Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-09-27

The signature of the treaty between me
United States and Denmark fc- slie sale -
the Danish West India islands has pvrcili-
tated a crisis in Danish politics whlcl now
promises to beconle u landmark ~ tNS MS
tory of that small kingdom Starting t-o-'
the question Of the sale itself. the issue
Is rapidly becoming that q tfie ASCEND
ency in Denmark OF the Danish national
list party opposed to German influence II
Europe and the practical control OF lrn-
mark by a party predominanUy German III
its sympathies. The baltic IS by no means
new-the issue itself half a century old
but the conflict has rot been so open ana
sharp since 1864. Obviously. the national
list party. led by the king and the mobiles,
and backed by great sections of the popu-
lation, believe that the defeat OF n
is certain and at any rate that the exist
cnce OF the European wal has put them
permanently in the a~sccndency. Otherwise
they woulI not have negotiated ana Signed
the treaty. Again, they did not believe
that German opposition would be open and
official. that Germany would put military
pressure ON Denmark, and the correctness
OF their information now appears from the
statement by the German foreign minister.
definite though unofficial, that Germany
would not oppose the sale to the United
States. Naturally the Danes do not inter-
pref this as a remuneration OF all opposi-
lion. They see in ii Won Jagow's belief
that the German party in Denmark viii
be strong enough TO thwart the scheme
without diplomatic or official assistance
from Germany Of any kind. Here then is
the real issue in Denmark.
The strategic position of Denmark at the
mouth of the Baltic. the close relation of
her territory to Hamburg, Bremen. the
lIlbe. and the junction of the ports with
the German railroad system, made either
possession or control of Denmark essen
tial to the new Germany. at the least
that sort of overlordship of Denmark
which England had long exercised must
be replaced by the control of Danish
parties by interests not hostile to Ger
many, If not at first favorable to her plans
and ambitions. To begin with. the exist
.nce of the German fleet and Kiel canal
'emoved the pressure of the British fleet
upon the Danes and made impossible the
sort of coercion Nelson had eXerted by the
battle of Copenhagen. Having thus in a
sense wiped the slate clean, it remained
20 write a new creed upon it. to offset the
long generations of amity and concord be-
tween Denmark and England cemented by
several royal marriages. of which the last
had put upon the throne of the United
Kingdom a king who was the son of a
Danish mother.
OF the eventual issue the Germans have
never doubted. Do not they hold a posi-
lion as potent On land as the British ever
held on sea? Do not the German fleet, the
Germany army, and the commercial pow
er of Prussia render Denmark vulnerable
on every side and deliver her territory.
her harbors. and her business into the
hands of the Germans? How can she
dream of resisting? How can she hope
for effective assistance from her old ally
or to obtain sufficient aid from new
friends? Russia. the only real possibility.
is as dangerous a friend as Germany
might be an enemy.
At the same time. the position of Dem
mark at the mouth of the Baltic. the GER
tain hostility of Great Britain and Russia
to any overt attempt to control the coun-
try made a rather slower procedure adj
psable. Conquest was not to be thoupbt