The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1917-08-15

SWEDEN

SWEDEN.
The position of the conservatives in
Sweden, as in other countries, is pre-
carious. The autocracy of Russia crum-
bled down under the first serious at
tack of the revolutionary forces and
this result has given a tremendous en-
couragement to the liberal elements of
Sweden during their fight for political
equality for men and women. The
whole aspect of Swedish politics has
changed during the last months. The
great masses are not any longer salts
fed with empty words from the gov
eminent and the riksdag. They want
action, and quick action, as the only
means of preventing them from tax
ing matters in to their own hands. The
riots, which took place outside of the
palace to the riksdag are an illustra-
ton of the new spirit of action among
the Swedish working class. Policemen
and soldiers in hundreds had to be
used against the masses, trying to
force passage to the building of the
Swedish parliament, and a great num-
Der Of people were injured. Such oc-
currence would have been impossible
his powerful newspaper, the Social
Demokraten, Hjalmar Branting inter-
prets the demonstrations as a warn
ing to the king and the ruling class not
to oppose the will of the people after
the result of the elections has been
made clear. Up to the present time
the iron will of M. Branting has sue
ceeded in keeping the great majority
Of social democrats from putting a
program Of drastic action into prac-
tice. But the limit of their endurance
has now been nearly reached, and the
bulk of Swedish socialists are said to
be ready to back up their demands
| with action if the Introduction in Swe-
den Of a government more favorable
to the people is postponed very much
longer.
In the London prize court the attor-
ney general asked for the condemna-
ton Of some 1890 tons of dried fruits
from New York and San Francisco,
seized on the steamers San Francisco
and Pacific, consigned to the Swedish
| victualing commission, a government
department, but alleged to be intend
ed for export to Germany. Before the
war, said the attorney general, the an
nual requirements of Sweden in these
commodities was $500 tons, but In
1915 the imports had totaled 1855
tons, while for the first half of 1916
$500 tons had been imported. Be-
sides this, he added, Sweden had on
hand before the war 1900 tons of
these fruits yet in the summer Of 1916
no dried fruits remained in Sweden.
| Three Germans, one Of them a cap.
tain of marines, have just been ex-
PEELED from Sweden for espionage,
which unquestionably resulted in the
sinking of many ships. Their seat Of
operations was Gothenburg, and their
reports, appear to have been made
through Copenhagen. One posed as a
merchant, the second as teacher Of
languages, and the third, who was the
leader, as wholesale merchant.
P. P. Waldenstrom, the famous
leader Of the Mission Covenant, died
! 1,,1xy IN ~ l,o1
fury he was very prominent in the re-
ligious life Of Sweden, and It may be
added that no matter whaG this man
said or did, he was ALWAYS interest
ing.
The body OF King Carl XII was ex-
humed July 10 IL order that it might
be established whether the bullet that
ended his life 100 years ago came from
an assassin or from the Norwegian
fortress Of Fredriksten, which he was
investing.
Since June 1 it has been impossible
to be served with any kind Of liquor
in Sweden without an accompanying
order for warm meal costing about
40 cents. Even then no more THAI
about five fluid ounces of liquor may
be served in all, and not more than
a third of this may consist of strong
brandy. One result of the new order
unquestionably has been great waste
of foc3 for countless meals are or
dered and either left untouched or
else slightly toyed with and mixed
with cigar and cigarette ashes By care.
less people. ~. = - -. TT II