New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22
WHAT DENMARK WANTS
VIII Ask Only for Shewig Allies Are Victorou'-nas "
Desire for Rest of Duchies Lost in 1864
By JOHN G. HOLME

Nigh: expect the restoration OF oeh'es"'e
Holstein at the end of the war. The smail
eroup of Danish activists hailed the glad tlu-
ings with Joy. However, judging from tne
tone of Danish newspapers and perloolea's'
the majority of the Danes did not regard the
prospect of winning back the duchies as q
subject for rejoicing. If Germany is actuaiiy
crushed. in the military sense, II Is extremely
dorhtful whether Denmark will accept the
grave responsibility of taking back SehIeS-
wig Holstein and thereby saddlng the couh-
try with a casus beli in future years. nor
stein is wholly German IN nationality. SOUTH
arr Scbleswig is practically German Northern
Schleswig alone is predominantly Dahlsn'
The great mass of Danes want only what Is
Denmark's by right. Northern Schleswlg' Inc
Oanas would like to see put into effect that
cIouse in the treaty with Prussia, signed
of,ar the war of 1864. which provided that
~ ffteen wears from the date of the treaty
the Danes of Schleswig should be permitted
10 decide by vote whether they wanted TO De
long 70 Denmark or Prussia. Needless ~
saw Bismarck regarded this clause !" '"S
Danish Prussian treaty merely as a SCRAP
of paper." Considering the churhsh treaV'
ment to which the Danes OF Schleswlg nave
been subjected. there is no doubt as 70 Wha'
would now be the result Of pleoiscIte on
the subject of their preferred nalohalIt!
The Schleswig Danes have suffered exactly
the same fate as the French Alsatians. ne
men have been forced to fight and perish ioi
a government that has shown them nothihg
but scorn and oppression, that has system
atically endeavored to stamp out their ma,
tionality and has forbidden them the use OF
their mother tongue. Their sympathles are
80, fa.g.s n
AN isolated few who have been won over by
the conGueror by means of favorS calculated
70 work as bait for the mass, still loyal TO
Denmark.
For Denmark to accent the German prov
inces that once were part OF the klhsuo"
would mean almost a moral defeat for one
of the worlds most progressive ana loera.
nations. unless. indeed. the Germans OF
Schleswig- Holstein have become so Disguised
with Prussianism in government that they
want N allv themselves with the Danes once
more Even so. the Danes would hold back
for they know Prussia and Germany
Denmark has for years occupied an espe'
cially enviable position among the nations
The little kingdom has been world modeI
for enlightened legislation and good govern
ment 1t is a centre of liberal thought aho
culture. In intensive hSEiCulAhIt ~ NNNPN'
alive enterprises for safeguarding the inter
csts of employers and employees, of producer
and consumer. in protecting its people from
poverty, the Scandinavian monarchy has se
complished even more than Germany, and ma
done so without Germany's harsh paterhal
ism and eternal 'verboten.' The Danes nave
more solid interests than those of conquest
either by war or by peace treaties
Other and stronger claims will come first
The active participants in the war will speaF
the loudest France will make her demand
for Alsace-Lorraine, and among the smaller
nations Belgium, Serbia and Rumania wll
have to be rewarded for their sacrlhces De
fore neutrals obtain hearing at the peace
council table. The Danes have no illusions
regarding the outcome of the war nor the
benefits which may accrue to them at tn'
end of hostilities. They want Danish Schies
wig They will be thankful If they escape
the fame that is devastating Europe.