The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-15

lite endeavors to restrict the autonomy
Of the Grandduchy. will ave the re-
suit of inducing the Firms TO welcome
a Swedish invasion and to throw N
their lot with King Gustav's army
against the Ear. II remains to be
seen whether the Sc expectations vii.
be fulfilled.
While Sweden tas all along leaned
toward Germany rather than to Great
! Britain and her allies in the present
war. 1t is only quite recently that she
| has manifested a pronounced DISPOSE.
! ton TO join in the fray. In the early
! stages of the hostilities popular SEN
/ timent IN Sweden was so strong in
favor Of her remaining aloof from the
conflict. that King Gustav was pre-
vented from adhering to the kaiser's
! cause and was forced not only to Issue
a proclamation OF neutrality, which he
did with the utmost reluctance. but
also TO make a pact with the rulers o.
Denmark and of Norway. in a meet
ing at Malmo, by the terms of wh.ca
all three sovereigns bound themselves
to unite with one another In defend
ing their respective dominions from
any such violation of neutrality az
that to which Germany had subjected
Belgium. Danes, Norwegians and
Swedes all dreaded to share the terri
BILE fate OF the Bcigians. II while this
fear had the effect of %sllencing thu
sympathies which King Christian OF
Denmark and King Haakon of Nor
way. undoubtedly are known to enter
tain for Great Britain ad her allies
- al,o Inl tha ,aS,1t ~ rniyy in .
Gustav to bottle up his devotion to his
kinsman the Kaiser and to pledge
himself and his Government TO re-
frain from taking any part in tho
war.
When Sweden inauGurates hostili'
ties against Russia and invadeS Fin
land she will therefore render herself
guilty of breaking the treaty of MalmC
and of violating her agreement with
Norway and Denmark for the main
tenance of Scandinavian neutralit,
throughout h war-another iilustra'
ton OF the futility of treaties nova
days as mere scraps Of paper"
1t will he a matter of some dim
Guilty for Denmark and Norway t.
remain neutral II Sweden goes to wa
with RUSSIA. Inc ndtTeu VI the Ger
mans in Denmark and sin NOrwa!
is so pronounced hat 1t will Nee
but little to induce Kings Christia,
and Haakon and their respective Gov
ernments to Join what was formerl,
known as the Triple Entente bu
which now embraces nc less thar
eight Powers. The Danes and Nor
wegians will be impelled to adopt thi
course by considerations of safety an
self-preservation, for Sweden's ma
tiOnal aspirations avOwedly includ
not only the recovery Of her forme
province OF Finland hut also the res
tOration Of Norway to her reigninI
house. and II Sweden were to shar
in Germany's possible though improb
able ultimate victory the doom of Nor
way az an Independent kingdom woul
be sealed. Moreover, the Danes hav
every reason to apprehend that tn
same Powers who in 1854 robbed Their
OF more than n third OF their terri
tory will avail themselves Of the op
%portunity afforded by the present wd
to seize the remainder In order I
secure in this fashion complete con
troll and command of the entranc
TO the Baltic.
While popular sentiment in Swede'
has beer becoming more and NOR
pro-German since last fall and tn