Evening star., 1923-08-24
ny rHE MARaTIsE DIE FoNTENOY

BN THE MARQIISE DE FONTENOb.
Sweden ie looking more and more
toward the United States alike on
political and economic grounds, and.
not content with sending to America
her primate and learned Lutheran
Archbishop Of Upsala, who is like
wise the chancellor of her ancient
university in that city, her ancient
capital. which for many hundred of
years has also been the principal in
tellectual and educational center OF
all Scandinavia, is now dispatching
across the Atlantic her prime min
ister, Ernest Trigger. for the pur-
pose of comforting and getting into
personal touch with the new Presi-
dent the Secretary of State and the
other members of the administration,
as we'll as with the dominant figures
in the American world Of hnance,
commerce and industry. He is en-
gagged in a tour of visits To the vari-
Gus European capitals and. not con-
tent with going to London and Paris.
has now decided, with the approval
of King Gustav. to include Washing
ton in his itinerary. trlbute 10 tne
Importance of the influence which the
attitude of the United states, in spite
of it's apparent aloofness from for
eign entanglements,, exercises IN the
trend of international affairs and in
the solution of the many intricate
problems affecting the old world.
:. * x X
Ernest Trigger is very able man,
who, although one of the leading con-
seryative statesmen of Sweden.
nevertheless rules with the consent.
not alone OF the liberals, but even
of the social democrats, under eX-
Premier Branting. The fact of the
rnatter is that Prime Minister Trigger
cannot carry through any Legislation.
or even carry on" without the more
or less tacit good will OF the liberals
and the social democrats. two parties
that do not possess, either OF them.
n sufficient Legislative majority to
warrant their undertaking the task
of forming an administration. In tact,
ex-Prernier ErantingS social demo
cratic cabinet fell because II mad no
parliamentary majority ana because
the liberals who had given II GER
tain amount of support, ended by dlf-
fering from il on the subject OF So
cialist and labor demands FOR state
assistance to certain industries which
had been obliged to shut down, owing
TO badness of trade, throwing many
thousands out of employment.
x * x
Eortunatelv. eX-Premier Brantfng
and Ernest Trigger, though differing
on many matters of domestic policy,
are, both of them. statesmen imbued
with intense patriotism of disin-
tarested nature They worked to-
gather in complete understanding and
nerfect harmony at the assembly of
the league OF nations at Geneva,
where Branting was one of the vice
presidents, and both Trigger and the
new minister of foreign affairs, Mr..
Hederscierana. former governor gem
eral Of Stockholm, were delegates.
Under such circumstances, the queS-
ton naturally ARISES as TO why
Premier Trigger, who was the con-
seryative leader in the upper cham
ber. did not form coalition cabinet.
ne endeayored to do so. But the
liberals were unwilling, since to ally
themselves completely to his con-
seryatiye administration would mean
the sacrifice of many of their own
aims and principles. whereas by re-
mafning aloof from office, II was al
ways possible for them to exercise
a notent influence on the government
For the latter is prevented from car
rying through any measure TO which
the liberals are opposed and against
which they vote. They are, there
fore. much more powerful outside
than within the administration
n X X X
Sweden, formerly the most reaction
ary Of governments, has been. since
the revision of the constitution, one
of the most democratic Of monarchies.
Until 1866 the national legislature of