A TALK WITH SVEN HEDIN

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2131, 24 April 1914, Page 7

A TALK WITH SVEN HEDIN

swedes mm.

In his study overlooking the bust waters of this Venice of the north, I Jiavo bean discussing. wffli,i)r. Sven H«din, the famous. Swedish explorer, the question of the .country's defences, a question upon which the -people -w-ttl bo catted upon to give a vote in 'tlm goj'wa-l-. .eleeetion/' says -the London "Daily Oiiranie'la's .fecial correspond dent in Stockholm. "Ho. has lectured all over the conn* try: his pamphlets JhaVo -been distributed by tlio- hundreds of thousands. But for tho action of the King his cam., patgu might not have come to a head so rapidly; but- still it cannot be,-denied tot his work during tho past fav years has had a groat -effect,, for an improve* meat in the- national defonecs has for 'spmo time How 1 been tho first' pia-uk on the jjlatfiwtn of both Liberal and. Conservativo parties. ;.. "At first, in Dr. Hediu's &ok-liwl study, decked, with tho trophies of his World-wide; wanderings. I was almost tueliiiod to forget the object of my visit,' Sere are the shelves holding Ma travel books in many languages; above tho bookcases are photographs given to him in tribute- from in-a-ny of the world's rulers and prominent persons, There are the proofs of tho : ;vokm©-«mt<twihiE tho scientific results erf his last -great joirrtieyi •" 'There has heon a -rcma'rkablo awakening to tho dangers .Sweden runs, if she -remains weak-/ -he said, 'In 'tav opinion tho livng, in speaking to tha peasants as he did, did not net uueoftsti-ktioftal-ly. It was rea.-flvau aet.fhat required- courage to point out- to tho nation the path it ought to take at a. time' when a Ministry' hesitated.' , "Hero Dr. .I'lcd.iu. laid before "me a map of Finland, flowing the strategic ■railways built, building, -or projected V Russia.. The new brSigi? over tho JfeViv is completed; bo .jointed -out, and when ' the strategic- railways am' all ready Russia will bo able to send, oasiiv and rapidly., _ -great iovess rf trap's ■ from. tho eapital and tlijo .-iivtenOf. of Russia to numerous" potiits on the Fiii- , nis'h .coast frojn 'i'ffvnoti to Tiborg. It is •Kenorally -svijajiosed that the number of JitLssian tT<r6.ps''a't present iji Fiul.tiid is about <j@;Oo9-*'a»d snc : h an army -cannot ba to l<eep Fin-land in order !■ " 'But might not these. Russian .doings in Fiiiiaini "bG- ,: detorisjvii; against a Gorman attack in a war between Russia and Germany, which, how* em remote., would hav6 to' be coin sidered by tliG Russian .military autiiqritiesP " 'Grant that,' returned ; D.r. IJedin, 'but it does not do away with the danger (vcr face, 'fherWhas for. ')<«§ timo been imieli talk iii-'Riissja -to tho roflcci thai a sort of alliance exists between O.onuany and Sweden. Tkej-e is ,no suA tl-iiiig., of coarse, lint it is easy to iroagiiio ho«' Sweden might bo dragjic-d into a war boMvee.li two such Powers, Recent cvc-ijt-s have .dio-Wn lis what slight eftns-i.dei'nt:io.i.i the sv-esik rftceivfe when they stand in tho way of Uio strong, and.. ho\? a, coitutfy is owty safe if it Knows how to JooJs ai'tor itself-' " 'And do jHift think, tiw't Sweden, however well armed, could hope eventually to b« s-necftSo'ifttl in a sU'itggla against n gwat Power H' . "Well, look at our history. We are a stubborn .people. We have kept o« freedom and fought tiiirouwh more tlia.i.i one great war. Well artiied, Sivcdwi can present a strong front with its narrow, shallow, island-strewn "waters and., the rough, eonu-try hi its north. At any rate, it is our duty to see that we aia in a. position to drt oiir very host.' " 'What divides Russia from the AvInntic?' asks the explorer, 'irrom %m:nea, the end of the Fmnish railway system in tho north, to Lvs-iftimfjoTd is only about 200 miles, to Navrik 2SO-. Bnt from. tJio most itoi'th-westeiiy point of tiie- Rtissia-n frontier to tyttgentjord is only 20 mites. Froi-n Vnsa- to Um.oa islint 75 -miles, and from Aland to 'tSrisslehatmn Billy £7, Can you by} sUfprised that wo fed that there is a dajigo.r?' "And Ur. llediu tlueks llus-sfa is not iikol.y to consider these as fornTidabki barriers to advain'o towards iho Athintie. He declares that Sfrodoi's lo bo warned bv thu doleful fate of Vim land,"