Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-03-02
BY MARTIN w. ODLAND.

SEHulsHtb OL 5WeueH anu IiSiatid oF~1
England's interference with Swedish
commerce and mail seems to be as
far from settlement as ever, ana
within the past week the Swedish gov
eminent has appealed to the govern
ment of the United States to assist
In bringing England to terms. The re-
quest came In the form OF note by
the Swedish minister at Washington
to the American secretary OF state anu
is very emphatic in tone. 1t says. In
part: The royal government has,
during the present war, from time to
time, proposed to your excellency that
through cooperation 1t be sought to
maintain and preserve certain I'M
portant rules OF international war,
which concern protection OF neutral
commerce and navigation and which
are being violated by Great Britain.
The violation of existing rules OF In
ternational law has, regardless OF pro
tests, increased until at present only
few rules serving as protection to neu-
trail commercial intercourse are OBJ
served by Great Britain, and 1t Is
feared that also these remaining few
will be violated. or late the British
authorities have violated the mail
traffic. Parcel post from one neutral
| country to another Is being unloaded
in British ports and the contents are
being seized. While parcel post Is
not protected through The Hague pos.
tai convention. II nevertheless seems
to his majesty's government that the
British procedure, I'm the form and ex-
tensiveness practised, would be inval-
i'd even with regard to ordinary ex-
press goods. and that this seems par
ticularly evident when the seizure or
parcel post Is directed against
means OF conveyance under guarantee
Of sovereign powers. Besides, great
personal Inconvenience Is connected
with seizure OF this kind. However,
Englands present practice OF censor
ing also first-class mail sent by neutral
vessels from one neutral country to
another, Is an even greater violation
of the rights accorded neutral powers
by the rules of international law. The
royal government. therefore, now APP
peals to the government of the United
States for cooperation for the pur-
pose OF seeking to bring about dis
continuance OF the violations of inter
national law. at least so far as tho
same concerns first-class mail, and 1t
solicits as early an answer as posi-
BILE, whether your excellency Is willing
TO take appropriate action In co-opera-
ton with the royal government, and,
eventually the governments of other
neutral countries, for the purpose Of
causing that the rule which the ques-
ton involves-stipulatio OF interna-
tional law.~be observed"
II is reported that the Swedish min
lister OF Justice has appointed royal
| commission to prohibit the transpor-
| tation along Swedish territorial wa
| ters of all such goods as are forbidden
| TO be exported from Sweden. The
| prohibition Is said to be directed
| against Danish merchants who are
| largely interested in transporting mer'
| chandise to Russia through Swedish
waters. This step. the newspaper
points out. will make the Baltic a still
more closed inland sea, the conditions
being especially aggravated by the
new mine field which the Germans
have laid at the entrance into the
Baltic. The Swedish Social Demo
kraten asks whether German mine lay
ing is heing carried out so as to per
nit small ships at least to SO around
the southern-most point OF Sweden
The newspaper adds that it expect.
Sweden to protest If any intention |.
shown of placing the entire Baltic
traffic under German control.
Figures having been published b,
Swedish newspapers showing tina
during the year 1915 the merchan
heet OF Sweden showed decrease o
1aa ships. due I'm part to wrecks, hu
principally to the sale of Swedish yes
sells to foreign countries. particular.
Norway, nagbladet demands that tn
sale OF ships to foreign countries b.
/, | placed uTuSE tuS Cthtlti III Tue EoN
eminent. with power to prohibit sucl
, sales as may be considered eontrar,
to Sweaen's interests. The pape
, CATS attention to the fact that Will
: the Swedish merchant fleet has sui
fered Zig lesses since the war hegar
y that of Norway has shown wonder
-. full increase, having gained about 100
. 900 tons Morse firms have bought
ships from Swedish firms.
!. During the year 1915 twenty-tw
:. men were added to Sweden's corps &
!. expert aviators and two new aviatto
!. schools were opened, In former year
;, Swedish aviators were trained In 20
!, eign countries. but in 1915 that wa
!. impossible ON account OF the war.
: The Swedish Bakers associatio
has g' en- it's pledge to the food SUI
!. ply commission that hereafter a
adequate supply Of war bread" wi
be at the disposal OF the people an
that the price viii be reduced Sigh
'Y.