The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-08
SWEDEN IS BOUND
BY TREATY To SENO
IRON TO GERMANY
Five Million Tons Annually, Bargain
ed In 1911, May Force
Food Crisis.

Washington, Oct T.-Sweden Is
bound by treaty to export to Germany
5000, 600 tons yearly of her high
PHOSPHORUS iron ore.
The treaty, made IN 1911, has not
yet been presented in the negotiations
going on between Swedens, represen-
ta:ives here and Vance Mccormick.
chairman of the exports administrative
board. In those negotiations Sweden
Is seeking provisions for her popula-
ton. She will not get them unless
she stops supplying Germany
This treaty is the real crisis Of the
negotiations Their course. here de-
scribed. is permitted to be made public
after full discussion with the parties
to both sides.
All the dangerous elements of the
situation threaten Sweden, not the
United States. AS long as Sweden
sends TO Germany the iron ore used
to make shells. later to shatter Ameri-
can lives, the men who mine and work
that ore will not be sustained in any
way by American food.
The position of the United States
Will be adamant on this.
Sweden has not yet brought forward
this 1911 treaty obligation. 1t is be
lieved to be relied upon by Sweden's
shrewd representatives here as q sort
OF last word appeal 1t may be stated
that the appeal will fall on deaf ears
The United States will not ask Swe-
den to break any treaties. Rnt as
long as Sweden ships iron ore into
Germany--and iron ore finished I'D
into the Swedish Diesel engines with
which many of Germanys U-boats
are powered--Sweden will get no food
from the United States.
Unofficially Sweden may be told
what the United States and all the
allied governments havs thought for
long time. This is that Sweden long
since should have broken off all rela-
tons with Germany.
Germany, according to opinion here,
has already set ample precedent for
a rupture. She has sunk, without
warning. scores of Swedish vessels
plying the high seas on their lawful
occasions. She has killed hundreds
of Swedish sailormen engaged upon
their honest duties. The position of
the United States VIII be that this
country has a perfect right to control
he- own supplies as she wishes for
the successful prosecution Of the war.
IL Sweden would eat of tho bounty
OF the United States. Sweden must
come up to the standard of the United
States in the maintenance of her ma
tjonal honor. She must break with
Germany. not only this treaty of 1911,
but all along the lines.
The negotiations between Vance
Mccormick and Axel Robert Nord-
vail. the royal Swedish delegate to the
United States. so far have proceeded
in the most amicahle fashion. Mu-
tual concessions have been made by
both sides. Sweden has practically
a greed that she will allow no Ameri-
can food to get into Germany. She
has agreed that she permit no Swed-
ish food to be released for German
EXPORT by the import of American'E
food When the definite figures to
these promises and the definite
guarantees to assure their perform
ance are received, the United States
has intimated that food will be re-
provided the other conditions
are complied with.
The subtle hand OF German intrigue
liz seen in much more Sweden has
done heretofore. Germany In known
to have promised Sweden grain TO |
take the place Of that which the |
United States may cut off, II is !
known that Germany f1as ever preach /
ea to Sweden of the 'inviolahiiity" Of !
this treaty OF 1911 But since the
of the despicable uses to |
which Germany's diplomatic spies