The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-22
Germany and Denmark.

or great interest to all northern Europe
and of indirect but grave Importance to
the United States is the report which
we published Wednesday that Denmark
and Germany have entered into a treaty
German Empire in time of war. In
return for a safeguard OF inestimable
value to German Baltic ports. from Kiel
and Lubbock to Dantzic, Germany guar
antees the integrity Of Denmark, and
thus relieves her from the necessity of
maintaining for her own defence a mill
tary and naval force out Of proportion
to her financial resources. Hitherto the
army which Denmark has deemed it
needful to maintain has fallen but little
short Of 1901 0 men, including reserves,
while her navy comprehends nine bat
tleships and six cruisers, besides many
gunboats and torpedo boats. Hence
forward. II the alleged treaty exists. the
Danes are relieved from anxiety con-
corning their national security.
What such an agreement would mean
TO Germany is obvious. In war time
the Sound. at Its narrowest point be-
tween Kronborg on the island Of Zea-
land and Helsingborg on the opposite
coast Of Sweden, could easily be blocked,
and thus all access to the Baltic would
be rendered impracticable for the navies
Of England, France or any other enemy
Of the German Empire. Under such
conditions the southern shore Of the
Baltic, which hitherto has constituted
a vulnerable part Of Germany, would
become virtually i~mpregnable to assault
from the west. and that considerable
section of her army which in times past
has had to be detained for the protection
of her Baltic ports could be sent to the
Rhine or to the Vistula. In other words,
by the closing of the Sound the strength
Of Germany for aggressive purposes
would be notably increased. Moreover,
the Danish navy, so far as Germany is
concerned, is henceforth a negligible
factor, though as a coadjutor to a Ger
man feet it might render considerable
service. Nor is this all. A treaty such
rs we hear has been concluded would
inevitably tend toward a resumption
by Denmark Of the relation which she
formerly held toward the German Con-
federation, in the Diet of which her
sovereign, as Duke of HOlstein and
Lauenburg, had three votes. From the
acceptance OF German protection it
would be but a short step to such partial
incorporation with the German Empire
as does not seem revolving to the pride
Of Bavaria or Saxony.
The political effect Of such a treaty
on Sweden is no less manifest. PraCti-
cally, that country would be henceforth
condemned to become a satellite Of Ger
many. Sweden could hardly venture
even to remain neutral in a contest be-
tween Germany and Britain, lest on one
pretext or another her commerce with
the outer world, almost all of which
passes through the Sound, and the rest
through the Skaw, the northern outlet
of the Cattegat, should be cut Off. Thus,
finding themselves entirely at the mercy
of their German neighbors, the Swedes
would be strongly impelled to make a
virtue Of necessity, and at the same
time erect an insuperable barrier against
Russian extension westward, by them
selves following the Danes within the
circle Of the German Empire. 1t would
be hard, doubtless, for the fellow coun-