Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-01-06
HUN AK swinging
!. OVER DANISH HEADS
Denmark's Government, Says
DR.. Egan, Finds Neutrality
a Hardship.
u. S. EMBARGO HURTS

ssDenmark.s government has faced
problem few persons on this side OF the
Atlantic realize to remain neutral. under
the shadow OF the German military ma
chine. The Danish people are pro-aly
In their sympathies, Efforts to spread
+ q belief to the contrary are another phase
of the far-reaching German propaganda
This is the statement of DR.. Maurice
Francis Egan, United States minister 70
Denmark since 1907, author, poet and
editor who is especially well known TO
Washington because of his professorshlp
OF English at Catholic University Tor the
two years before he went to Copenhagen.
Dr. Egan is in Washington TO recuperate
from an operation He called upon the
Secretary of State yesterday, and Will be
|. in conference during his stay in wash
tngton with State Department officlals
4 on Scandinavian questions.
Embargo Causes Hardship.
The absolute embargo OF this country
-upon exports to the three northern Euro
pean neutrais-Norway. Sweden ana Den
mark-Dr Egan said. entalled hardships
which have not been overdrawn by the
diplomatic missions each has sent the
United States to conduct negotiations 10.
their modification. Meanwhile GERMANY
not only has sought to convince lne ohiteu
States these countries were friendly 10 the
Hun cause but she has deIugeo them
with her propaganda She even mas eA-
. ported potatoes and coal TO SWeaeh Ioi
POLITICAL and trade reasons, and mas Of
fered to give Denmark the petroleum ano
coal she SO sorely needs
Denmark's population especially ad-
mire the French people, and their es
TEEN for Americas democracy was IN
dicated as far back as 1864, Dr. Egan
said, when she permitted German YES
sells bound for the states TO pass
through her waters unmoiesteo. tnoush
she might have seized them as prlzes,
since she then was at war with Ger
many. For these reasons Denmark
was surprised when an embargo was
effected which deprived her people OF
the foodstuffs she so sorely needed.
Eight Hours From Berlin.
..Copenhagen is within twelve hours
by rail of Berlin. and eight hours by
Zeppelin Germans could land troops
in Jutland within twentyrfour hoors;
Because of her extended coast line and
geographical position Norway could
afford to be more emphatic about her
neutrality. These nations have traded
with Germany, of course, because they
had to do so to remain neutral. bu.
in all of them the sympathy Us been
with the allies. This applies even to
Sweden, where only the aristocratic
classes leaned toward the central pow
ers.
.The feeling of the people was shown
in the recent elections. when the Lux
burg letters became the major issue.
and the liberals. who condemned the
whole transaction, won by consider
able majority.
Norway is the most democratic OF
the Scandinavian countries sweden
the least so. In Sweden only members
OF the state church. the Lutheran, may
hold office. That is not the case in
Denmark. Indeed. one OF the features
OF Denmark's political and social life
sis the absolute freedom in religion, SO
that the Jews there have won places
of distinction in financial. social and
political life. s.@&