Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-07-14
North Dakota's Greatest
Classified Section
WILL SCANDINAVIA ENTER WAR?
After Maintaining Neutrality Under Most Trying Cir
curnstances, Norway, Sweden and Denmark Are Placed
in Critical Position by President Wilson's Embargo on
Exports to Neutrals Dealing With Germany.

tional issues. Now the peoples do II
through their extremely aemocrauo
constitutions ard parliarnents.
During the middle Of h nineteenth
century a new Scandinavian move-
ment originated, chiefly fostered BY
university students who, however,
had a cultural union in view rather
than q political.
But shortly after the outbreak Of
the war the three Scandinavian kings
met In conference in the Swedish city
ministers of the countries ave held
repeated conferences in the three
capitals. They have discussed thej
neutrality of their nations n the
united attitude of their countries to-
ward the ~belligerents, n every time
their policy in this sentence: "OurI
neutrality must be maintained at all
costs"
The very latest conferences have
especially taken up the subject Of the
threatened American export embargo.
which now has become a reality, and
as one immediate consequence, special
attachees have been sent to the
scandinavian embassies in Washtng-i,
ton for the purpose Of studying thel
situation and advising their home
governments Of further developments.l
1t is also understood that these COM
mercial specialists shall attempt toI
modify the American regulations in-I
sofar as it is compatible with fairness
and justice. /
Meanwhile the situation has bel
come very pointed of late and north
erner all over the world are anxt-
ously asking: What is going TOT
happen?" 4
No one should predict calamity or
IFS onnfrosf Tho rfo-ho1ly1p, nrNrhL u
cts have once for all demonstrated the!
utter futility Of prophesying politicaK
and military events. But or the basis
of the facts which are now available
it is possible to venture into a mental
experiment as to what may happen.
AS the situation Is now it may be
safely assume that if Scandinavia
does enter the war, 1t will be on the
side of the allies. The fear of Ger
man-Swedish friendship has been
somewhat diminished since the March
revolution in Russia and furthermore,
there is buried deep down in the ma
tional soul Of Scandinavia an in-
herited hatred of the aggressive ex-
pansion policy which Germany has
been following ever since the days Of
the Scandinavian petty kings a thou
sand ear ago.. h German crtme
against Schleswig-H olstein did not
affect Denmark alone, but the entire
north, and it has been by no means
forgotten now.
If Germany becomes the enemy of
Scandinavia, it may be taken for
granted that the Scandinavian armies
will attempt no invasion into German
territory. 1t is more likely that the
chinery will result in quick landing
of troops in Scandinavia, and them
, Denmark, by virtue Of its geographic
cal position, will be the first to suffer.
as its border line to the south is en-
tirely unfortiled. If the German le-
ment against the north, they will un-
doubtedly send troops into he penin-
sula of Jutland and simultaneously
lombard Copenhagen, which ia
strongly fortified. but by no means
impregnable against the modern arms
which this war has evolved
But, it may be objected, surely the
allies will not calmly look on this.
German invasion. Perhaps not. How
ever before the allies will have time
to lend reinforcements German armies
may nave completed their work, as
far as Denmark is concerned. The
Danish army on a war footing will
not number more han 10000 men,.
and these may comparatively easily
be disposed Of before Norway getsl
time to send some Of her 125,0o0 men
to Denmark's aid. Sweden Is reported
to have an army Of 900, 900 men. butt
its significance In actual warfare of
because Of the incomprehensible
swiftness with which the German
military leaders are capable of acting.
A German invasion in Denmark
may easily be accomplished. Them
comes the question Of whether Nor-t
way and Sweden in conjunction with
the allies will be able to force the
Germans back. This seems probableI
as the development in h westernt
md eastern theaters Of war for some
time pas a favored the Germanst
but little; it may be that it will bel
impossible for Won Hindenburg or the
other held marshals to send a millioni
men to Scandinavia, and 1t may bel
taken for granted already now that
Germany will never implant its
armies firmly on Swedish or Nor-
wegtan territory even though Dem
mark may have to be temporarily
sacrificed.
Then, again. the persistent question::
will Scandinavia gain by continued
neutrality in the long run 2"
The only positive gain which may
be the result Of combined Scandi-I
navian warfare will be the restoration
of Schleswig-Holstein to Denmark,
Norway and Sweden have no terri
torial issues with Germany, but they
have, in other ways. sueffred so
deeply n so seriously that reprisals
will be quite justifiable.
In the following installments Of this
series an attempt will be made to
show the Industrial, commercial and
political development in the northern
kindoms since the beginning of the
war. and If Scandinavia finally goes
to war, The Herald readers will know
why.