Evening star., 1917-09-16

privilege formerly extended.
In the course of his discussion of the
affair with the correspondent Admiral
Lindman brought out the following
points:
First, that the Swedish government
was not, as alleged in certain quarters.
taking the affair lightly. but on the
contrary realized fully the serious as
pect of the situation and intended to
do everything possible to settle the
problem
Second, that tranmission of dispatches
on penaif or Germany had Deen stopped
absolutely from the moment when the
disclosures were brought to the for
eign ministers attention and would un-
der no circumstances be resumed
Third. that had the Sw wediSh govern
ment had the slightest idea of the ma
ture of the dispatches which the Ger
man government was transmitting, tue
messages would never have oeen trans
Fourth, that strong representations
had been addressed to the German gov
practice accompanied by a request for
explanation, to which. however, no re-
ply had yet been received.
Anxious to Avoid Break.
Admiral Lindham. during the entire
conversation, seemed imbued with the
desire TO see the situation cleared up
faiiy, and completely on q basias satts-
1neaory to the lalted States aud sSHa-,
dem and in q way to permit the con-
ttnuAnee OF the most friendly. cordial
relations with the American govern
ment and people.
..To begin WITH" said the foreign
minister, in the course of the CONVEX
sation. which was held IN the ministers
private cabinet in the foreign office, Il
h0 f0et ru0
afe not taking this matter easily. We
deplore most sincerely that a practice
whichew was exercised In absolutely good
faith has been grayely abused, and we
are determined that the CONDITION
which led to this result shall be reme-
died.
LAS soon as I was informed of Sec
retary Lansing's statement 1 i'm
pediateiy gave orders to cease this
practice.
This would have been done earlier.
as matter of course, had my attention
been called to the undesirability or
the practice. A word from Mr. motifs
(the American minister) or the Brit
ish minister would have sufftced. But
as it was, l had no idea that the prac-
tice was open to objection until the
revelations launched from Washing
ton"
Doesn't Know How System Started.
unable to explain the exact circum.
stances under which the practice OF
transmitting dispatches in code for
Germany had come into being. as 1t
istration of his predecessor. He mad
ordered rigid investigation within
his department as to the origin of the
system, he said
to say anything about the results of
this investigation, but should like to
have you point out emphatically that
TO man belonging to this country.
would havirg knowledge of the con-
tents of Count Luxburg's kilograms,
have consented to transmit them
This country wishes to maintain
perfectly neutral attitude and has the
fectly neutral. If blame can be thrown
upon US for having transmitted such
kilograms. 1t cannot be for lack OF
. good faith and sincere desire to pre-
serve neutrality.
At have just been informed" contin-
ued the minister. ''of the Associated Press
Washington dispatch giving the Ameri-
can version Of the circumstances at
tending the transmission of dispatches for
the United States, which in some details
differs from that given in our communique
Of Monday. An investigation is now
under way to determine the exact cir
cumstances, the result Of which will be
announced later. Aside from this, no
formal statement is contemplated for the
present"
Denies Understanding With Germany
To reference by the correspondent to
old-time rumors OF the existence OF
some special understanding between
Germany and Sweden which might serve
as q basis for special favors to Germany
in the forwarding OF dispatches. the min
lister replied that he was in a position
to deny these absolutely, as he was prime
minister at the time in question.
Answering an inquiry as to whether
steps had been taken at Berlin. the
minister replied that soon as he
learned of the matter last Monday he
Immediately telegraphed to the Swedish
minister at Berlin to make strong rep
reservations against the abuse OF
Sweden's good faith as revealed by the
No answer had as yet been received
from Berlin, aside from the statement
published in the Nordeutsche Alleg-
xnsine Zeitung. which, as was known, had
not touched on this aspect of the ques-
tion.
No representations. said the foreign
minister, had as yet been received from
the Argentine government.
The American minister. Ira Nelson Nor
Tis. called at the foreign Office today and
on the latest Mexican disclosures
II. Lagercrantz Aiding Government.
Herman L F. Lagercrantz. for many
years Swedish minister at Washington
cloeures' concerning the Luxburg dis.
patches. called into the consultation by
tho government. He received a .stan
correspondent of the Associated Press
today and In an interview made 1,
plain It was 6weden's earnest desire
N nm a ha n In q.