Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-07-27
AMERICAN OFFICERS
ARE NEUTRAL SPOTS
Ministers In Charge of Lega.
tions Work For Numer-
Gus Nations.

Suo ANClA0Ao.
stockholm, Swedea.-tE0rrespond-
ence of The Associated Press.pNeu-
traltty in the Scandinavian countries is
nowhere to be found in such exenpli-
fication as at the American legations ia
Stockholm, Copenhagen and Christi
ania. The latch string which bangles
below the coat of arms of the United
States is out alike to Russian, to Ger
man., to French, Englishnnan-to all
who come for aid or advice. 1t is not
possible always to DO just what is
wanted, but each visitor is given a SYM
pathetic hearing and if there is any way
States or its diplomatic representatives
can be employed his help is eheerfully
given.
The American legations are the com
mon meeting ground Of the ministers
from the warning poWerS-n0t neces-
sarily at the same time-but it is sell
dom a day passes that some commune
cation has not been had with all of
them. The work OF tho legations in
creases daily and problems that are
strange to the ordinary channels OF
diplomacy are demanding considera-
delicate and the American ministers
have had to move at times with all the
WEAKNESS that diplomacy commands.
Many Duties.
Commercial questions which involve
the relations sometimes OF three on four
nations have to be met, while'a all
times there is the duty Of safeguarding
as far as possible the a of the
United States. There are constant ap-
peals to be made for the release of
American merchandise or for license
for American goods to pass yer and
through territory where the products
of other nations may be forbidden.
Often the questions involved are diff
cult n veXatious, but SO far as can be
Judged the American ENJOYS rave ar
rfed out their duties and Instructions in
such name as to cause a minimum OF
friction.
Here in Stockholm the American
minister, Ira Nelson Morris. has almost
what might be termed personal charge
of the enormous trade between the
United States and Russia. This has to
do with practically all commodities ex-
cept munitions of war. Sweden is the
winter highway to Russia. But England.
which controls the seq and Sweden.
Which controls the highway, are npt on
the best commercial terms SO nothing
can pass through Sweden to Russia
without the agreement Of these two
powers. Licenses must be obtained in
every instance and these can only be
! udu trough the lnLGTSGSSlOIS OI tn0
American legation.
England, of course, has no desire to
interfere with shipments from Amer
lea to her Russian ally, but she de-
mands the guarantee OF the American
minister that these goods shall reach
Russia intact. Sweden, on the other
hand. wants assurance that tho goods
are all from America and that Eng
land has no immediate interest IN them.
imports OF English goods into Sweden
and shipments of English goods
through Sweden to Russia are under
strict control Of the two governments
md must exactly balance.
The American legation here also has
% account strictly for all persons hold
!ng American passports good for u
sia.
Just now Mr.. Morris Is endeavoring
20 obtain from Great Britain the re
ease of some 600 American typeariters,
consigned to a Swedish firm. but held
by the steamship lines at Copenhagen
lnder orders from The British admir-
atty. England does not wish typewrit-
ars to get into Germany. The Swedish
1rm has given every assurance that
the typeWriters are for use in Sweden
alone and they assert there is practlc-
ally a typewriter famine in this coun-
Try. The shipment is valued at some
hing like ssh, 900.
AT Copenhagen, the American min
,ster to Denmark, DR.. Maurice Francis
Egan, having enjoyed the distinction
If serving under Presidents Roosevelt.
Taft and Wilson, and thus been in close
citation with the Danish government
FOR a great many years, was in a par
ilicularly felicitous position to handle
the affairs Of war when trouble came.
In addition to tho ordinary details OF
diplomatic relations and the
eial problems constantly requiring at
|tention, the legation at Copenhagen has
been a point of communication be-
tween America and the central powers
md the archives undoubtedly contain
copies of messages relayed back and
forth which will make interesting dip
|lomatic history in the years to come.
AT Christiania the American minister
to Norway, Albert G. -SchmedeInan, of
Wisconsin, has had problems akin to
those in the larger capitals of Stock
holm n Copenhagen. While his diff
culties have been more or less local, the
tremendous shipping done at Christi
tnia, increased nan fold since The
war began, has mad the legation a
workshop by day and night.
Extended vacations, once a pleasing
prerogative Of American dinbmacy,
have become a war luxury no to be
enjoyed, whether the nvoy be stationed
at the capital Of a ~belligerent or :accred-
tied to the government of a European
neutral.