The sun., 1916-01-23
SWEDEN AND ENGLAND BELIEVED TO BE EAGE
Why British Charge Swedes With Base
Ingratitude and How Brcsk
Would Benefit Allies

much trouble and difficulty as to be
tantamount almost to an act of war.
Then. too Sweden has during the
last three or four weeks inaugurated
the practice of conveying her mcr-
chant vessels and ferryboats bound
for German ports with cruisers ana
destroyers flying the swedish nag, In
order to avoid their being interfered
with by English submarines. This IN
itself il bound to lead to a breach
Of the peace between the two Powers
at any moment. As soon as Great
,Brite.!u proclaims the blockade OF tho
Baltic ports such . practice cannot
be continued without becoming an act
Of war.
A very serious feature in the pres
ent condition of affairs is that prac-
tioslly both nations are anxious, not
for peace, but for war. All sweden
is reused against the English to such
an extent as to render the people en-
| tirely amenable to the earnest desire
OF King Gustav and OF his Govern
ment TO embark in tho fray on the side
OF Germany and Austria.
on the other hand, Great Britain
would be equally glad TO have Sweden
/ as a fullfiedged foe. instead OF a most
unfriendly neutral. open hostilities
between herself and Sweden would
| enable her to render far more effec-
/ tive her blockade Of German ports. 1t
would render more facile the COM
/ plete stoppage of tho export OF all
supplies. contraband and non-contra-
I band. from Sweden to Germany.
| Moreover. 1t would have the advan-
tage In the eyes Of Great Britain or
! diminishing TO a great extent the
causes of friction between herself and
| the United States. since Sweden has
been the chief intermediary OF large
American importations into Germany.
| II England goes to war with
Sweden II means that not only Will
the blockade Of German ports become
more effective but that Swedish ports
as we'll will be vigorously closed to all
\ foreign trade. Inasmuch as Sweden
and her industries are almost entirely
dependent upon Great Britain for
their coal, for rubber for tin. and
other goods Indispensable TO Swedish
trade and industry. the lieges OF King
Gustav would soon find themselves
in very sorry fix.
England. indeed. has acquired tho
conviction that IL Sweden embarks
in the present war on the side Of
Germany II will do no more harm
to the Allies than that 10 which they
have been already subjected at the
hands OF King Gustavs Government: /:
while II will in many respects he Of
great advantage to the Powers OF the
Entente. and contribute in their opin-
ion to bring to an earlier close the
present international confagration.
True. Sweden has an army which
already modified in view Of even
Qualities numbers between 100000
and 100000 men. But It IL difYicult to
see to what use they can be put. save
for purposes Of defence. The Ger
man expectations that Sweden might
successfully invade Finland and
reach Petrograd through the grand
duchy were based on a wholly mis-
taken belief that the Firms would rise
In revolt against the Gar as soon Al
ever Russia found herself involved in g
European war and would welcome
an invasion by the Swedes and fur
ther their movements.
The Firms however, have long mem
cries and recall that, no matter how
much they may have had to grumbl'
against certain features Of Mu.covit'
domination. the tyranny they suffered
i'm the eighteenth century at the hands
of the Swedish Kings was so cruel ant
intolerable as to cause them alway'
TO side with Russia in any trouble thai
she might have with Sweden. Expc
rience OF the last hundred years ha.
shown that whenever Russia has beer
engaged in war her Finnish troop:
have always been conspicuous by theil
magnificent bravery and by their de
votion to the cause Of the Czar.
In the present war they have live'
up to their reputation in this respect
and IL the Swedish army, in spite a
the immense distances to be traverse.
and the difficulties in connection will
, transportation. absence OF roads an,
climatic conditions. we're to succeed
in invading Finland to any extent i
, would find itself received there. no