Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-07-27
USING SLAv BOCY
TO ROUSE SWEDEN
TO FIGHT ALLIES
Germans Found to Have Ex-
tensive Propaganda Mapped
Out to Lure SWedes
Into War.
Schemes ARE AMBITIOUS
Hoped to Form a Barrier to
Russian Progress Extending
From India to Arctic,
Reports Show.
SCHEMES ARE AMBITIOUS

oh'S -'.fh 9'itoall'il li'tn
been created through all of Sweden by
the publication of an alleged official
report from "A German agent in this
country regarding a plan to bring Swe-
den into Il political, "if not closer" alli-
ance with Germany as the northern link
in IAN irnmDvable wall against Russia
and against the Asiatic %danger.' This
wall, representing a new idea as to Ger
many's pLan#, is referred to as being
constructed by Turkey, Bulgaria, Aus
tria and Germany.
For tho work of propaganda in
Sweden the alleged report asks for a
preliminary appropriation of more
than 100, 900 marks and suggests that
Turkey and the other allies of Ger
many he asked To contribute their
proper share. The anti-German news
papers in Stockholm comment rather
bitterly upon This suggestion of an in
ternational "siush fund" for Sweden,
but assert that many of the recomlnen-
dations in the report evidently writ
ten last December, have been carried
into effect. Il also is asserted that the
report explains much of the recent &C
tivity in Sweden against Russia and
the attempt to force a situation which
would cause Sweden to declare war as
an alley Of the central power
the report as printed in detail, be-
gins with a discussion Of the possible
effect of q Russian offensive this sum-
mer. II said that If Russia showed
sufficient signs OF recuperation to re-
organize lis armies into an effective
force, ii would be necessary at once to
carry forward y propaganda in Sweden
showing the Swedish people how
greatly it would he to their advantage
20 interfere and ally themselves with
fInrr,ar, "a sstlGnrS rtracnyvi,1o THAR TrnC
ent interests and assuring their flu
ture." Tho report is addressed to
Your EXceilency" and says among
other thiIsgs:
'Even if you have only a political
union in mind, considerable work will
be necessary to win yer the Swedish
elements not already on u side and
actively faVorNlg an alliance with the
central powers. Swedish sentiment
cannes be swayed by sporadic methods
1t must be trained by systematic and
sustained propaganda. We must wiz
over the entire people by an intensive
effort. This propaganda must be cau-
tious]y executed if we are to gain tho
active interference of Sweden. We
must be particularly careful not to lei
1t appear that the propaganda springs
from a foreign source. Every politica
thinking SWede nus be convinced that
he had made his choice voluntarily an@
in the interest of his own nation.
I'm the opinion of p~ro-Gerlnan poll
ticians Sweden has not coIne into the
war because she has lacked q di:ec1
cause. But gradually the political in
ttuences are Becoming more and more
u~nfaVorablG to the entente, especially
to England. The new constellation o
nations, arranged by German Giplom-
acy in the BaiIans. has tended to VIII
not only the sympathy bat the reason
of the Swedish people for he entra
powers.
Concerning .the tacttcs of the pro.
paganda it should be carried forward
on three main lines:
First, opposition to and guarantee.
against British power.
Second, information concerning
true conditions in Russia and the dan
ger threatening Sweden from tina
quarter
Three, tho advantages OF a lasting
union with the central powers.
The so called a~ctivist group in Swe,
den has lost considerably in influence
lately. Perhaps The designation wa:
unhappily chosen. for even some of TIT
best prD-GGrnaDs, who believe in the
ultimate goal of war on behalf of Ger
many have hesitated publicly to align
themselves with the group which lla:
demanded immediate action without tn
necessary working up of public opinion
There is no denying that in the las
10 months sentiment has been CROWN:
against throwing sweden into the nor
rorS of the war without a contpellin:
cause. The pro-Gernan group, how
esei, IN us piass aAa ~. ~" asi'a hao,
directing public opinion toward a neu
traliiy as it should he.
The only thing lacking to pu
through "A big plan in Sweden is in
itiative and systematic work. One o
the mann tninSs is a treatment OF w
lI nI W. wv omeu0n cn "n tha
her nosltion ia going TO be rendere
more and more difficult by England
II a little money is spent. q Whole 10
can ne done aiunG TINS line ny cleVe
propaganda. we must adopt the pol
icy OF lectures upon ost@h