THE COLONIST. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1915. SWEDEN AND THE BALTIC BLOCKADE.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13963, 17 December 1915, Page 4

THE COLONIST. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1915. SWEDEN AND THE BALTIC BLOCKADE.

The British submarine operations m the Baltic serve purposes of the highest j political importance apart from the most apparent object of drawing closer the effective blockade and further isolating Germany commercially from the outside world. Of the few neutral countries which have manifested any considerable degree of sympathy for Germany, Sweden alone is in a position to be of great benefit or detriment to the purposes of the Allies, according to the attitude which she might adopt. By the energetic raids on -/German shipping which she has undertaken in the Baltic,' Great Britain may be able to fulfil a twofold object. She may succeed in keeping the main part of the German fleet in the Kiel Canal and out of the Baltic, and she may make a deep impression on the mind of the people of Sweden by showing her ability to prevent the Germans from carrying out their aspiration of making the Baltic a German lake. Sweden by natural position dominates practically one-half of; the Baltic Sea, and, with a world peace finally established and the 'nations showing a just and friendly attitude toward one another, Sweden^s important interest in that sea ■ could not be denied. It is to Russia's interest, now to show that this view is entertained also by her and that any policy of aggression against Sweden or any design for an unfair dominion of ' the great inland sea is far from her -purpose. Great Britain is daily increasing the. strength of her position as guarantor to Sweden that her rights in the Baltic will be respected. A writer 3n'Hi& "New, York Herald," discussing the great effort which Germany has been making to win" over Sweden to a policy of aggression against Russia, by playing upon the Swedes' apprehensions concerning the Finnish question1, says the agitation has been accentuated by the publishing and circulation throughout Sweden of a pro-German volume entitled "The Foreign Policy of Sweden,'/, a book of immediate German origin, which has 'aroused such keen discussion throughout the kingdom that it may lead, at an early date, to an energetic expression qf attitude on the part of the people of Sweden. The socalled interventionists of, Sweden,' who are pro-German and favour participation in the war, are spurred on by this and other German literakiro to seek a restoration of old-time holdings of the kingdom. The energetic efforts of the Germans to get possession of Riga show on the other liand that iiarfc of "their policy is to establish themselves solidly in the Baltic provinces. A division of opinion is developing in Sweden regarding the desirability of favouring tliis outcome. When Marshal yon Hindenburg entered Libau ho solemnly announced that the permanent possession of that port was "indispensable for the security of German navigation in the Baltic." Since then the pan-German newspapers hav<3 repeated insistently the statement vith regard to the necessity for the permanent occupation of Riga by the Germans. This attitude by the Germans is bringing up again the whole question of the control of the Baltic, which caused so many wars in the seventeenth t.nd eighteenth centuries and which seemed to be definitely settled by the Confess of Vienna in I 815.: On this question has pivoted to a great extent the modern history of Russia and of the Scandinavian countries. German diplomatists and propagandists are trying to build in Sweden a body of public opinion that may lead the nation into war against the Allies. The interventionist party in Sweden freely admits the feet. Mr. Pietro Silva, in the "Corriere," of Milan, quotes a statement made by Professor Kjellen, member of the proGerman interventionist party; of whidi the explorer, Sven Hedin, is the head: 'jOne thing" said Mr. Kjellen, 'i* certain. If an insurrection breaks outj in Finland, Sweden's hour has struck It is not we who are seeking the occasion, it is the occasion which is seeking us; destiny is knocking at our coor. Public opinion in Sweden, which today rightly hesitates to rush out of the role of a Great Power, will find'itself confronted with other persuading elements. Whatever may be said, the definite independence of Finland is..on. absolute condition for the future security of Sweden."^ These words gain added weight from reports of German efforts to stir up Finland to insurrection. There is no question, however, that on the other hand, among a greatsection of the' Swedish people the conviction prevails that, while the success of the Allies would not invalidate Sweden's position in the Baltic, Germany's success woxild mean that the Baltic, would surely become a German lake, a condition which would be fatal to the great commercial future which Sweden believes is in store for her. It is the immediate policy of the Allies to remove to as great an extent as possible all basis for the fears which have been feltin Sweden with regard to Russia's purposes of aggrandisement. The proVem of the A aland Islands, which..lie very close to Sweden, and which have beer;

fortified by Russia, Avill probably be settled in a way to give satisfaction to Sweden, and the fears which Germans have recently hjgn- arousing with regard to alleged "Russian, .intentions of seizing: Swedish ports' to serve her commercial purposes will bo ended.