Arizona republican., 1916-05-15
SCANDINAVIA
 NUT LIKELY T0
 ENTER THE WAR
Republican A.. p. Leased Wire1


 COPENHAGEN. Denmark, May l4. Although no official statement has been made as to the detailed delibera- tions of the conference of Scandinavian premiers and foreign ministers recent ly held here. the meeting itself seems to have wrought a noticeable feeling of relief in the three neutral nations of the north and there is without doubt just q little more confidence that these countries will be able to fight their way through the difficulties of the war without being drawn into the hostilities
 The position of the Scandinavian countries - Denmark. Norway and Sweden-has been more or less deli cate one ever since the war began. With each day that the fighting con | tinues the problems of commerce and diplomacy multiply. But despite pres sure of every sort, first from one belli- gerent and then another. the northern states have managed to maintain d neutrality of which they are proud and which they believe the non- -combatant world fully appreciates.
 , three countries had been dealing in dividually with the problems of war. i There had been no thorough exchange I of views since the gathering of the Scandinavian kings at Malmo in De- cember 1914 when the neutrality of the North formally was proclaimed. There was perhaps just a little feeling of uneasiness, attributable to a lack of counsel. when King Gustave of Sweden suggested the conference held here a few weeks ago
 The tangible result of this three days sitting of the higher cabinet of ficers of Scandinavian. was a new dec laration to the world of d continued neutrality, loyal and impartial" on the part of the three peoples, agreed in a concert of opinion" This con ference, with it's free dsccussion oi policies and interests. and it's renew ed expression of northern agreement was deemed especially desirable at this time in view of the coming activities of spring and summer. Officials ol the three governments felt that diff cult and complex as has been the sit uation in the past, they have yet tC fdeal with the real crisis of the war It is realized here that before peac, , possibly can bring an end 10 hostilities the situation on one side or the othel must be far more desperate than 1t i: today In the extremities of this inev. itatlc desperation the Scandinavian people are asking if acts far nor , ruthless than any heretofore attempted will not be committed against neutrali in a wild attempt to stay the impend ing crash of defeat.
 Ever % often there spreads owe Scandinavia the report that German! intends eventually to seize Den | mark. Of course these reports seldom get beyond the word of mouth-travel CTS returning from Germany assur their friends they heard the news iron reliable sources - and consequent. ! they do not call for official or othe | denials. The plausible excuse givei l for such contemplated action by Ger many is a desire to control absolutel, | the deep water entrance to the Balti and to gain possession of the preciou Danish butter eggs and bacon so mucl needed in Germany and shipped now Il great quantities to Great Britain. On the other hand there comes jus as often from Sweden or Norway. tn report that England, with a prolonge stress of war. would eventually shu off all supplies from the Scandina vian countries as the one sure metho of stopping leaks" to Germany an Austria. England has trade agree ments with Norway and Denmarl
 however, which seem to be workin
 in a satisfactory manner. An effoi
 was made some time ago to negotiai
 such an agreement with Sweden, bl
 the Swedish government thought tt
 proposition from Great Britain "tc
 one esided." Sweden felt that she Ina
 particular claims for considerable
 from England inasmuch as Swede
 constitutes the great highway to Ru.
 sia in wartime. England and Swede
 now deal with each other on an il
 formal and not officially recogniz,
 give and take" basis If England a
 lows certain amount of imports in ! Sweden. Sweden allows the passaI = of an equal amount of goods from E
 gland to Russia.
 The wholly unauthenticated rumo
 as to the sinister intentions of {
 opposing belligerents are set aside
 course as worthless. They would
 completly dismissed if it were not
 the ever increasing fear that the
 may be two or three years more
 fighting. The complications that tho
 a hn of