NEUTRALITY

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 December 1937, Page 5

NEUTRALITY

DENMARK'S SPECIAL POSITION. Following the September meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, a statement was issued recently. that collaboration between the Scandinav-

ian countries was proceeding satisfactorily with regard to such questions as revising rules of neutrality and obtaining supplies of necessities in exceptional circumstances. But it is known that, a big difficulty has arisen in connection with, rearmament, says the London correspondent of the “Christian Science Monitor.” Norway. Sweden and. Finland have been forced to the conclusion that fori the sake of maintaining their neutrality in Europe they must rearm.; Denmark, on the other hand, has not I only refused to embark on any largescale increases in Iter fighting forces, but. her Prime Minister, Herr Thorwald Stauning, has denounced Scandinavian military co-operation. His pacifist speeches have somewhat alarmed opinion in the rest of Scandinavia. He contends that Denmark must show the world a. changed attitude; that she should no longer look at her neighbours as Powers that threaten her peace. He says that he believes that a more secure peacepolicy can be built up which will give

the people greater confidence. Moreover, Herr Stauning is of the opinion that with Denmark striving after a higher standard of living she cannot afford to spend more on armaments. Neutrality, remains the objective of Scandinavia despite the divergence of opinion on how it should be ensured. During the World War Scandinavian neutrality -was maintained because it suited the Central Powers and the Allies. But the strategic importance of Scandinavia is said now to have been changed by the development of aircraft. TRADE INTERESTS GUARDED. Denmark is most open to attack and Germany is regarded as her most potential enemy. But Herr Stauning has preferred to encourage a rapprochement with Germany which suits Illis country, economically, for Ger[many is Denmark’s second best customer. On the other hand, it cannot be denied that Swedish and Norwegian rearmament, even though intended to preserve neutrality, is directed partly against Germany. Therefore, it. is not surprising that co-operation on this question has broken down. Meanwhile Swedish and Norwegian rearmament, is going ahead apace, and in Finland it is well to the fore in the Government’s programme. All these developments arouse great interest in Germany and. the Soviet, Russia is the “traditional

enemy” of the Scandinavians, but since the advent of the National Socialist regime in Germany that country has assumed a more menacingrole in the eyes of the Scandinavian democracies. Germany approves of Herr Staunning’s denunciation of a Scandinavian military alliance and calls the Swedish social-democratic Press to task for propaganda against Germany. The Soviet Press frequently alludes to alleged German intrigues in Scandinavia, especially Finland. Germany is accused of plotting to annex Scandinavian territory in the event of war and to be planning a coup d’etat, in) Finland. Moscow papers raised a. scare over a rumour, that the Finnish Government had leased a stretch of the northern Finnish coast to Germany, ft was said in Moscow that the purpose was the formation of a German naval base. Rumours are equally prone to come out of Berlin alleging Russian intrigues in northern Scandinavia. There are important railways and mining areas in Arctic Scandinavia which the Norwegians, Swedes and I Finns consider they must be able to defend. It is thought in well-informed circles in London that despite the difficulties ’preventing Denmark from seeing eye to eye with the other Scandinavian countries on the rearmament question, any suggestion of a -serious upset in

their policy of collaboration is unwarranted. It is felt that the determination of this bloc to maintainn neutrality at ail costs will enable them to overcome their differences. _____