Evening star., 1949-02-28
Denmark Due TO Join
West, With Swedish
Support Seen Later

W F "
Support Seen Later
BY the Assoeioted Press
| COPENHAGEN. Denmark. Feb.
28.-Denmark appeared lined up
firmly with the West in the cold
war today. and there were indi-
cations that Sweden, too, is lean
ing in that direction.
Denmark's position on the North
Atlantic defense pact was made
clear yesterday when the coun-
try's largest political party, the
Social Democrats, decided to look
to the West for security.
Meanwhile high diplomatic
sources in Sweden, traditionally
neutral key nation of the North
Scandinavian bloc, predicted that
Sweden will join the projected
North Atlantic agreement within
six months. One informed source
said sooner if the Russians make
any move toward Finland"
Norway, the other Scandina-
Wan country, already has turned
to the west for her military secur-
ity. Norway said an all-Scandina-
Wan defense arrangement with no
links to the West, as proposed
some time ago by Sweden, would
not be strong enough to make her
feel secure.
Russian Reaction Feared.
Norway. Sweden and Denmark
had accepted economic ties with
the West in the Marshall Plan.
Until recently. however. they had
been reluctant to forge any mill
tary links for fear of Russian re-
action. All are within easy range
Of Soviet forces. Norway has a
far northern common border with
the Soviet and Denmark is 10
minutes flight from Russian air
bases. Sweden borders on Finland,
tightly tied by treaty to the
Kremlin.
Denmark's Social Democrats,
with only one dissenting vote re-
ported, approved through the
party's Executive Committee a
resolution calling for increased
political and military co-opera-
tion" with the Western democ-
racies. The resolution said an
all l-Scandinavian alliance is mot
possible at present"
The party's vote in Parliament,
added to that of smaller parties
already committed to the North
Atlantic agreement, provides a
clear-cut majority in both houses.
The Social Democrats action
was a long step from the party's
traditional antimilitaristic policy.
Premier Hans Hedtoft. the party S
Leader, stated previously that he
was in favor of the Atlantic
agreement.
AS a result, Denmark is now ex-
pected, like Norway, to start talks
with the Atlantic powers about
what she gets and her response
bilities if and when she joins. 1t
means, also, Denmark has turned
her back on Russia.
The North Atlantic pact now is
being negotiated by the United
States, Canada, Britain, France,
Belgium, Holland and Luxem-
bourg.
SWeden'S swing away from the
neutrality that has kept her out
of war for 1875 years was appar-
ent. High Swedish officials now
acknowledge privately that their
country cannot stay on the fence
much longer in the East-West
lineup. They believe isolation is
fast becoming impossible and
Swedish sympathy lies with the
west.
Offer Still Held Open.
Tage Erlander, Swedish Prime
Minister, told a reporter yesterday
!; that Sweden still holds open its
offer of a strictly neutral Scandi-
navian defense alliance. But, he
added, this could not succeed un-
less Norway joins.
He said he believes Sweden
should adopt a wait and see
policy for the next five or six
months.
The SWedes and Firms are ira
ditionally friendly, but Finland
after three wars with Russia-nov
has a mutual defense treaty with
!. the Soviets and Russia has a mill
tary base on Finnish soil at Pork
kala, near Helsinki, the capital.
The Firms hope to fend off ex.
pected Russian demands for more
. bases in Finland, but they feel nc
assurance they can do so. Respon.
sible sources in Helsinki say they
fear Russia will invoke treaty
clauses and demand new bases
; once Norway signs UP with the
Western nations.
Russia has repeatedly termed