TREACHERY OF SWEDISH MINISTER.

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 13975, 10 September 1917, Page 6

TREACHERY OF SWEDISH MINISTER.

DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATIVE TO ARGENTINE PLAYS GERMANY'S GAME. "' RELIABLE NEWS OF MOVEMENTS OP MERCHANTMEN DESPATCHED.. .•The High Commissioner reports: , LONDON, September 8 (11.20 p.m.) An official report says: The Swedish Minister to the Argentine ' has been convicted of duplicity in sending and receiving German code messnges relating to submarines. (Australian and New Zealand Cable Association,) ■"• '• Received September 9, at 11.5 p.m. WASHINGTON, September B.' Copies of the official despatches sent to the Berlin Foreign Office by Count Luxburg, German Charde d 'Affaires at Buenos Ayres, in cypher through the Swedish Legation there, as its own eo'mmunications have been made public.by Mr Lansing without any comment as to how they fell into the United States' Government's hands'. Copies were also delivered'to the Argentine Embassy and Swedish Legation there. Besides revealing the means by which Germany used Sweden and her machinations in Argentine, the despatches show how the German Charge d'Affaires, at the time Argentine was having a critical diplomatic controversy with Germany over the sinking of her ships by submarines, was sending through the Swedish Legation, information as to the sailings of certain vessels, with recommendations that they should' be sunk without leaving any traee, and other despatches informing his Government how to regard Argentine's protests against the destruction of her shipping. - ...•„;! j Rumours following the publication of the documents, that diplomatic'relations with Sweden might be severed, paused a sensation, Received September 9, at 11.35 p.m.

> WASHINGTON, September 8. The text of Count Luxburg's messages, published on the 19th Maylast and,cabled from Buenos Ayres is: "This Government has released-the German-Austrian ships, hitherto guarded. As there had'been n great change in public feeling asking that the steamers Oran and Guzo, then nearing Bordaux, may be spared, if possible, or' sunk without trace.

Cabling on 3rd July, Count Luxbui'g said that lie had learned that tlie Minister of Foreign Affairs who was a notorious ass and an Anglophile, had declared that at a secret session of the Senate, Argentine decided to demand from Berlin a promise to sink no more Argentine ships. If the demand were not aecceded, relation? would be broken oft', The message recommends a refusal, or if necessary the mediation of Span, Cabling on 9th July Count Luxbui'g advises the postponing of the reply to Argentine until further reports, as a change in the ministry was probable. As regards the Argentine steamers, the Minister recommended compelling them to turn back, sinking them without trace, or letting them through.