NOTES'

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8463, 31 May 1916, Page 5

NOTES'

SWEDISH. FEELING.

In a recent letter I from Stockholm, IMr Robert Crozier Long said the 1 movement to,; drive Sweden to Germany's side had declined, but'there was much uproar over thje formation of a Transit Company -. to supervise all Anglo-Russian trade, ivia Sweden, .Hs proceeds:—•'! The conditions which led to the Transit Company's formation are these. The Swedish {decree forbidding transit of goods on Sweden's own. ex-, port prohibition list. and out export, prohibition threatened a complete, deadlock. A modus ■ vivendi, which i never took the -■form 'of " a definite agreement, was reached. ■ England gave licenses for export to Sweden of goods on the export prohibition' list in exchange for Swedish 1 licenses permitting transit to Russia. Merchandise was matched against merchandise, sometimes by value, sometimes, by weight. Without a special organ system would not work.,,. Hundreds of applications, for licenses .had! to be handled by our Stockholm iLe'gatiqn ; there was no suitable machinery ; for controlling them; and there was''no 1 guarantee that England, in exchange for licenses to export to Sweden, was getting the promised consideration—transit to Russia. The system led to abuse. Goods cannot go between England and Russia on a through bill of' lading. They go to Sweden. Tho further forwarding is in the hands of,, agents v !" who ' arc ofton not Swedish subjects; but subjects of belligerent Powers. Russian subjects of non :Russian race with no moral allegiance to Russia, and others whose onry; interest- in the war is profit. Such profit cam'be made by arranging that' goods from England to Russia, and vice versa; shall not reach their destination, but shall reach Germany. Tho bills of 'lading ar.«v negotiable.' Germans, being most .in need. , pay thf> best prices, and the agent explains) to his Russian Employer that the goods wont astray, or 1 were never despatched. Only a', By stem of control could stop this abuse. Apart from the abuse, the mere handling and checkincr of licenses required ,an organisation... The organisation-..is' the Transit Company." ;''■•■..■: _,'•' '] ■ ■:-"-::: r \" ■