The Republican journal., 1917-09-20
We are living, we are dwelling
In a grand and awful time;
In an age on ages telling
To be living is sublime.
SWEDEN.

Sweden is little country about fiv
times the area Of the State of Maine and
has a population of about 5, 500, 900. 1t
is a peaceful nation and it's total war
strength under the greatest possible stress
and after two years of effort could not
possibly become more than half million
men. Therefore whether she remains
neutral or declares war as an ally, or
against us, her action can have but slight
effect on the result of the war. The gov
eminent of Sweden is a constitutional
monarchy. The King has an annual SAL
ary of S83, 900 and an allowance of $780,
900 yearly for his family which probably
includes several satellites who have po-
litical influence in. the country. The
consort wife of the King is a German,
formerly the Princess Victoria of Baden,
a German State having population of
about 1000, 900 inhabitants. The popular
representation, called the riksdag, con-
sists of two houses and the consent of
both is necessary to enact laws, make
appropriations, levy taxes, fix duties,
etc The government itself favors Ger
many but it is said that the masses favor
the Allies An election is pending in
Sweden to elect members of the two
houses The government party alarmed
by the strength of the so-called liberal
movement, seems to be playing politics
with the embarrassing situation in which
Secretary Lansing placed Sweden by the
exposure of it's treachery in transmitting
German dispatches from Luxburg, the
German representative in Argentina
through Baron Lowden, the Swedish min
lister at Buenos Aires. The Baron sent
these dispatches to the foreign office at
Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, whence
they were sent to Germany Our gov
eminent has been officially informed that
Baron Lowden is in poor health and did
not know what was in the dispatches
sent. This is weak excuse for Sweden
to make to the United States. The prompt
recall of the inefficient and perhaps dis
honest Baron was what this country had
a right to expect. But of late kings have
grown timid, and while Sweden does not
deny she offers not apologies but excuses.
Action in this affair, as President Wilson
wisely decided, is not primarily ours. 1t
is to Argentina, Sweden and Germany
that we should first look for explanation
and action Argentina has thus far held a
strong and consistent course by saying this
to Count Luxburg: "The introducer of
embassies has instructions to assist you in
your immediate departure from the terri
tory of the republic" But, Germany
sunk her ships, which was an act of war.
Argentina called Germany to account and
accepted her promises to sink no more
ships and to pay for those which had
been destroyed. 1t is known now that
since those promises were made German
minister had cabled to the Kaiser to "sink
ships and leave no trace" Will the
South American Republic swallow more
lies, suffer more indignities? Perhaps
so. The people OF that country have
200, 600, 900 bushels of wheat to sell. The
United States will have enough and to
spare. England and France will buy of
us because we lend them the money with
which to pay. AS long as Argentina re-
mains neutral, under international law
she may trade freely. She needs the
German market. Germany must have
the wheat. In the same dispatches which
chronicle the dismissal of Luxburg we
are informed that his dismissal probably
ends the matter. What Sweden does
can not very much injure or profit us.
But, if Argentina compromises to gain
market, she will somewhat prolong the
war and at the same time disgrace her
self.