Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-09-11
SWEDEN WILL DENY
BLAME FOR GERMAN
INTRIGUE, IS BELIEF
u. S, Attitude Toward Neutral
Depends on EXCLAMATION of
Her Part in Transmitting
Messages to Germany

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10.-America' s
future position toward Sweden will be
determined by the explanation she makes
of her part in the Luxburg-Lowen code
incident
Sweden will issue a diplomatic denial
Of guilt, with some excuse attached, it is
reported. To prove that she is not in
league with Germany. however, would
appear to require discharge of the
Buenos Aires Swedish Minister Lowen,
who forwarded German Count Luxburg's
sink them without a trace" messages
on the Argentine U-boat situation. An
upheaval in the present directing Swed-
ish powers would be necessary to re-
move the faint from Sweden's part-de-
NAL or no denial-it is held.
y break in relations between Sweden
and the United states is deemed I'M
likely in diplomatic quarters. The state
department has not revealed it's atti-
tude on that point. Sweden stands as
an added menace in an already troublous
Russian situation, and her trained army
Of several hundred thousand men are
not wanted in the struggle now. Hence
there is Likely TO be go-slow policy to-
ward Sweden.
Nor is it expected Argentina will actu-
ally break with Germany, because de-
spite Luxburg's intriguing counsel Ger
many yielded to Argentinan demands
that no more of her vessels be sunk
Argentina, however, is certain to ask
Luxburg's recall, diplomats say.
In any event, publication OF the code
messages has served the purpose of let
ting Sweden know that the United
States understands where she stands
70 o,,1 -
serve as a justifiable ground for shut
ting down on supplies for Sweden.
Further. besides warning any other neu-
trails who may be hand in glove with
Germany, IL serves to point out delicate
ly to Argentina that she is playing a
useless game in being pro-German anu
in not aligning herself with her norrh-
ern neighbor,r Brazil; who already has
broken relations with the kaiser.
Still another angle of momentous pos
sibilities in the affair lies in the fact
that it may stimulate the peace party in
Germany and that group which has OPP
posed not only ruthlessness on the seas,
but the stupid, laundering diplomacy of
the German foreign Office.
With revelation of three big plots
the zimmerman, the .kaiser-cZar, and
Luxburg "spurlos yersenkt'-the Ger
man foreign office appears due for at
tack at home for being so careless as
not TO cover It's tracks.
Advices here indicate that Sweden
is planning to furnish an "out" for her
self with claim that Lowen at Buenos
Aires was not cognizant of the acts
charged TO him, and that perhaps a sub
ordinate might have taken the code for
transmission. This still does not eX.
plain how the messages could go into
the Stockholm foreign Office without
Sweden knowing the nature.
The United States refusal recently to
issue passports to the Stockholm con-
ference is regarded in some quarters
as based on government knowledge that
il would undoubtedly be under German
influence and that perhaps Sweden WAS
purposely fostering it as an aid to the
enemy.
Switzerland may be under suspicion
also.
1t is recalled that her former min
lister, Ritter, here played a strongly pro-
German part after Count Won Bern
storff was sent home, and that German
agent DR.. Barthelme, formerly con-
nected with the German embassy, was
associated with Ritter for a time.
The worst feature of the whole Swed
ish situation is that it points out how
Germany may have received ship news
and other vital military information UNI
der the cloak of official messages" sent
by a neutral.