Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1943-01-07

trality, tired gourmands, and shop
keeper SOULS" while the Italians speak
of them as selfish anti-Europeans."
The Swedes think one ought to
know that people with their love of
democratic liberty could not possibly
be ''pro-German"
The Swedes are only six and half
million people in country the size
of California. During the Finno-
Russian war of 1939-l940, the anti
Nazis world, hypnotized by the fact
that Sweden is a sovereign nation
with all the organs and parapher-
MALTA of independence, urged Sweden
to take on both Germany $50 million
people) and Russia (19O million peo-
ple).
What Sweden did for Finland was
to strip itself of so much food,
clothes and war material that its ac-
ton, as the New York Times said,
Ought to be written in letters of
gold . It would be equivalent to
a gift of more than twenty-five hun
dred million dollars from the people
of the United States"
Sweden was therefore in a bad
way as to stores and war material
when the attack came on Norway
and Denmark in April, 1910. Yet,
expecting to be attacked, she mo-
bilized. Germany did not attack,
probably because Russia would then
have objected, and the Nazis felt they
had Sweden in trap and could de-
YOUR her at leisure. Still, during the
first month after April 9, forty live
encroaching German aircraft were
shot down over Sweden by what re-
manned of the formidable Bofors
guns. The number downed has in
creased considerably since then, but
the figures are not published
At the outbreak of the war, Sweden
arranged trade treaties with both
Britain and Germany, in which both
agreed that it was fair for the Swedes
to supply each belligerent with an
amount of iron ore based on the
average supplied in the three years
preceding the war.
After the Germans had seized
Norway and established their Skag-
gerak blockade, the British were I'M
able to get their share of the ore;
nor could the usual high-grade steel
60 to the United States; but in spite
of high pressure from Germany, the
Swedish government has stubbornly
refused to sell the Nazis the English
and American shares of the ore.
Sweden was always a good Gus
toner for Germany's manufactured
articles. Much of the ore she sent
to Germany came back in this form.
When Germany in 1912 asked for
credit on iron ore, iron and steel,
the Swedish government refused it.
But-should Sweden sell anything
to Germany at all?
Should the Swedes live?
The blockade has closed 70 per
cent of Sweden's export markets. AL
though few exchange ships carry
on mineral trade with the Amer
lean continent, Sweden now has prac-
tically no trade except with Ger
many; hence the value of goods ex-
changed with Germany has doubled.
Because of the blockade, Sweden
is now wholly dependent on Germany
for coal and coke, without which it
can neither run its industries and de-
Tense industries nor keep from freez-
ing in winters 40 degrees below zero.
In short, German need for iron ore
and forestry products balances Swe-
den's need for coal and coke. But
Sweden refuses to sell food or fin
ished war material to Germany
Unfounded rumors circulate in
America regarding the Swedish royal
family. The truth is that it is one
of the active forces of democracy.
The king is strictly constitutional
and fearless. The scholarly crown
prince is married to an English prin-
cess; he is wholly democratic in out
look. Prince Wilhelm often writes
and speaks for Norway. His poem
ITO Norway" is knowingly beautiful.
Prince Eugen auctions off his own
paintings in aid of Norway.
So long as she can maintain her
neutrality, Sweden bars the path of
the Axis. If she can't?
eve may have to fight for all that
we hold DEAR Sweden's staunch
premier, Per Albin Hanson, said late
this summer; land if we do, know
that our people who love peace will
show they love freedom and democ-
racy more"