SWEDISH DUPLICITY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3314, 19 September 1917, Page 16

SWEDISH DUPLICITY.

The Argentine officials state that unless Germany disavows her Minister's (Count Luxburg) actions oh sending cipher messages to Germany "concerning the movements of Argentine shipping, there may be a rupture. Anti-German and anti-Swedish ' riots in Buenos Aires were suppressed, but despite a charge by mounted police the German, Legation building and a German newspaper office were stoned. Many blocks of German business houses m the city were burnt by the mobs, who set firt to the German Club, one of the finest edifices in the city, and lo the premises of the German newspaper. Count Luxburg has been given 24 noura to leave the country (Argentine). This news resulted in great demonstrations in the streets of Buenos Aires, the mob crying! "Death to Luxburg; death to Germany." They attempted to storm the German Legation. Luxburg has been arrested, and he at once demanded police protection. His house is now being strongly guarded. He is going to Chile as soon as he can: Captain Celery, an Argentine naval attache at Berlin, has been recalled. Ho is believed to be concerned in the Swedish affair. A mass meeting wildly cheered tho demands that the Argentine sever relations ■with Germany and refuse to receive a Minister from Berlin until Germany becomes a republic. The State Department of the _ United States has issued a statement showing that von Eckhardt, German Ambassador at Mexico City, recommended the German Government to decorate- M. Cronholm, Swedish Charge d'Affaires at Mexico City. "Von Eckhardt's intercepted letter stated that Cronholm, since his arrival, had not disguised his sympathy for Germany, adding: "Ho is the only diplomat from whom information regarding enemies can bo obtained. He acts as intermediary in official diplomatic intercourse from me to Germany, and goes personally to the telegraph office, sometimes late at night, to lodgo telegrams. I recommend the Crown Order of the Second Class, but so as not to excite enemies' suspicion the decoration should not be announced till after the war." Von Eckhardt denied that ho had mado such a recommendation. Cronholm is no .longer the Swedish Charge d'Affaires, but he is still in Mexico City, and has refused all interviews. Gylfo Andenberg, Cronholm's successor, professed ignorance of 'the entiro matter, as also did the Mexican Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs. Tho Mexican newspapers demand tho expulsion of "Von Eckqardt as a violator of Mexico's neutrality. )

The United States Government has indicated that the United States will be satis

fied if the von Eckhardt and Luxburg affairs serve as a ruling for Swedish officials, thus eliminating German intrigues in America.

It is understood that no action is con templated _by the Allies regarding the Swedish disclosures. It is not a question of a quarrel of tho Allies with the Swedish people, who are expected to strongly disavow what has happened. It is, however, hoped that the Swedish Government will take an early opportunity of explaining the affair.

Mr Lansing states that the United States does not consider the Swedish people blameable for the Minister's unneutral act. MiLansing refused to state whether 'ho has information that the Swedish Government knew of tho Minister's action, but stateti that if the disclosures mean that Sweden will enter the war the first step must be taken by Argentina. The United States has not asked Sweden for an explanation, but Mr Lansing indicated that an explanation was expected. According to unofficial views the State Department of the United States does not consider herself an aggrieved party, and therefore a break with Sweden is Improbable. There is no inclination at Washington to start anything that might stir unnecessary trouble between Sweden and Itussia.

A Swedish official statement says: " Messages by consent were frequently transmitted between American neutrals and Germany. (Sweden transmitted the cipher messages to and from the Argentine mentioned by Mr Lansing. The Swedish Government has explained to Germany that if there is any misuse of these orivileges she will prevent a repetition. If Britain and America desire a cessation of transmission, Sweden will accede. "

" Sweden's reply to the United States was delivered verbally, and a corresponding statement was given out at Stockholm earlier in the week.

"Tho reply apparently closes the case as far as tho United State? is concerned. Sweden is under no obligation to fully reply to the United States, while the United States did not give the matter the status of a diplomatic incident. " Sweden contends that Lowon (the Swedish Consul at Buonos Aires) transmitted Count Luxburg's messages, _ not knowing the contents, which were in a German code. Sweden points out that other neutrals, including the United States, have arted similarly towards the Central Powers."

The Conservative journals in Stockholm are silent regarding the revelations, except the which does not attempt to extenuate the breach of neutrality. It denoimces American agents for stealing the cipher and intercepting telegrams, and declares: "If these charges are correct, America's attitude is discourteous. If Mr

Lansing aims at exposing tho GermanoSwedish relations, its action appears a grave insult to our Government." Lord Robert Cecil, in the course of an interview, said that Sweden's real impropriety was in sending cipher messages tor Germany. Sweden had broken the assurances given to Great Britain in 1915. He hoped further revelations would not show that Germany had extensively used Swedish diplomats in a .similar way to what had happened in Argentina. Tho German newspapers have published Count Luxburg's telegrams, which have caused a sensation and some dissatislact on, especially in Socialist circles. The Vossische Zcitung says the best thing is to sink Luxburg "without a trace. A telegram from Berlin states that tho Foreign Secretary has asked Argentina to grant a safe conduct to Luxburg to travel to Berlin to explain his telegrams. Count Luxburg proposes to remove to Paraguay, to which Republic ne has been accredited; but it is doubtful whether Paraguay would favourably receive Luxburg.