The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-15
DANES DIVIDED
 AS TO SALE OF
 ISLES TO J. s.
Lower House Votes to Sell If Plebiscite FayOrs the Deal
 Now Pending.

of the proposed sale of the Danish West Indies to the United States. The result was quite as expected. Oppo- sition Leader Christensen declared that all the Moderate Liberals were demanding a common polemical cleo tion, according to the new fundamen- tai law, and were under no tempta- ton to demand a vote of the people on the question of a sale unless such vote were combined with the political elections.
 Leader Christensen then further jus tif1ed his intention, which is said to be solely to prepare the way for his elevation to the premier's seat Re- garding the sale his position curiously is that he desires to vote against the sale of the islands now, but has de- clared himself ready to vote for the sale after an election which would open all other questions than the sale, and even upon grave national and tn- ternational quGstions.
 Several members of the government were brought into prominence by the. seriousness of the electioneering strug- gle, and, at last, after the conserva- tive spokesman had spoken against
  Premier Zahle declared that if an cleo tion were inevitable the government would ask the United States to post pone further sale negotiations until November, when the results of the election would be known. He added that the government would be ear nestly advised to Ike a vote of the people first, and if any party there after demanded a common political election, the government would pro- pose a new fundamental law and the present Rigsdag would be dissolved. A vote of the people. he pointed cut, could be finished in about three weeks. The Folkething's four-day discus sion at last ended in a division by which an amendment carrying a rat ification of the sale by vote of the people was adopted with 62 yeas, while A answered no. One conservative did not vote and six members were ab sent.
 During the discussion of the Folke- thing yesterday, sader Christensen referred to publications in German papers alleging that the Danish gov ernment had acted under American lcompulsion. He said that the Neueste lNachrfchten of Munich had charged T. pistol on the chest of little Denmark ? Leader Christensen assumed that this opinion arose owing to the speech of Financial Minister Brandes about an Iamicable American pressure
 Foreign Minister Scavenius replied briefly that he had already sounded a warning against attaching any more Importance to such press opinions than to rumors about foreign power ltrying to prohibit the ratification of the sale treaty.
 Rejection by Landsthing Awaited
 Copenhagen. Aug. 15.- (via Lon- don. 1.-The Folkething, or lower house of the Danish parliament, yes terday voted in favor of seIiing the Danish West Indies to the United States. if 9 plebiscite favored the sale. The vote was sixty-tw for the pro- position to forty-four against it, one member being denied vote and six being absent.
 Having taken this action, the Folke- thing took up the question of ratitica- ton of the treaty itself. providing tor the sale of the islands. The nurIber of votes cast for and against the treaty was the same as that upon the lquestion of the sale.
 An influential member of the Con- servative Party in the Landsthingl the upper house, told the Associated Press Il correspondent that it seemed to be d settled matter that the Landsthine
 would reject the treaty. Public meet lings on the treaty will begin in the I.andsthing today.
 The fact that the opposition in the tFolkething was not in the. slightest
 degree placated by the Governments Iproposed plebiscite-the division was
 the same as had been predicted tive days ago-appears to justify the pre-. . diction that the Landsthing, where the Opposition is in the majority. will re. Ject the treaty A rejection would mean delay of probably three months in the final disposition of the islands since general elections hardly
 could be sfinished before the end ol October and the new Government probably would not get into harnes. before the middle of November The Associated Press is assured by
 the highest sources that the Govern
 ment at no time had nor has fhs
 slightest desire to evade a test ol
 strength at general elections, bu
 would greatly regret their becoming
 necessary in the case of the West h
 oian Islands for two reasons. The
 first of these is because of the della,
 which would thus be- caused, and the second because the proposed plehis. cite would take the West Indian ques.
 ton out of politics and compel de.
 cifion solely on objective grounds
 As the situation now stands .he whole matter has become one of pure.
 ly internal party politics, in which
 the disposition of the islands is al
 but lost sight of The Government ! Ieels that the sale or retention of the
 islands ought not to be made depen.
 dent in any degree on internal strife of the various parties, which it would
 pc IT the decision is thrown in witt
 the varied issues of general election
 The Government is particularly anxi
 ousfto accelerate a decision as to the , fate of the islands because it feels il IS under obligation to the United
 States to avoid needless delay in the matter. Washington. Aug. 15.-Chairmar
 Stone of the Senate Foreign Relation
 Committee announced today that the
 treaty for purchase of the Danlsf West Indies would be taken up a! . soon as the Democratic caucus corn
 pieted revision of the Revenue bill.
 Asks $10,OOO For Injuries