The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-26
DOUGLAS ON THE CRISIS
Man Mentioned as Possible Premier
Gives His Views.

Stockholm, Sweden, July is.-count
L. Douglas, former minister for foreign |
affairs of Sweden and Norway, now gov
ernor general Of the province of Oster-
goetland and leader of the storsvenska
or patriotic party, whose name has been
mentioned as the next premier OF Swe-
den, while awaiting the publication Of
the report of the special committee ap-
pointed by the riksdag to deal with the
crisis between Sweden and Norway, ex-
presses himself as follows:
"In Norway they say and have
spread broadcast over the world that
the storsvenska party is party of the
nobility. the object of which is to give
the nobility Of Sweden the power Of
government. This talk, as all sane per-
sons know, is mere nonsense and child
ishness. They also say that our object
is to give Sweden some kind of sover-
eighty over Norway. Such was never
our object; as you know, Norway has in
respect Of self-government been one Of
the freest nations in the world.
Duplicity Seen.
"The fact is that long before the
either parties we perceived the duplic
lty Of some Norwegians. who were work
ing with the object in view Of causing p;nag
they were .incessantly searching for
seeds of dissension and when found
planted them. They worked hard and
heartily for dissolution. of the union,
their efforts ~...s....- - !
I'm the first excitement after the
Norwegian revolution and after the
Swedish people had recovered from the
stunning insult to it and it's king, many
persons came to the conclusion that it
, is well as it is; if they-the Norwegians
are unwilling to live in peace with us
and share the apparent blessings of this
uuion of more than ninety years dura-
ton. let them go their own way, and we
will go ours, but they could have chosen
q more honorable way to break off this
union; that at least we might have good
reasons to expect.
"Now when the first excitement has
passed, Sweden ought to exert herself
to the utmost not to give up the union,
because in reality the differences are
so insignificant.
~ Wants a New Union.
"a new uni on must be offered by US
erty, equality and indePendenee Of Of both
countries, but in which the principle
that the Scandinavian peninsula as
against the world is one which must be
consequently carried thru. Thus we
must, besides a common king, have
common departments Of foreign affairs,
OF commerce. anu Navigation, OF War,
and of the navy. And the peninsula
( must be joined in commercial union
so far as the commercial policy is con-
cerned.
"All the places in these four depart.
ments, from the highest to the lowest,
should be open to either Swedes or Nor
wegians. A union parliament meeting
alternately in Stockholm and Chris
tiania, should have control over the
common interests, and to this parlia
ment the cabinet members for the com
mon departments should be responsible
"To delay the decision in this grave
question until after the Swedish cleo
tions is correct. In the meantime
Sweden will ask the powers not to &C
knowledge Norway as an independent
state until the new riksdag has had ar
opportunity to express the will of the
Swedish people. -,
"In conclusion, let me express thu
hope that the Swedes and Norwegian.
who have taken up their abode in the
United States will be able to see the
things here at home in the cleare
way which distance sometimes enables
US to do. In their unbiased opinion
I think they will see that such settle
ment of the crisis as outlined in thi
interview is not only feasiblet but tn
most practicable and honorable for boil
parties.' Z