Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-18


nance by the most prudent and subtitle
reserves.
The diplomatic negotiations of 1905
for a fact resuscitated the old treaty
of Paris of 1855 1t
Treaty Of 1855 was indisputabie that
the Aland Is a n d 3
reviewed.. unfortified constituted
a part of the political. military and
territorial status quo of the Baltic sea,
and public opinion in Sweden was
alarmed at the possibility that Russia
would eliminate all vestiges of her de-
feat in the Crimea. Europe in effect
had completely changed her political
face OF the two great occidental
powers which had fought Russia in
the Black sea and the Baltic, France
had become an ally; the other. Eng
land. q friend.
The Russian minister Of foreign AZ.
fairs. NJ. IsvoIsky. did not fail to per-
ceive that the changed conditions Of
fered Russia an occasion to abrogRte
the Alandais constructions, forgotten
In 1871. or neglected when the other
humiliating clauses of the treaty OF
Paris were denounced by Russia.
In the course of the six years which
elapsed between the signature of the
declaration concerning the status quo
territorial in the Baltic and the actual
NAMED in ruins.
NJ. Steffen. Swedish socialist senator,
and pronounced Germanophile, has
written a book entitled. war and Gull
theory that Germany did not desire
the war" This gentleman has re-
Gently delivered q speech in the FIRST
chamber Of the rigsdas. denouncinE
the Russian peril" and in which he
gave the precise number of troops
which had been designated, and OF
others under orders. The announ cemnt
created alarm.
Gen Rape, formerly chief Of ths
stan of the army. recently published
pamphlet. under the
Gen. Rappe's title of Sweden Be-
w,: fore the Decision" Tho
Ans' author declares that
England desired to assure a transit
across Sweden. submit the Swedish
people to the British yoke, and use her
as a satellite in her conflict against
Germany. The fortincations in the Is
lands Of Aland, the author aff,rms,
would close the navigation Of the Gulf
Of Bothnia as well to Sweden as to
Germany. IF the Swedes wish to pre-
| serve a minimum of the strateric ex-
istence of their country" says Gen.
Rape, they should demand the Inn
mediate naturalization OF the Aland Is
lands. Russia could not refuse II the
entente should nourish against Sweden
offensive projects then there was moth
ing left to the Swedes except to 60 to
war on the side Of Germany"
During this time there were others
who espoused the idea of joining cause
with the Germans. NJ M HoeRlund.
and Ivan Olgelund. editor Of the Brand
advanced socialists. were accused of
high treason for having. in a congress
of young socialists. discussed the atti-
tude which the laboring class should
assume in case the government volun-
tarily launched Sweden into the war
The socialists threatened a general
4 strike as the only means of resistance
This attitude on the part of the social
, lists had been provoked by the violent
Three socialists were apprehended and
brought to trial. One was condemned
| to three years Of hard labor, the sec
ond to one and a half years. and the
| third to one year.
The speech of M. steffen. in the rigs
they have not attained their main OBJ
ject. have provoked an article In the
Deutsche Tageszeitung, adopting the
arguments Of NJ. Steften and Of Gen
Rape on the question Of the Aland
Islands
1t is. however. reassuring that these
ultra radical opinions have not shaken
public opinion. which desires. above ALL
to maintain the absolute neutrality Of
Sweden.