The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-09
A REMARKABLE SWEDISH DEMON
STRATUM

i SITUATION.
/ That was n most remarkable signi
/ fcant and suggestive demonstration Mt
Stockholm the other day. when moro
than 5000 sturdy and patriotic Swedcs
marched before tho King and petition
cd Immediate increase OF tho national l
Armament
1t was remarkable In that Il was
In no sense "a militarist movements"
! IL did not speak for the army element.
/ Tho petitioners were nearly altogether
small farmers and landowners, com.
| Ing from all parts OF Sweden Some
OF them. II Is stated. reside In villages
and on holdings as far rs 700 or 500
miles from the capital.
| /; was significant by reason OF It's
inspiration" which Is claimed TO be
apprehension OF Russia" 1t was sur-
Gestive OF possible. not to say prob
able. exceedingly interesting repetition
OF history in the near future
That apprehension OF Russia may DO
we'll founded goes without SAYING
when II Is recalled that for generations
Russia has coveted an open port on the
North Sea. but between her and that
goal have stood Sweden and Norway.
Russian territorial agrrandizement at
the expense Of ono or both Of these
kingdoms Is essential to the consurn-
nation OF reaching tho ocean TO tho
west, which successive Cars. from
rector the Great down. have SO dcvout-
~ wished. II might we'll be. there
fore, that the Russianizat,on OF Fin
land. so persistentIy and ruthlessly
prosecuted for tho last two years may
mean Russian preparation 10 provoke
trouble with Sweden. Color is given
TO this view by reason OF the fact that
IN many things Finland IS far more
swedish than Russian, and Russia. It
would seem obvious. could not afford
TO strike Sweden until all Finland had
been put under the iron heel
The suggestion of historic repett
ton carries US back TO the days OF that
wonderful woman. Margaret OF Den
mark. derisively termed "the King In
brooches" by Albert OF Sweden. 10 his
subsequent ridiculous humiliation. For.
hmusinsly enough. for that insult, for
sending her hone with which 10
sharpen her needles and for swearing
that he would never put on his night
cap again until she yielded to him as
King OF Sweden. Margaret, upon the
capture and imprisonment OF Albert
compelled him. for some years TO wear
paper nightcap, with a tail to II a
number of yards long.
IL was Margaret who. no less hy
s'atecraft than by force of arms.
brought about the celebrated Kalmer
Union. or pact, which consolidated swe-
den, Norway and Denmark under
one crown and her own rule. Ths
pact existed FOR more than 400
years during century OF which
the Scandinavian combination was in
vulnerable to foreign aggression.
When Norway seeded from the
union with Sweden there were those
who predicted that II was only cues
tloa OF short time when there would
be reunion on firm and close lines
OF offense and defense. May not the
stockholm demonstration. considering
the apprehension" that prompted II,
ha but the precursor of the fulfilment
or the predictions? And by the same
token may 4, not DC the forerunner OF
another Kaimar pact In different
form7
Strange things have happened In his
toric repetition-in the full revolution
Of the wheel Of destiny to Its starting
point