Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-11-28
SWEDEN.

| swedish people as closely as possible
under prevailing circumstances. None
Of the political parties in the second
chamber of the riksdag has a
majority so as to be able to dictate
/ the decisions of the chamber Each
party is dependent on one of the 9th
ers. On account of the result of the
new elections, King Gustaf desired a
coalition cabinet, including representa-
tives of all the political parties. con-
servatives, liberals, socialists. The
leaders of the liberals and socialist
parties. however, refused TO join a
cabinet with conservative members,
and the conservative party, being the
minority party of the second chamber
| after the recent elections, had to with
draw its claims for representation. In
stead, the liberal representation in the
cabinet has been increased. It is in
the conservative party only that the
political sympathy with Germany has
been strong. The new cabinet in
eludes six liberals, Nils Eden. pre-
mier; Eliei LOfgren, minister of JUS
ice; Axel Schotte, minister of the in
terror; E. A. Nilsson. minister of
agriculture; B. A Petren, minister
without portfolio; one nonpartisan, J.
Hellner. minister of foreign affairs,
| and four socialists, Hjalmer Branting
minister of finance Erik Palmstjerna,
minister of marine; Werner Ryden,
minister of education, and B. o. IN
den, minister without portfolio. This
is the first time in Swedish history
that representatives of the socialist
party have become members of the
cabinet. and consequently have had
an opportunity to participate directly
in the government. II Is not unusual
that nonpartisan, former Lord Jus
tice Johan Hellner. has been given the
portfolio of foreign affairs. 1t inGi-
Gates the prevailing opinion that the
foreign politics of Sweden in the
present crisis ought not to be a mat
ter of party politics. Nils Eden, the
new premier, was born in 1871. He
got his education at the University of
Upsala and devoted his study par
ticularly to political history. He has
published many important historical
writings and was appointed professor
of political history at the university
in 1908. The crisis between Norway
and Sweden In 1905. when the union
was broken, became in a way decis-
i've as to his career. Eden published
a pamphlet on 1.-THE Swedish Program
in the Union Crisis" translated into
English, French and German. He
joined the liberal party and became
an ardent advocate of political fran
chise on wide basis and of broad
er parliamentary government. These
principles he mas been fighting for ever
since. He was elected member of the
second chamber of the riksdag in 1908,
and when Karl Staaff became premier
in 1911, Eden succeeded him as the
leader of the liberal party of the
second chamber He had been men,
Der of the commission of investiga-
ton of the defense questions in Swe-
den. and has contributed to many i'm
portant discussions In the riksdag on
educational and constitutional mat
ters.. Foremost among the new So
clalist members stands Hialmar Bran
ting He was born in Stockholm in
1860. From his early youth he has
been fighting for radical ideas, and It
is undoubtedly due to his leadership
that the socialists now compose the
largest political party Of the second
chamber of the Swedish riksdag An
editor of the socialist newspaper So
cialdemokraten. the mouthpiece of the
social democrats, he has for several
years made an uncompromislng some
what ruthless, fight for socialism. He
gave his support TO the general strike
In Sweden in 1909, but has refused to
have any connection with the an
archistic ideas of the younger social
lists. He has been deeply interested
In the Russian revolution, and imme-
dIately after It's outbreak visited his
partisans in Russia. AS minister of
finance In Sweden Branting will play
an important part in the political his
tory of the country.
A correspondent suggests that Ger
many would be In n position to offer
SWRieI Ilit AAdllu LOI DciIE
good to her in the matter of iron ore.
"We can afford to be good to Germany.
for the mere generous we are with
iron the more surely will we get the
AIands back" The old iron ore con-
tracts between the two countries will
expire next year. Nevertheless, some
of the Stockholm newspapers say the
occupation is dangerous for Sweden.
The total area of the islands is $50
square miles. The Russian garrison in
the recent months has been weak.
There is no direct telegraphic connec-
ton between Stockholm and the is
lands. Even before the present war
there was an understanding between
Russia and Sweden that the Alands
would not be fortified except In war
time. Last year there were pointed
questions on this matter in the Swe-
dish riksdag, but the foreign minister
was able to allay excitement by stat
ing that Russia had repeated her as
surances of not fortifying the Alands
after the war.