NEUTRAL SCANDINAVIA

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 150, 22 December 1914, Page 6

NEUTRAL SCANDINAVIA

The meeting of the rulers of the three peoples of Scandinavia at Malmo may have more significance for the future of the war than at first sight would be anticipated. The three nations—Norway, Sweden., and Denmark — are suffering the fate* of all neutrals adjacent or close to the territory of the combatants ; they are neither friends nor foes, and in this great European cataclysm the very pressure of events is towards the enforcement of the dictum that: "He who is ,not my friend is my enemy." The position of neutrals is always hard, especially if they are comparatively weak nations, like those of Scandinavia. They have to servo two masters, and that is difficult. They cannot act as open importing agents for one side without offending the other, and, on the other hand, they cannot observe the strictest letter of neutrality without offending the belligerent who wanta to get foodstuffs or munitions of war through them. That is the position of Holland and that also of the three Scandinavian Powers. So far Britain does not appear to have enforced even her due rights against con traband with full vigour, so far as these countries are concerned. It is a wellknown fact that Germany has imported huge quantities of motor spirit through Denmark and quantities of iron ore from Sweden, not to mention other necessary articles for her naval and military operations. But Britain is tightening the cordon against the smuggling through of contraband, and the Scandinavian countries are feeling the pinch. Germany is assiduously working on the resentment thafc is likely to spring from even a partial stoppage of trade, and talks of British "oppression." The three Kings have met at Malmo to decide on common action. What is it to be? One can be quite sure that Germany with her agents will leave no stone unturned to bring about a decision favourable to herself. It is therefore interesting to discuss the prospects. Of the three countries, Sweden is the only one with any natural leadings to Germany,' for she has never forgiven Russia for seizing Finland, even though the seizure took place a century ago To Norway also, in a slighter degree, the feat of Russia is strong enough to counterbalance any excess of sympathy for France and Britain. The neople of the Scandinavian Peninsula would not like to see an all-powerful Russia looming over their future without a strong Germany as a bulwark. Denmark can never be pro-German, looking, as she does, to Schleswig and Holstein stolen from her by foree — robbery with violence — just about fifty years ago. The Kaiser, with a keen eye for the position, has for the past ten years confined liis German propaganda to Sweden and Norway. With Sweden the German methods have been fairly successful, as a recent outburst in Stockholm against Russia- shows. In Norway the Kaiser has been less fortunate after a most solicitous courtship. A Danish observer of the situation, writing in "The World's Work," describes the Kaiser'c annual yachting expeditions to the fiords, his constant orations, his presentations of monuments, his unsolicited exploration, vsually accompanied by battleships, of all the indentations of the Norwegian coast, as moving the kindly people of Norway sometimes to forget their customary hospitality. "Norway," he sums up, "seems fairly safe and sound; i and will probably remain a constant friend of England and France throughout the war. The attitude of her Government and her people has been paiticularly straightforward and honest, and the Norwegian press has been most correct in. its expressions of sympathy and its insistence upon neutrality of conduct." Of Denmark, he says that cerain Danish leaders have openly urged the participation of Denmark in the war, and have declared that if Denmark hopes to be repaid she must join the Allies in time. "These hotheads are in an undoubted minority, and there is no doubt that the majority of the Danish people are glad they are. out of the war, and hope they may be permitted so to remain. . . . They have before them the awful example of Belgium to restrain them -from any rash adventure. Their attitude is perhaps very much like that of Holland, hoping for the best, but prepared for the worst." Such being the attitude of the three Scandinavian Powers, it is interesting to see what the meeting of their rulers has brought about A triple' Scandinavian nllianco wil) be quite strong enough to defy Germany, and, indeed, to inflict a vital blow at her through Schleswig. On the other hand, a divided Scandinavia would only servo at the present time to bring down the force of Germany's mailed fist

through a naval bombardment of the capital cities as a punishment for the defiance. That is why Scandinavia, contrary to our hopes, is likely. to remain neutral. This is confirmed by a cable message to-day.