Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-02-16
SWEDEN.

According to advices from Stock
holm the defensive alliance of the
three Scandinavian nations-Sweden,
Norway and Denmark-which was
formed at Mal1noe at the end of 1914,
trembles on the verge of destruction.
Only little more pressure from Eng
land, it seems, and King Gustaf will
throw his new army of 100000 men
into the hands of the kaiser. Pro-Ger-
mans tell what would happen then.
They have a carefully planned cam
paign, which they say is that of the
German general staff. Using the
great ferries running between Ger
many and Sweden, the kaiser would
land an army in southern Sweden.
These men would be rushed by rail
to the border of Finland, and here,
with the Swedish leyies, they would
invade the grand duchy which Gus
tavus Adolphus and Charles XII ruled
and for which the Swedish monarchs
have never ceased to yearn. The Firms
would rise to a man, the German adj
tary corps and prevent the Russians
from destroying the railroads to pro
tect Petrograd. Then would the car
see his capital, little defended on this
side. soon in the hands of the enemy.
Sweden's entrance in the war on the
side of Germany would embarrass the
allies immensely.
In the year and half since the war
started, the German propaganda,
which failed in the United States, has
succeeded in Sweden. Almost all
Sweden's news of the war comes
through German sources. AS a re-
suit, German sentiment has increased
enormously. England's relations with
Sweden have been irksome. The
queen is sister of the grand duke
of Baden. She was almost injured
while in the grand ducal palace at
Karlsruhe and she has proclaimed
publicly her interest in the cause of
the kaiser, whose boyhood playmate
King Gustaf was. Despite his de-
scent from Napoleon's CASTOR captain,
Bernadotte, Gustaf is Teutonic il SEN
timent. But if Sweden declares war
against Great Britain, the traaty of
Malmoe becomes scrap of paper
Norway and Denmark are even more
strongly pro-ally than the Swedes are
pro-German.
Maintenance of neutrality in con-
formity with the principles of inter-
national law was the keynote of all
the speeches before both houses OF
the rigsdag when debate on the budg-
ct was opened. Leaders of all par
ties dwelt on the virtual unanimity of
the Swedish people in favoring firm
and imp .ial neutrality. Premier
Hammerskjoeld declared this to be
the policy of the government, but add
ed: I'VE repudiate the idea that our
policy means we will not abandon neu-
trality under any condition. 1t is our
fervent desire to keep peace and it
is our duty to work for this end with
all our might, but we must also reckon
with eventualities in which main
tenance of peace, in spite of all our
efforts. would no longer be profitable
Knut Wallenberg, Swedish minister
of foreign affairs. says of the Swedish
American steamship line: In the es-
adjustment of this new steamship
line the Swedes cherish the hope that
direct commercial relations and In
tercourse with the United States
shall be augmented Whether this
shall be or not will largely depend on
the attitude of Great Britain. That
country has, as is well known, greatly
hampered Swedish trade. There are
numerous cases where Swedish car
goes have been thrown into prize
court contrary to all established laws
and conventions between the nations.
The rigsdag has appointed a CON-
mittee OF IL members to confer with
the king on foreign affairs and de-
tense measures. The committee,
which is representative of all parties
in both chambers. includes three so
cialists and the conservative Profess
sor Kjellen, who is known as pro-
German.
Prince Wilhelm, second son Of King
Gustaf. was operated on for appen-
dicitis. His condition is satisfactory.
Prince Wilhelm, who is duke of So
dermanland. is thirty-two years old.
Great Britain is sowing mines SO
thickly at tho entrance to the Baltic
sea that it now is practically impass-