Evening journal., 1916-11-27
RY mai. PHILIP sIMMs.

tulteu fleSS StdU correspondents
STOCKHOLM. Nov. 6.-CBy Mall
sweden is perhaps the most div ded
country in the un verse over the war.
One could not say with truth that
Sweden is pro-Ally or pro-German.
There are many factions, and each
looks at the great conflagraton in its
own way.
Most everybody is anti-Russ an \
great many are anti-Br-t sh, a small
circle are pro-German, but every
body is pro-French. even the pro-
Germans. A strange paradox, but a
true one. Still Sweden, as a nation,
S neither pro-Ally nor pro-Prus-
sia.
The Russ an antipathy is historic.
Sweden used 10 be on both sides of
the Baltic. Russia took Finland. and
for generations Sweden has feared
Russia some day would try to go
further west, blazing a way to open
ports OF the Atlantic. German pro-
paganda has helped tn S feel 'ng along.
France, one and all say. has been
the ideal country in this war, from
the first gun till the last. She has
fought like a lion. and unselfshly
She has put herself, heart and soul.
into the struggles, and has always
fought strictly according to Hoyle
Her attitude has been nobility itself
and not even the pro-Germans seem
to hope for her defeat
However in this pro-German crowd,
one hears that England is using
France for her own selfish purposes.
According to them, England is aiming
at world-dom and that il the
Allies win and Germany is crushed,
England will have her hand on the
worlds windp'pe, and can throttle it
at leisure, commercially and other
wise.
And as proof Of what England will
do. they point TO the English block
ade. Even now. they claim, Sweden
s being sorely pinched economically
by the act on OF England's feet. The
cost of living has gone UP from 40
to 100 per cent. they assert. and GER
tain commodities are not TO be had at
all. Should England become all
powerful. as she would in the event
of a crushed Germany, what then
would happen to Sweden?
asked President Carl Frisk. OF
the most powerful financiers in III
ScanGnava, and one Of the best in
formed men in such matters in Swe-
den. about the effect IF the British
blockade, and Il It had effected the
cost Of living 70 any great extent
He did not seem to think il had. L'v-
ing was higher. he said. bu. on an
average not more than % or 30 per
cent. Sweden is exceedingly prosper
GUS. and there is plenty Of money in
the land
I Perhaps the greatest authority on
the cost of liv ng in Sweden is Axel
Robert Bildt, Director OF TransitO,
Ltd, formed to handle freight lin
transit from fore gn countries.
through Sweden. to Russia. This con-
Germ was recognized by the Br tish
Government, and goods consigned TO
il we're allowed free passage througn
the blockade because England had
guarantees that such goods would
not be diverted to Germany, once in
Sweden. as formerly had been the
case very often. The pro-German
cilessly, claiming that through It
England was trying to get a strangla
hold on the economic / fe OF Sweden,
controlling every moushful Of food
and all other supplies coming INTO
I the country.
This assertion was utterly without
foundation" Director Bildt told me.
Eve handle only "in transt" goods.
! These, now arriving in large guam
titles from America and other coua-
tres. are let through the blockade
without delay. II is not true that
England thus controls all Sweden S