FAMINE BEFORE PEACE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1053, 27 June 1917, Page 6

FAMINE BEFORE PEACE.

GLOOMY VIEW OF SWEDES PACIFISTS LAUGHED AT. SCANDINAVIA HARD HIT. Stockholm, though preponderalingly pro-German, sees no peace in sight, and the international Socialists holding spasmodic sittings here are not taken ovcr-seriously in responsible Swedish circles, despite the fact that the Socialists now in Stockholm include such notables as the Danish Minister, Stauning, and Grimm, the chairman of the International Bureau in Switzerland. Though the Swedish leader, Branting, expressed himself optimistically to me regarding the foundation work for ultimate peace now being done in ithc Swedish capital, I encountered, almost everywhere, a sceptical feeling regarding the utility of the Socialist conference, particularly owing to its lack of a completely representative character. The Socialists plugging for peace in Stockholm range from well-mean-ing pacifists, humanitarians, and theorists to cranks and fanatics, writes Cyril Brown, from Stockholm, to an American exchange, and the impression is that no serious work can be accomplished along the present lines. The International Profcssionalist Socialists are losing themselves in such futile discussions as, for example, whether the immediate release of Karl Leihknecht from military imprisonment should not be demanded as a preliminary to the peace conference.

Worthy of more serious consideration is the statement made by Branting, that with their no annexation resolution the Russian Socialists have by no means committed themselves to the status quo ante or against any annexationist changes of the map. The Russians, according to Branting, have merely gone on record as opposed to any and all annexations against the will of the people. Germans Ardent Participants.

The German Socialists of all brands are setting great peace hopes on the Stockholm conference, and the principal Socialist leaders, according to Berlin reports, will flock thither, including Scheidemann, who is chairman of the Reichstag Constitutional Committee, and is now clothed with unique importance; Ebertand Herman Mueller, who will represent the Social Democratic Party Reichstag members; David Noske and Gradnaier, representing the majority Socialist faction in the Reichstag; Ihiase, Ledcbour, and Bernstein, representing the Radical Socialist faction, and Legien nd Bauer, representing, the German Labour unions.

This coterie should overlook no opportunity to push the peace propaganda in Stockholm, particularly by airing the no annexaiion slogan of the German Socialists and attempting to exercise their goodwill toward the provisional Russian Government.

Arvkl Liniliitan, Sweden's Minister of Foreign Affairs, received me this morning and, on condition that he was not to be quoted, spent half-an-hour discussing Sweden's complex economic problem, particularly as it has been or may be effected by America's entry into the war. The youngish new Foreign Minister is a man of thoroughly modern ideas and forceful character. Me reminds one of an American captain of industry and probably is one of the best men in Sweden to-day for manipulating the Swedish end of delicate economic negotiations between America and Scandinavia, particularly as the best of personal and official relations exist between Minister Lindman and American Minister Ira Nelson Morris, Would Mean World Famine.

Despite the Foreign Minister's prejudice against publicity, in view of Sweden's delicate economic position between two warring groups of Powers, which is greatly aggravated by America's entry into the war, 1 gathered the following general survey of the situation from his Excellency, which undoubtedly reflects the views held in high official circles. The possibility is fully realised that a continuance of the war may culminate in a world famine. Sweden, although short of foodstuffs, can just manage to hold through until the next harvest under the present bread ration, which is enforced by the card system, the bread ration, although small, being adequate.

Whether Sweden could hold out over another year depends on the next harvest. With average good crops Sweden can just manage to feed itself with the most rigid economy. The safety margin, particularly in view of the doubtful character of the next harvest, is such that the importation of breadstuff's from America is more than desirable. Negotiations toward this end have become ihc imperative duty of the Government to the people. Scandinavian Co-operation.

