New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22

Despite conflicting sympathles IN the great
war. Scandinavia spoke in unison denouncihg
the German submarine drive The latest ana
greatest menace 70 the three northern king
doms found little Denmark uncowed by the
Prussian. who little over fifty years sgo
started his international criminal career oy
an assault on Dannebrog. preceded by an
elaborate campaign of Bismsrckian chcanery
and followed by dishonored treaty pledges
Norway. removed by few miles OF water
from the Teuton troll, stands this time wnefe
Norway should have stood in 1864. by the
side Of her southern Scandinavian sister and
Sweden. biting her lip and with glance
over her shoulder toward Finland, backed up
her blood allies. The Malmo agreement,
whereby the Scandinavian countries resolved
TO stand together on diplomatic questions
affecting their interests during the war ana
perhaps longer, stood the first test, in spite
of Sweden's pronounced German sympathles.
Sweden could not be expected to do more
under any circumstances. Denmark and Nor
way might have hesitated bit longer to
snub President Wilson by refusing his sug-
gestion that they follow the lead Of the
United States in breaking diplomatic rea-
tons with Germany if this country as well
as England. had not suffered so many moral
defeats since the war began. The hard-
headed statesmen of Denmark and Norway
knew very we'll that Mr.. Wilson, who mas
failed to protect the citizens OF the Ohl'eu
States against submarine assassins and Mex
lean bandits could not be depended upon to
support the Danes and Norwegians if they
offended the Kaiser by sending home his dip
lomatic representatives And Mr.. Wilson's
Typewriter and the products thereof would
make a poor sort of fertilization against
Krupp guns. On the other hand, England
showing in this war has shaken the conn
dence of more than one neutral nation IN the
mower of the empire. Britain will have TO
win few victories on land, will have to
show more aggressiveness in the field and
more skill in the handling of war problems
before she can restore her prestige even in
friendly Denmark and Norway
Since the war began the term "actlvlsm
has been much in use in the scandinavian
countries My impression is that the WORD
was coined in Denmark during the early days
OF the war. IL was applled 10 lhe propd-
ganda of 4 minority of the Right party and
press that wanted Denmark 70 throw neu-
trality to the winds, join the Entente Allies
and win back Schleswig- liolstein. Fortunate
ly those Hotspurs were so few in number
that they did not in any way endanger the
safety of the country. The term was picked
up in the other scandinavian countries, and.
curousy enough, activsm in Sweden means
exactly the opposite of what it means in
Denmark The activsts of Sweden have been
demanding participation on the side of the
Central Powers. Their agitation for war is
not so strong now as it used to be-
Several months ago. when the outlook fol-
the Allies was brighter than at present; when
the strike at Verdun had failed when Rus
STA had launched her southern drive; when
France and England were getting busy on
the Somme and Rumania was about to cast
the die, Denmark received news from high
sources in the Entente countries that she