The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1907-12-12
IN The SCANDINAVIAN NORTH
Gleonings Of Important NeUs of Norway, S.ueden
and Denmark, Oith Occasional Comments.
MARTIN ".
BY MARTIN ". oDLAND.
SWEDEN.

On account of the damage to the
crops by heavy rains, the districts of
Vesternorrland and Vesterbotten, in
Northern Sweden, are facing food
anime. According to an official re-
port the rye harvested there this year
weighs only 81 Kilograms per bushel
is against 112, the standard weight
Consequently the bread made from
ucl: rye is black and almost worthless
IS food. Furthermore it is announced,
here is no milk. as the cows have
been slaughtered to supply food The
authorities in those districts have re-
~uested that the government abandon
he grain toll tl:is year and take other
tops to aid the stricken territory.
mentioned last week the fact that
here is dissatisfaction in Sweden over
the treaty recently entered into by
Norway and the four great powers Of >
tIurope-England. France. Germany,
guaranteeing the integrity of
Norway as a free and independent ma
ton. Now am able to present an
editorial from the Dagblad, one of the
leading papers of Stockholm, which
Gives in frank and manly manner
The Swedish point of view in this mat
ter. The Dagblad says:
This is Norway's own concern, but
it must not be ignored that a general
feeling of dissatisfaction has been
evoked here by the idea that the treaty
is, directly or Indirectly. aimed against
Sweden. The enlightened public opin-
len of Europe will doubtless accept the
word of our government when it reit-
crates and emphasizes its honest and
peaceful intentions. M. de Trolle, the
Swedish minister for foreign affairs, a
short time ago made the definite dec
laralicn that it was not Sweden's pol
icy which rendered necessary the
guarantee sought by Norway. AS we
are not in possession of the text of the
treaty, or of the documents bearing on
the negotiations preceding it's sigma
ture, we cannot Judge with certainty
whether and to what extent the four
great powers have deemed it neces-
sary to intervene against Sweden in
the policies of the Scandinavian Pc
ninsula. But, in any case, the appear
ance of such a treaty is serious OBJ
stacle to the future improvement In
the relations of the two countries
which is the aim of Swedish and Nor
wegian statesmen and which is always
the aim of the Swedish government.
IF they cannot work together they
must at all events work on parallel
lines. Looking at the matter from
this standpoint, Sweden can only re-
gard with regret the efforts of Norway
to place herself under the guarantee
of the powers, for the fact remains
| that these powers will be able to find
occasion to control Norway's relations.
| While negotiations were in progress
with Norway, the question was asked
by one power whether Sweden did not
also desire guarantee. This question
was answered definately in the mega
tive by the Swedish government, which
has the whole nation with rare una
nimity behind it. In view of the oh.
servations made on the Swedish side,
as we'll as abroad, 1t was to be expect
ed that guarantee treaty made with
out Sweden would be regarded as d.
rected against Sweden. The justice Of
this statement is as difficult to deny as
to deny that Sweden has long given
real and binding tokens of loyalty to
Norway, while Norway on her side has
found no occasion for showing her 10y
atty to u.s."
1t may be added that the press of
Norway is by no means silent on this
subject, and the editorial pages of the
leading journals of the two countries
will probably contain considerable in
teresting reading matter on this sub
ject during the next few weeks.