Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-09-10
SWEDISH EXPOSE
CAUSES SENSATION
BY SECRETARY
LANSING OF EVIDENCE OF Du.
PLlcITY OF DIPLOMATS.
MAY TAKE
ACTION AGlNsT SWEDEN
Probably Will Demand Removal Of OF.
Tending German Minister-Exeuses
Being Sought For louen on Grounds
That He Is in III Health and Prob
ably Was Deceived by Assistants.

/ fr.shtfulness has aroused bitter feeling
| here against Sweden, altho in some
quarters it is contended that it is still
to be proved whether Sweden was the
/ dupe or the willing tool OF Germany.
However, the Swedes will have OPP
portunity to repudiate the acts of theii
government II they choose and, by CIV
ing ample guarantees against furthei
| trickery of this kind. can stave off the
consequences which it is thought mus
| otherwise follow.
| On the other hand. Berlin having ex-
hausted all the advantage to be gained
| from the felonious use OF the Swedish
! so-called neutrality, probably now viii
| decide to secure her open assistance as
| an ally, which would be especially I'M
F.; portant in view of her plans agains'
| the Russian coast.
Expect Arsentina's Aid.
| This, however, it is thought, will be
more than counter balanced If German
| treachery drives Argentina Into war
This would mean the ranging OF fhe
whole South American continent on the
side Of the allies. except Chile, which
could hardly long endure such pos
ton of isolation.
Nothingin the way Of mean dtshon-
esty which the German government:
could do can excite surprise any longer
here. but Americas swift dramatic uIi
yelling Of this latest German plot wins
the highest praise for her secret serv-
ice.
Hits British Officials.
The courage of the state department
in utilizing their discoveries TO the
quickest and utmost effect Is widely
praised here. The incident is reactirg
in damaging manner on the British
foreign office. for, according TO semi
official statement, the British govern
ment had information in 1915 that the
Swedish foreign office vas being used
in this way by Germany but 1t merely
made a mild remonstrance and evil
IDENTIFY was satisfied with insincere as
surances that such incidents would not
reCur.
Rightly or wrongly. It is commonly
believed that II these dispatches had
fallen into the hands Of the British for
eign office, they would have been hled
away for the private information and
delectatlon Of the secretary OF state. as
apparently was done with the discoy-
cries to the same effect In 1918.
Blow at Secret Diplomacy.
The action Of the state department
al Washington has driven another nall
in the coffin OF the old secret diplo-
macy. to which it Is now realized so
much Of the worlds present trials and
sufrerings are due. Meantime the
knowledge that the highly efficient ana
fearless American secret service. is al
work and that its discoveries are to be
fully utilized by the state department
will circumscribe the area Of German
plotting.
Count Luxburg's confident recon-
mendation to Berlin to invoke Spanish
mediation in the event Of trouble with
Argentina also has created an I'M
pleasant impression here as to Ger
many's influence with the Madrid gov
eminent
The effect OF the revelation by Secre-
tary Lansing on Sweden will be
watched closely here
Swedish Court Pro- German.
The Swedish government, with the
monarchy, the aristocTacE, end the
army officers, has been rated strongly
pro-German turnout the war, and
Queen Victoria in several public ut
terances has proclaimed her German
sentiments as strongly as any German
could.
The Swedish people. on the other
hand, are reported as leaning strongly
against Germany in the more recent
stages of the war, particularly since
the unrestricted submarine campaign
began. Swedens leaning toward Ger
many was regarded as natural COM
plement to her old fear of the Russian
autocracy. but the entente nations held
the hope that when the cause for that
distrust was removed by the reyoiu-
ton Swedish feelings might undergo
radical change.
Cite kitehsnsr's Death.
The suspicion has been current IN
England thruout the war that Ger
many was obtaining nuch information
of military movements which could not
be secured thru ordinary spies, the spy
industry, in fact, having been pretty
well stamped out here for more than
a year past after few lessons taught
by several executions in the tower Of
London. The belief that Lord Kitch-
eners death when the Hampshire went
down was the result Of information
transmitted to Germany Of his de-
parture has been persistent with many.
and it has at least the foundation that
his plans were known and discussed at
dinner tables in high society before he
started.
jsps Suspected Prince.
Incidentally there is much discussion
as &c whether. in view Of the British
and Argentine experience with Swe-
den, the-right Of sending code messages
should be given to neutral diplomats
during the war.
Japan during the Russo-Japanese war
when Germany sent military mission
headed by Hohenzollern prince to the
Japanese army. The mission claimed
that international courtesy and the
sprincely rank OF its chief required that
its correspondence be transmitted
without censorship. This claim was
granted but against the judgment Of
most Of the officers at the front, who
thought that no uncensored CORE
spondence should go from the army
in the field, and some OF whom sns-
pected that even il the prince was not
virtually an observer for Russia his re-
ports wvs.15 reach .!::;;=:: By, .s.s ~
Berlin.
When hocks OF wild ducks and geese
have to 80 long distances they form a
- 80