over the common interests. and to this
parliament the cabinet members for the
common departments should be responsible.
Delay of Decision Correct
ITO delay the decision in this grave ques-
ton until after the Swedish elections is cor
rect. In the meantime Sweden will ask the
powers not to acknowledge Norway as an
independent state until the new riksdag has
had an opportunity to express the viii of
the Swedish people.
In conclusion let me express the hope
that the Swedes and Norwegians who have
taken up their abode in the United States
Will be able to see the things here at home
in that clear way which distance sometimes
enables to do. In their unbia sed opinion
/ think they will see that such settlement
of the crisis outlined in this appeal is
not only feasible, but the most practicable
and honorable for both parties.