In economic negotiations with America, Sweden is co-operating closely with Denmark and Norway, in addition to meeting tlie Foreign Ministers of liie Scandinavian Slate;;, who realise they are all in the same economical world war boat. The Swedish economic commission, under the leadership of former Minister Washington Lagerkrantz, will, it is hoped, be able to reassure America that American breadstuff's and other exported commodities which may in the future be permitted to reach Sweden will not be re-exported, so that there will be no danger of benefiting Germany, Sweden wants not only American breadstuffs, but needs, and will continue to need increasingly, American food and cotton. In addition to assurance that Germany will not be a beneiiciary, Sweden is in a position to barter advantageously by reason of its command of the rail transit traffic to Russia, which is assuming vital importance, as the unlimited submarine war is becoming more effective. Doubtless, in view of Sweden's growing appetite lor American commodities, Mini-

ster Morris would be able lo extract concessions and permits from the present Swedish Government for transit shipment of American goods by the safe rail route to Russia. Have Something to Swap. Besides control of the transit traffic to Russia, Sweden holds certain other trumps, notably its exportable wood pulp, ores, anil linished steel, all of which possess the utmost desirability for England. Hence official Swedish opinion is optimistic over the successful outcome of economic negotiations with England and America, particularly sis not a pound of breadstulfs is being exported to Germany. Some meat is being exported to Germany because of the shortage of American cattle feed here. Otherwise Sweden's exports to Germany are said to be negligible. Lastly, all talk of a revolution in Sweden is nonsense and there are no signs of hunger to warrant the belief that a revolution is probable or even possible. While the course of Swedish statesmanship through the economic world war whirlpool will require the most careful guiding, it is the sincere intention and hope of men now in power to do everything possible to avoid economic shipwreck on the friendly shore of America, and in seeking the solution of these labyrinthine problems Swedish statesmen know they have a benevolent confederate in' American Minister Morris.

"I hope the American people will continue the line of conduct they have taken, in the sense of guaranteeing to humanity a just and durable peace." This is the message of Sweden's, social democracy to the American people by the Socialist leader, Hjalmar Brahting, to-day. At the outset he expressed the hope that in the interest of humanity "America would not allow any imperialism tendencies to cause her to stray from her present paths." Looks Like La Folleite. Branting, who is one of the most powerful moulders of public opinion on the continent, has a pugnacious, iron grey pompadour like United States Senator La Follette. But then; the resemblance ends, for the Socialist leader approves with his whole soul America's entry into the war, regarding America's action as a great moral factor, second in importance only to the Russian revolution. Said he: "America's entry contributed to open the eyes of the Swedish people to the real character of the war as a struggle between autocracy and democracy. The Russian revolution made more impression, of course, because it was closer, but America's entrv is working in the same direction."

Intimating that America's entry was tending to destroy certain delusions about Germany still held in Sweden, Branting added: "Many people here under German influences have sincerely thought that Germany woidd come out victorious. But now the number of those who still think Germany will win is diminishing every day as a residt of America's entry." Denies German Exports. Branting is in thorough harmony with the non-socialistic Swedes in hoping for the continuance of good relations between the United States and Sweden, undisturbed by any American embargo on food exports to Sweden. To my suggestion that the steps toward an American embargo, which are as a nightmare to Sweden, might be necessitated by Sweden's war commerce with Germany, Branting, who was anything but nro-German, said emphatically: "There is no exportation of any imnortance to Germany, and none at all of breadstuffs and cereals. There is a small exportation of meat to Germany, a reflex of lack of food for our cattle. This has resulted in considerable slaughtering. We Uv to keen as much meat as possible for Swedish consumption, but we are not able to store or conserve all, so that a little still goes to Germany. "In ordinary peace times exportation of meat to Germany was double what it is now, and for several months our meat exportation was only one-fourth of the normal. 'We would view it with great pleasure if we could divide our exportion between England and Germany. Our so-called ghoulish cities made fortunes in the first year of the war, but all that is over now. "We hope it will he possible to do something about our food shortage. Negotiations with England are now being carried on by our new govcrnmenf with the sincere intention of coming to a result and satisfying the wishes of the people. But it is easy to understand that the situation now is such that the possibility of obtaining good results for our people from negotiations with England are • r really diminished as against a year ago, and that the whole situation today is harder."