The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1916-06-07
SWEDEN.

HILL HrUly anu lnlphrt1alty neutral
The government feels no alarm con
corning Russias activity in fortifyin9
the Aland islands, lying of the east
coast OF Sweden between the Gulf oi
bothnia and the Baltic sea. Reassur'
ing statements to this effect werc
made IN both chambers of the riksdae.
The announcement by Foreign Minis
ter Wallenberg of the governments
position was followed by statements
from the leaders of the socialist, liber-
! al and conservative parties in which
confidence in the government and sat
1sfaction over it's course were ex-
pressed. This evidence Of complete
agreement between the contending po-
! litical factions in the riksdag with the
government and the king means that
Sweden today is more united against
entering the war than at any time
since the world hostilities began. 1t
seems that the only chance now OF
precipitating war would be an overt
act by one of tho belligerent countries.
The agreement, which came as a sur.
prise to the Swedish people, was the
cause of feeling of relief. When the
rtksdag met the entire Swedish cab
met was present in the first cham
Der. Foreign Minister Wallenberg
said in part: Repeatedly it has been
| stated that Sweden, while always
maintaining her right Of self-determ
lnat1on toward every side, would pre-
serve strict and impartial neutrality
and that she desired eagerly to avoid
coming into any warlil1e entangle-
ments. We are In position to reaf
firm declarations of this character,
| hitherto given by the Swedish govern.
ment The efforts of the government
In accordance with its duty to protect
the rights and interests of Sweden
from any violation, should not be mis-
understood or misconstrued by any
body, considering the manner in which
Sweden during her very difficult stu
| alton constantly has fulfilled the de-
mands of neutrality. AS to the Aland
islands, anyone who has followed tho
historic development of this question
| must recognize it's vital Importance to
Sweden. can assure the chamber
that the government deems it it's duty
| to follow this question with unwaver-
ing attention and nothing will be
spared to preserve the rights of Swed-
en- in this as in other fields. Any OK
PLANTATION beyond this, cannot, for
obvious reasons, give at this time"
Foreign Minister Wallenberg's state
| ment was received with cries of
Bravo Hjalmar Branting, the So
cialist leader, took the floor and
thanked the foreign minister for his
| assurances. He was followed by Adj
| miral Lindman, former premier, who
spoke for the conservatives and M.
Heden, on behalf of the liberals. Tho
| same proceedings then ensued in the
second chamber.
The exchange of wounded prisoners
undertaken by the Swedish Red Cross
is a gigantic affair." Effective May IS
three trains running weekly in each
direction from the Finnish frontier to
the southern reaches of the Baltic can
handle but comparatively few of tho
men so hopelessly used up that tho
! warning nations are glad to be rid of
| them. Some statistician claiming to
have knowledge of the situation has
declared that with trains running daily
all the year round it would take ten
years to complete the transport Of the
human wastage of war now held by
Russia and Germany.
Failure of a socialist and anarchist
plot against the life Of King Gustaf Of
Sweden is reported by the Alton
biadet. Sensational rumors are cur.
rent" says the newspaper, "of a plot
by tho young socialist-anarchtst party
against the life of the king of Sweden
in revenge for the conviction of TIRES
socialist leaders Of the antimilitartsttc
congress recently. The attempt on
the kings life WIS planned to be made
at the horse show, but the conspira-
tors were fciled by the mobilization
of the entire detective force and the
placing of Gordon OF detectives in
plain clothes around the king
Under the auspices of Henry Ford's
neutral conference, meetings were held
throughout Scandinavia. Switzerland
and Holland in celebration Of the sew
| enteenth anniversary Of the first
Hague convention. In Denmark and
Sweden the meetings lasted several
days with a big demonstration in
Stockholm.
The Chicago Athletic association
has abandoned it's effort to get Swed.
ish athletic team to visit this coun.
try this summer. 1t had been planned
| to bring over about siZtt men, and a
fund Of $4,000 had been guaranteed
by the Athletic club, the Swedish clut
| and individuals to cover tie expenses
! Of the trip. The proposed Information.
| al meet had to be abandoned because
| of the military situation in Sweden,
many athletes who would be members
| Of the team being officers in the army,