Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1940-04-11

denmark from SOuLnern norway.
Not only that, but the British have
deliberately and self-avowedly in
vaded Norwegian territorial waters
by strewing within neutral naval
borders an unknown number OF
mines, designed to blow up German
ships which carry the iron ore from
the Swedish mines by way of the
Norwegian port of Narvik The gov
eminent of Norway has done the only
thing it is in position to dot has
protested sharply in London.
Back of the Ore.
Of course, the iron ore is not a
matter of first-rate importance. What
Great Britain and France want is
according to repeated statements by
leading British Observation-Disclosures
lain, Winston Churchill, Oliver STAN
ley and others-to persuade the small
neutral nations to go to war against
Germany, so, the ore business comes
in handy as a pretext.
From Berlin comes word that if
Norway accepts the situation i'm
posed upon it by Britain and France,
Germany may step into the picture
and make matters worse.
Thus, there is a British-French
pressure being exerted upon Nor
way (and, by implication, on Den
mark and Sweden as welD.
But, as though this were not
enough, Russia also insists on having
something to say.
HambrO Attacked.
On the day after the signing of the
peace treaty between Finland and
Russia-March 13-it became known
that the Finnish republic had pro-
posed a defensive alliance between
itself and Sweden and Norway; one
cannot say that the idea was received
with enthusiasm at Stockholm and
Olso, but, anyhow, the statesmen in
those two capitals expressed their
willingness to examine the plan, al
ways remembering the possibility OF
German-or other-repercussio
Foremost among those who main
tanned that the proposal, heavy with
responsibility as it was, merited
scrutiny and attention, was Carl
Joachim Hambro, president of the
Norwegian parliament and for many
years an outstanding member of the
League of Nations assembly in Gen.
eva. He did not definitely commit
himself in favor of the plan, but al
the same time made it clear that he
was rather friendly toward it.
Therefore, Mr. Hambro was Sc
lected as the target of special radio
speech broadcast from Moscow a few
days ago, and on that occasion Nor
way was told that it had better re-
move him from the post which he
occupies. Russia would be satisfied
with nothing less.
So, not only British-French and
German but also Russian pressure is
being applied to Norway.
Whatever that country may suf-
fer in consequence, is bound to af-
feet the fate of Denmark and Sweden
One Way or the Other.
All communications from Denmark
Norway and Sweden make it clear
that those countries are being faced
by an alternative, and stern one
at that. Although they have pro-
claimed, and are determined to main
tain, their strict neutrality, they are
asked to choose sides.
If and when the actual choosing
must be done, there is, of course, nc
doubt that they will not align them
selves with the Hitler-governed Ger
many; popular sentiment in all Scan
dinavian countries is so overwhelm-
ingly favorable to Britain and France
that the problem simply does not
exist. If those nations 60 to war
it will be because they are forced
to do so, and they will refuse as
long as possible, staunchly maintain
ing that neutrality is the safest policy
in world where great and super
iorly powerful countries are at log
gerheads.
German White Book.
Aside from the attempts to coerce
Scandinavia, the reports concerning
the European war have been very
meager, for, it would seem, nothing
really important has happened
There has-to the awful surprise
of almost everyone-been a skirmish
between German and French soldiers
at the western front, and there have
been some renewed airplane attacks
made by the British on the German
airport on the island of Sylt and
on the naval bases at Wilhelms-
hafen, and, in return, German re-
prisals at the Orkney Islands. But
nothing of Importance has taken
place, and the war is now approach
ing its eighth month as passively as
have been all the preceding seven.
But, just to arouse up a little in
terest, Germany few days ago pub
lished officially its third White Book
containing reports of alleged con-
versations between Polish and Amer