Evening star., 1917-09-15
ENTENTE POWERS ASK
THAT SWEDEN EXPLAIN
Even Pro-German Press at Stock
holm Wants Berlin Called
to Account.
Bs the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
STOCKHOLM, Thursday. September
i3 yedl.-Diplon.atic representa-
tives of entente governments here up to
today had displayed only natural curl
osity' as to the Swedish governments
view of the situation brouhgt about by
the disclosures from Washington regard
ing cable dispatches sent by the German
minister to Argentina through the Swed-
ish legation. From this attitude of
waiting one of action developed when
the French minister, E. Thiebaut. called
upon Foreign Minister Lindman with
formal request for an explanation of
the incident on behalf of his govern
ment. The other representatives of the
entente nations are expected to follow
Minister Thiebauts initiative. The
American. British. French and Russian
ministers held meeting today at which
the situation was thoroughly canva sSed.
News has been received here of the
action of the Argentine government in
giving Count Luxburg his passports. but
the Argentine minister as yet has taken
no formal steps in connection with the
affair. contentins himself with an in
formal discussion of the situation.
Germany Sharply Criticised.
Newspapers of pronounced German
leanings urged the government to
adopt 4 vigorous attitude toward the
country. whose practice they declare
in abusing the confidence of the Swed-
ish government and involving friend
ly nation in highly embarra ssing
predic cament are objectionable. The
German statement. attempting to evade
the issue by raising the question con-
corning America and giving no expla-
nation OF expression of regret for its
own offense is declared by the entire
press, including those newspapers, to
be utterly unsatisfactory and a gen
eral demand is voiced for further
statement from the German foreign Of
fee.
Much curiosity is manifested here in
the press and by the public as to the
contents of sixty-one other ca blegra ms
which. as foreign dispatches point out,
We're sent by Count IuXburg through
the Swedish route, and the natural sus-
picion has been aroused that tran
scripts of other embarrassing nlessa ges
forwarded through the Swedish inter
mediary may be found In possession
of the American government
Two pro-(ierman evening newspapers
by coincidence referred to Greece in
their surveys of the Luxburg ca BILE
gram affair. intimatine that an attenlrt
is being made through the situation to
reduce Sweden TO a condition of de
pendencc upon the entente's wishes
Thinks Affair Exaggerated.
Nyadae,iet Allehaneda sees in the
distinction drawn between the Swedish
government and the people an ATTEMPT
to help TO power Hjalmar Brauting, the
socialist leader. as II sort Of Swedis sh
Nenizelos. and sounds a warning. citins.
the fates of Serbia and Ruuania The
same newspaper complains that the af-
fair is being exaggerated and nis-eT-
resented in America to SVeden's dis
favor, calling attention to DISPATCHES
about the alleged transmission of news
regarding Gen. PerEling's expedition
and an alleged breach between Ars.en-
tian and Sweden as examples of nm
founded reporting and sharply attack :
Lord Northc!iffe. In the corcludIng
paragraph the paper is as<erieved that
Germany In her Communica tiou found
no word of regret for the, diffcl,l1
situation in which Sweden has heen
placed by the action of the German
official
-Aftonbladet say that it awaits i'm
patiently for the German answer to
Sweden's demands for an explanation
believing that Sweden is entitled 70
| ciplinary measures against those 20
aponsible for abusing Sweden's conf
dence. Necessary justice to Sweden is
lacking in the German statement
which. however. exposes, according 10
! Aftonbladet. the humhug" Of Ameri-
can action by its reference to the teIe-
| grams forwarded by the Berlin en-.
/ bassy. Aftonbladet complains, too. OF
| the attitude of the American and Eng
| lish press and warns its readers
! against allowing Sweden to be drawn
| through the affair into a condition like
| Greece, which sacrificed all national
| independence to serve as n lackey tc
the protecting powers"