New Britain herald., 1915-09-22

would become VlrLually an ally or l England The last consideration is | the more important since Sweden
 would no longer be a strictly neu- | tral nation. #~ ,.- Wants Strict Neutrality.
 eff she permits the transit of sup 1 plies between England and Russia
 and joins in an attempt to prevent 1 the transit of supplies to Germany she is becoming an important base | of supplies for the allies and is at ] the same time really entering into | the war against Germany. Sweden's i modest desire is to be allowed to carry on her normal industry and to ob- serve a strict neutrality-which l means helping neither side in mili- tary or industrial way, to the exclu- sion of the other. In this point of view she differs with the United ] States which is supporting England alone. Sweden does not consider this @ real neutrality. Her position, from which she will not recede Is an ab- solutely neutral attitude toward all ] com mbattants.
 Tt is logical therefore that we should hold up supplies destined for Russia while England's stoppage of our imports of raw materials inter- feres with our industry and trade with Germany. We are sorry that Russia is forced to wait for her SUD- plies which have accumulated here but while our ships are being held in English prize courts, We think the action entirely justifiable.
 Primarily Political Question.
 "It it were only commercial uues- ton, Sweden might find it possible ,, to yield to England's demands, but since it is primarily a political ques- tion of not allying ourselves with ! either side, we cannot yield. We are, however, not hopeless regarding the solution of our dispute with Englan Sweden is not unconscious of the English viewpoint or the necessity which compels her to adopt her pres- ent attitude regarding the shipping of materials to Germany. She wishes to restrict our imports as much as possible. Both our members and the English members of the commission have recently made proposals which may lead to satisfactory adjust m ent of the question of restricting our imports.
 There is no quarrel about the ex- port to Germany of our own home manufactures or of the articles which are not placed on the Swedish pro- hibitory list-although England may think that the export is excessive But I may say without violating the secrecy of the negotiations which are still under way that the chief obstacle is the question of the eXcep- tions which we are bound to make to cur prohibitory export list in the way of special licenses granted to Ger many. In order to get supplies which are absolutely necessary to us, we must give in exchange to Germany some of the articles on our forbidden list. It troubles the English because we cannot produce statistics showing the exact amount and character of goods shipped to Germany under these conditions. The publication of such figures would lead to obvious difficulties.
 -f.. Partisan to England.
 Moreover, we cannot guarantee, as England would like to have us do, that supplies will not under any con- ditions be sent into Germany. Not only would We suffer from not being able to get what we need from Ger many, but we would then be partisan to England.
 "As to the assertion that our inn ports have increased beyond our own capacity for consumption since the beginning of the war, this is not generally true. Our poor harvest and cur inability to get grain from Rus sia and other supplies from Germany owls from other countries. But even if our exports have increased we do not recognize England's rights to in- terfere with our commerce.
 Not Military Articles.
 Most of Sweden's exports to Ger many are not articles directly con- nected with military affair. England cannot ask us to cut down our meat exports to Germany, for that is one Of our chief industries. The kind of copper and the thin hides which Sweden sends to Germany are not available for military purposes. Nor can there be any criticism of our timber and wood pulp exports to Germany. All these are the products of home industry, and most of the things which we send to Germany are for the civilian rather that the soldier."
 When the attention of MT. Trolle was called to the fact that no SUD- plies destined for Germany were ar irving in Sweden and that therefore the question of allowing equal privi- lege of transit for supplies for Russia and those for Germany could hardly arise he replied that that did not alter the case sinse if it were not for Eng