Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1917-07-18

both by the necessity Of supplying the
home market and by reciprocal agree
ments with England. For instance the
Norwegian fshing-fleet is dependent
on British coal, and in return for fur
nishing fuel, the British Government
has demanded the right to buy eighty
five per cent of the fish exported. This
is done through the British Purchas-
ing Agency, which employs none but
British buyers. Certain maximum
prices are fixed, and the British Gov
eminent furthermore issues orders as
to how much of the supply is to be
sailed, cured, or canned. The remain
ing fifteen per cent of the amount ex-
ported has to be divided between Ger
many and the neutrals, and this is
now all the food Norway sends Ger
many. In fact, the Norwegian mar
kets in Spain and the United States
have been well-nigh ruined by the de-
mands of Great Britain. In order to
keep her own people from starvation,
Norway has laid an embargo on all
food except fish, while Sweden exports
only small amount of meat, and is
contemplating total embargo on all
food stuffs.
The five small neutrals have all
rendered great service to the Allies !;
Holland by receiving Belgian refugees,
Switzerland by caring for prisoners Of
war, Sweden by transporting invalids
and forwarding comforts for the SOL
diers of the Allies, Denmark by fur
nishing food, Norway by keeping open
the highways Of the sea, and one and
all by carrying on, so far as the bel
ligerents have allowed them, the pur-
suits of peace. They have already suf-
fered far more than we and lost more
in men and treasure To harass them
beyond the limits of human endurance
would be blow at civilization and
democracy.
The step now contemplated in this
country is much more drastic than
anything the British have done They
have exacted pressure through trade
agreements, by which they have secur-
ed for England the bulk of neutral
products. They have never attempted
to forbid the neutral nations from
trading with German. Such pro-
position was made in the House of
Commons, but Lord Robert Cecil de-
clared that it would be impracticable
and repugnant to British principles.
We have ourselves had taste Of the
CALLING restrictions by the blockade.
When England has stayed her hand
from more coercive measures, we may
be sure it is because the men who are
responsible for the blockade know that
the economic ruin of Scandinavia
would work more harm to the. Allies
than to the Central Powers. There is
an old saying against saving of the
bough one is sitting on. a5fs
Scandinavia has the right to expect
that we as belligerent shall live up to-
the principles we have proclaimed
while still neutral. 1.-THE fact that we
are now a belligerent should not make
us lose our point Of view as neutral
commerce. writes Edward
A. Bradford, financial expert Of atfe.
New York Times. After quoting the,
favorable report of the British Gov
eminent on Scandinavian trade con-
ditions, he adds: ut follows that it is
our right, even our duty, to protect the
trade which Germany is attacking.
Nothing should forbid us from feeding
hungry friendly nations. The right to
food and our right to profit may rest
ON England's statement on the case"
The English press in our own coun-
try ought to know that there is no ex-
cuse for starving the neutral nations.
-Svenska Folkets Tidning, Swedish
Peoples Paper), Minneapolis.