Evening star., 1940-12-22
Swedes Deaf 10 Nazis'
'living-Space' Policy,
0sten linden Says
Nation Is Standing Aloof
And Seeks No War Coins,
Former Minister Declares

Translation of a recent speech by
Osten linden, former Swedish min
lister for foreign affairs, received
in the United States, shows fire.
quent hints from Germany as to the
desirability Off division of the world
into new living spaces" are fall
ing on deaf ears as far as Swedish
foreign policy is concerned.
Mr.. linden, who is now chancel-
lor of the Swedish universities, de-
clared it is automatic that Sweden
must base its foreign policy on
clear and we'll established prin-
ciples and not on calculations as
to who might be the winner of
the war.
Clearly, the country must not
shape its policy, he said, so as to
curry favor with the supposed VIC
tor.
I'VE have chosen to try to remain
outside the conflict and, therefore
apply our traditional policy of neu-
trality, the aim of which is con-
tinued Swedish independence and
unimpaired self-respect," he said.
1--WE aspire to no gains from the
war, but also try to avoid becom-
ing pawns in the selfish game of
international politics. Foreign OBJ
servers ought not to get the false
notion that the Swedish people are
either vassals or time-servers."
Swedish Policy Better Understood
Although there were some differ
ences of opinion in Sweden in re-
gard to the Finnish question, he
continued, there is hardly any criti-
cism any more in Sweden of the
governments main policy, thanks
to a better understanding of the
true situation.
In regard to Norway the condi-
tions were quite different, he OBJ.
served. From a Swedish point oi
view the war developments there
must be regarded as essentially
clash between Germany and Great
Britain, and therefore the benevo.
lent neutrality which Sweden OBJ.
served in regard to Finland coulo
not be adopted. The Swedish policy
in regard to Norway thus became
the same policy of neutrality which
from the very start Sweden hao
adopted in regard to the opposing
partners in the great European war
Therefore, while fighting was going
on in Norway there were refusals
from Sweden of requests for exports
or trans-shipments of war materials
to either side.
When military operations came in
disturbingly close proximity to the
Swedish border, he declared, partic-
ularly in the districts close to the
Narvik railroad, affecting important
Swedish interests, the Swedish gov
eminent sought the consent of both
parties in the war to pacification
of Northern Norway through a pro-
visional occupation of the Narvik
area by Swedish troops, The plan
did not seem hopeless, but collapsed
with the withdrawal of the British
and French forces, and with this
grounding of arms in Norway on
June 10 the war operations there
ceased, Mr.. linden added.
Old ~Doetrine, in New Clothes.
Particularly from the axis coun-
tries, he went on, voices have beer
heard in regard to new and rad
ically different world order, which,
would affect very closely the posi-
ton Of the smaller powers. '.--
The guiding principle for this
new world order, he said, is the divi-
sion Of the world into living spaces,
q new word for what used to be
called the spheres of interest of the
world powers. The meaning of this
living-space doctrine, he remarked
seems to be, in brief, that all polit-
ical, military and economic power is
to be concentrated in the hands OF
the big nation which forms the CEN
ter Of each living space" From
the point of view of the smaller
countries this system would mean
that they would be placed inside
one or the other of these living
spaces and would, thereby, lose theil
political independence and be left
with an economic system which
could be run to suit the interests
ok VIC zig poWCl III
No Lure to Sweden.
1t is natural, he went on, that
such an innovation would not ap-
peal to Sweden or to any one of the
smaller states. 1t is of Swedish in
terest to protect the lawful dwell
tngs Of the smaller nations, which
are threatened with disappearance
under the furniture shifts of the liv-
ing space theology. The suppression
Of previously free people can never
be justified by reference to the in
terestS Of a great power, he de-
clared. No permanent peace can
be built up on such redivision of
the worlds inhabitable quarters so
that smaller nations become charity
dodgers in the living space of some
world power.
At the present time the special in
terest of the Swedish people con-
Germs Norway, whose fate has tenn
porarily been turned over to a small
group OF countrymen who lack every
true community with their own peo-
Pile, he declared. Behind the Quis-
lings stands the army of occupation
as their only real support. The at
tempt that has been made. with
methods that have been chosen, to
abuse and crush the proud and hon.
or-loving Norwegian people is GER
tainly doomed to fail, Mr.. linden
said.
With reference to Mr.. Unden's re-
marks regarding the plan to pacify
the Narvik area. Foreign Minister
Christian Guenther has revealed
that the plan originally came from
private Norwegian sources,