Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-03-15

American war trade board. published
today. h aim of the ruthless German
submarine warfare waGed against the
neutral countSles Of Europe is to out
them of FROM all supplies from the
a.i!.S tihereby starvin lien into no
Mtcal and economic dependence upon
the German empire. 1t appears to be
particularly desirable to efface Scan
dinavian independence.
In connection with the statement
issued at Washington, 1t is interesting
to note that less than a week ago, the
German press directed a series of bit
ter attacks against the northern COM
tries, accusing them of being too
friendly in their attitude to the. en-
tente powers. The N~orddeytsche
A~llegenielne Heitung and Inc koel]n-
ische, Gazette wero especially out.
spoken in their criticism of the Nor
wegian government and press, saying
that there exists no longer any Nor
wegian neutrality.
This remark is caused by Norwegian
newspaper comments upon an article
German newspaper, which %contended
that Germany considered as an un-
neutral act the chartering of ships to
the entente powers; the Norwegian
press generally agreed that Germany
simply wanted to make it appear that
Sn, mas the. legal r,gnt to sink neu-
trail ships outside the danger zone.
Difficult to be Neutral.
Now the strange thing is that the
northern countries are attacked by
the entente press on precisely the
same ground: that they are %unneutral,
that is. overfriendly to the Germans.
Certain parts of the French and
British press have been very vehement
IN r., J., 4. ,.t.G :, ,ta,,,r,x.a tNocos fro 80
its alleged devotion to Germany, and
the cry has been echoed by not a few
newspapers in the United States.
The fact of tho matter is that
while the three countries are most
studiOusly neutral i'm their Official
ist.itude. the populations IN any
thing but neutral. As far as the
Oillcial position Of the three c0un.
tries Is concerned. it seems evil
dent that their neutrality is rigid
since they please neither bellig-
crent group. A neutrality which
favors one side is no neutrality.
With the people, however. 1t is diff
ferent. Judging from newspapers as
well as from statements by Scandi-
navian business visitors who come to
this country from time to time, it is
possible 10 the opinion that
the unofficial sentiment of the three
nations is decidedly anti-German. 1t
is characteristic that when Scandi-
navians discuss among themselves the
possibility of entering the war, they
always add, against Germany" At
the present time no onefdreams that
the north will ever ally itself with the
central powers. r !"
Not Easy to be pro.Ally.
But it is beset with some difficult
ties to maintain a. strong pro-ally
sentiment in view of the fact that the
United States andmGreat Britain have
imposed great hardships upon Scan
dinavian rade by their joint export
embargo which only recently was
somewhat modified.
DR.. maurice r.. Egan. American
minister to Denmark, emphasized this
fact when he lectured in New York
on February 21;. he said that the
Scandinavians feel that the United
States in placing the embargo, has de-
parted from her traditions and is lean
ing toward German ruthlessness The
immediate effect DR.. Egan said, was
that the three countries hared up
settled back to a state of bewilder-
,nent. wonder and mild ~reproach. But
he added, Scandinavia is hopeful that
the allies will win the war, and he
lntinlated the possibility that Dem.
mark. even though realizing her. help
%lessness, would side with the allies
and al" fi~hting IL forced tn it.
"a Danish, SOLDIER. DR.. Egan said,
told me: If we are invaded by: the
P~russians. we will fight to the last
even though we know it may mean
defeat and death. I don't think we
would ever draw our sword against,
for instance. England"
The Danger Increases.
At the beginning of the war. it was
thought-and had been thought for
many years before--that the first
German stroke would be directed
against Copenhagen because OF its
command of the entrance to the Bal
tic. That danger passed. Germany Sc
lected Belgium, and not Denmark, for
it's initial campaign of atrocities.
Since then, Scandinaviaps generally
have realized that Denmark is the
vulnerable spot on the map, and that
a Danish-German collision will be of
immense conquences to all the three
northern countries. Time and again, it
has looked as though Scandinavia
would have to fight, il for nothing