Evening star., 1940-05-15
|SWedes Take lesson
|M Nazis; 6ird Against
Parachute Troops
Formers Asked to Stud
Fields With Rocks,
Arm Selves With Rifles
By LELAND STOWE,

chicaso Daily News Yoreisn Correspondent
STOCKHOLM, May 15.-Hard
upon the Nazis' Trojan horse" tri.
umph in Norway, Germany's five.
day conquest Of Holland has given
the Swedish people cruel reminder.
After what has happened to five
Of their little neutral neighbors, the
most optimistic Of Swedes can no
longer blink the fact that Swedens
cherished neutrality now hangs by
q thread, If, indeed, it has not be-
come an obsolete word. This Is why
authorities here are striving their
utmost to tighten and strengthen
Sweden's armor.
Last night Maj. Arvid Erickson
addressed the nation by radio and
urged every citizen to cooperate in
guarding the nation against surprise
attacks by air, especially from para
chute troops. I'VE must learn by
recent experience" he said. 1T is
very easy for parachutists to be
dropped. We must watch for them
and know what to do when they
come"
Maj. Erickson asked Swedish
farmers to place obstacles in all
their large fields so that invading
planes cannot use them for emer-
gency landings behind the nations
defense lines. He also appealed
to all Swedes to watch for airplanes.
to learn how to identify Swedish
models, and, above all, to keep the
sharpest lookout for parachutists.
He recommended that farmers and
villagers provide themselves with
both field glasses and rifles as part
Of the national defense.
Nazi Lesson Taken Deeply.
This warning indicates how deeply
the. lesson Of the Nazis' lightning
domination of Holland Is being
taken here, as must be the case
with every remaining neutral ma.
ton Of Europe. The majority Of
Swedes may now live in hope Of
some respect, but all know that the
entire nation can only continue to
live by eternal vigilance.
Accordingly, Sweden presents the
anomalous spectacle of q peaceful
neutral nation existing under black
out, exactly as if it were already
at war. Stockholm had blackout
on the third successive night and
it now seems likely to remain so
indefinitely.
Meanwhile, more and more shop
windows are being boarded up. Nu-
merous other precautions are being
enforced quietly.
Iron or Oil?
1t would appear that Germanys
acquisition of Holland has pointed
her continued offensive westward,
especially toward England. For that
reason the Swedes normally might
breathe easier. But the Nazi "blitz-
krieg" methods and stunning power
now have demonstrated that no peo-
pie within striking distance Of the
Third Reich can count upon unmo-
Tested neutrality-and the fact re-
mains that the more furiously the
German forces extend their on
slaughts, the greater will be, Adolf
Hitler's need for Swedish iron ore.
The Swedish people have taken
the blackout with commendable
calm. Nevertheless, they all know
that they are now living on the edge
of seething volcano. If they are
spared for some time, it appears it
will probably be for one of two
reasons either because Hitler is in
tent upon striking the British with
every weapon at his command. or
because, for that purpose, oil may
be more Immediately essential to
the Nazis than iron.
tCopyriEht, 1910. Chicago Daily News. Incl