The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-10-11

Christiania, Norway, Oct 10.-The
word neutrality" has acquired a flex,
ible and variable quality undreamed
of by the founders of dictionaries.
There is the violated and therefore
unayailing neutrality of Belgium the
grim. almost belligerent neutrality Of
Holland. and the frightened neutrality
of Norway.
The result of the sharp attacks on
the Norwegian press. both by the
Germans and the English, has been
to frighten Norway out Of any indi
vidual opinions OF her own. Recently
she has been charged with having
sold her press to England she had
hardly time to defend herself agains'
this accusation before there appeared
in the correspondence OF the Iondon
papers a severe arraignment of the
Norwegian press for having accepted
brides from Germany. In an earnest
desire to give no color to either OF
these charges. Norway has sedulous-
ly cultivated a neutrality that is be.
yond reproach. OF all neutralities it
is, outwardly at least. the most per,
feet and UNREASONABLE.
AS a well known citizen Of Chris
tiania remarked today. Norway is in
the position of the man brought into
a police station ON suspicion. amy
thing she says will be used agains
her" This delicacy of Norway's posi-
ton is patent to any observer who
has been on the streets Of the capital
for two hours. Men before expressing
an opinion of any sort, reassure them
selves of the identity of the question
err and then look guardedly in bot,
directions to see that they are no.
being overheard.
Press reports have become content
with statements OF purely uncontro
yersial matter, and the official com
muniques of the English French and
Germans In the Christiania Merger.
bladet there are studiously divided
columns with exactly half German
and half English statements A pre-
ponderance of one over the other
would Immediately cause trouble, ac
cording to the statement of the edi-
tor. In the Verden's Gang a greater
proportion of English correspondence
gives the paper at first glance an
English tone, but any inference o.
this sort is contradicted in the edi-
torial columns.
The statements of government of
dcials are in the same way guarded
and non-commital 1t is almost as if
a law had been passed forbidding the
expression of anything except plati
tudes. This fear of offending eithe
the allies or Germany inhibits the ex-
preston OF Norway's real attitude to
ward the war.
For this reason, it is unusually in
teresting to find beneath this unim
peachable exterior Inducements
genuine feeling. The most pronOunc.
ed Of these is favorable to the allies
1t is quite evident that none of tho
scandinavian countries have recover
ed from the sense of injury at Den.
marks treatment by Germany at the
time of the Franco Piussian war.
With this as nucleus, sentimen
against Germany is strong enough t.
be called characteristic of the presen
attitude of the average Norwegian
civilian.
Among the military classes there is
a leaning in the other direction which
has developed out of a fear OF danger
| from Russia, and a natural Scandi
| nayian hatred of that nation If i.
were possible to obtain the net re-
suit of these two influences. it might
be said that the present Norweg an
sentiment is friendly toward England
but modified by resentment at her
combining VITA Russia.
IA crisis of supreme Importance to
| Norway and Germany now seems i'm
pendins. This is the question of the
use of Norway as a route for the in.
PRODUCTION of food and contraband
articles into Germany. Since the
declarations of war, the Norwegian
exports to Germany have noticeably
| increased, and a visit to the steam
ship lines plying between Christian a
and Stettin shows the Importance tc
,Germany of this channel Govern
ment officials in Christiania stated
that no ammunition had been carried
% Germany by this route and thai
he Norwegian government would moi
allow it, but at present Norway Is
under no injunction from England
not to supply Germany with any
material she may desire.
An observer in Christiania woeli
say that at present enough herrina
was being shipped from Norway t
Germany to supply the whole German
army. While citizens of this cit,
would not directly state that they ex
Ipected trouble from this source ther'
were indications everywhere tina
Norway is now apprehensve of al
English challenge of her right to ex