Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-09-24
The Power of Pro- German Sweden
Used Impudently by Kaiser'S Agents
Largest of Three Scandinavian Countries With German Wo-
Its Queen, Involved in --latest Exposure of Du-
picty Praciced By Kaiser's Agents-Demark and Nor
way Both Considered Pro-Ally Nations.

March after a twenty-five days Min
isterial crisis which came upon the
heels of defeat for the Government
regarding the question OF an appro-
priation to be used for safeguarding
Swedish neutrality. Hammarskjold
was known all alon as Germanophile.
Though he managed to steer pretty
straight course as neutral, his OPP
ponents and observers from other lands
were emphotically of the opinion that
he gave a strong pro-German tinge
to Sweden's official acts.
Premier Hammarskjold was succeed
ed last March by Carl Swartz, a mem
Der of the Swedish Senate. He chose,
as members of his Cabinet, men of
varie learning. He himself was sup
posed to be somewhat Anglophile in
his sentiments. In his first statement
as Premier he announced that his
Government would Immediately take
III the matter of commercial treaties
with Great Britainn and seek to bridge
over the difficulties which had sprung
up between that empire and Sweden
But in his Cabinet there were at
least two men known to be strong
pro-Germans. One of these, Admiral
Lindman, is the Swedish Minister of
Foreign Affairs, The fact that the Ad-
miral leans toward the Teutonic allies
lends color to the theory that Count
Luxburg acted with the knowledge
and approval of the Swedish Foreign
Office.
Unlike several of his colleagues in
the Swartz Cabinet, Admiral Lindman
is no newcomer in the field of Swed-
ish politics, having been Premier from
1906 to 1911.
The other avowed pro-German in
the new Swedish Cabinet is Colonel
Alderman, Minister of War. He has
spent much time during the war at
the various German fronts as official
Sweden observer, and is said to be
imbued with deep admiration for Prus-
sian military efficiency and with SYM
pathy for the Central Powers in their
struggle aginst the Allies.
1t was thought that the success of
the Russian revolution in ousting the
Car and his Government would do
away with pro-German sentiment in
Sweden and enable pro-ally Swedes
to turn the influence of their Govern
ment toward the Entente, For it
must be borne in mind that Swedish
pro-Germanism is essentially anti
Russianism. During many years
Swedes looked with dread at Czaristic
Russia, ri"ht across their borders to
the eastward, attributing to that
rightly empire all sorts of aggressive
ambitions. The network of Russian
railways leading to the very frontier
OF Sweden and Russian Finland,
seemed a constant menace, and most
OF King Gustaf's subjects were con-
vinced that imperial Russias ambition
t. have warmwater port would event
ually cause her to send her legions
over the Swedish borders and wrest
Narvik, on the Atlantic coast, from its
possessors. So the Swedes covered
their northern frontiers with FORTH
cations of tremendous strength, the
last word in modern military protect
iro, and resolved to put up a fight
should Russia force them to defend
their territory.
Another thing that made Swedes
.apti-Russian was the question of Fin
land Finland is Swedens "irreden-
t., 4" She possessed it for many years
ard left the indelible impress of Swed-
ish culture there In proportion as
the regime of the Cztrs encroached
upon Finnish liberties, wrestling from
the Firms finally the last vestige of
their rights, swedish indignation grew
and the desire to make Finland once
more Cwedish territory became ma
tional ambition. Hence, when the
war broke out, it was not unnatural
that many Swedes saw in Germany,
Russia's foe, the friend of oppressed
Finland and felt that Swedish sym
pathies should incline toward Ger
mary
When, however, the revolution trl-
umphed in Russia and it seemed that
Finland was to be oppressed no longer,
but win back it's autonomy under a.
democratic Russian Government, the
belief prevailed that Sweden, having
no longer any cause to fear Russian
aggression would drop anti-Russianism
ard follow the lead Of her two Sean