The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1915-10-28
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The English Swedish commission.
whisa has for two months been striv-
Ing tc adjust the trade differences be.
tween the two countries, u no nearer
a satisfactory solution OF the dispute
than at the beginning OF tn session:
Meanwhile, over $25,000,000 worth so1
supplies for Russia, which she urgent
ly needs, have accumulated in Sweden
owing to this country's refusal to a.
low the transit of goods to Russia I'm.
til England has modified her demands
regulating the amount of Sweder'a
imports.
The English members of the com,
mission argue that large amount
of supplies. many of which are. direct,
ly connected with the maintenance Of
an army and the prolongation of the
war, find transit through Sweden to
Germany. They contend that a con.
spicuous increase in Swedish imports
beyond her own needs is evidence that
these supplies find way 60 Germany
and that great many of them are ar.
ticles which Germany particularly
needs, notably meat, coffee, cocoa, cot
ton, copper and lubricants of vart,
GUS sorts. Being assured that these
are destined for Germany, England
claims the right to place such car
goes in the prize courts and is eniorc
ing this right.
The Swedish members OF tho com
mission reply that her export laws
which are rigidly enforced blythe gov
eminent, prohibit the sending Of most
articles to Germany and THAI excep
tions are only made to this prohibit
tory list when she IL forced INTO at
exchange of supplies with Germany by
a shortage of necessary articles in hel
country, caused in many cases by
England's restriction of her imports.
There are some articles such as ami
line dyes, medical goods and certain
kinds of machinery which Sweden can
obtain from Germany and in order to
get these necessary supplies she must
extend to Germany special licenses
contrary to her proh:bitory regula
tious. But it is contended that these
supplies which Germany obtained W
der these conditions are almost negM-
gible. Swedish commissioners claim
she is justified in refusing to gaar
aatee the stoppage of transit to Ger
many, because as an independent nar
ton she has right to trade with
one country as well as another, and
that if England sees fit to hold up
her imports, she will refuse to trans
NIT supplies to Russia.
The issue which has caused dead.
lock is the quantity Of supplies sent to
Germany under the. special license
contrary to Sweden's list of forbidden
exports The English members Of tho
commission have called for exact fig
ures show the export to Germany, but
such statistics, it is claimed by tho
Swedish government, are not avail
able. The English and Swedish men,
bers of the commission also disagree
as to the usefulness to Germany for
military purposes of such articles az
copper, which. are on Sweden's free
list. The English argue that whether
the copper is one kind or another, it
can be converted into copper for mill
tary use in Germany. and that large
quantities of copper, oil and cotton
have found transit into Germany.
Admiral Lindman, former Swe1lsh
premier and present leader of thu con.
servative party, denied that Sweden
was prepared to make concessions in
her trade dispute with England.
1T is unfortunate" said Admiral
Lindman, that no league of neutral
powers was formed at the beginning
of the war to safeguard the rights
and privileges of the neutral nations,
but since that was not done, it is now
the duty of Sweden to defend these
rights. One of these rights is her
commerce with another neutral ma.
ton like the United States. In he.
dispute with England, Sweden is up.
holding this sovereign right and she
will continue to uphold It.
"Hngland's exaction is equivalent to
forcing US into partnership with
her, for we regard it one of the re.
quirements of neutrality to treat both
sides impartially in regard to the
transit of materials. Now that Eng.
land has made IT impossible for US
to send goods to Germany, our only
way Of correcting this is to refuse to
permit transit of supplies to Russia
and England"
There is only one combination Ut
circumstances which is likely to draw
Sweden into the war, in the opinion OF
H1almar Branting, leader Of the so.
ciafist party of Sweden, and generally
admitted to be the most likely candt
N~& @~