Show 1 SWEDEN SITUATION Ii i I L IS DISCLOSED BY VON WIEGAND By Karl H. H von Van Wiegand International News Service Staff Cor respondent NEW YORK Sept U if 1 If the American people expect that Sweden can be forced to break with Germany and enter the war with all its miseries either on the one side or on the other they do not know Sweden's situation and will be disappointed disappointed- This is the statement made to me In Stockholm by a high official the day I left for America It is quite impossible yes impossible yes quite impossible he said with emphasis You do not understand the difficulties of our position between two fires Disagreed as they may be on some points the Swedish people are in absolute absolute absolute ab ab- ab- ab solute accord and unity to preserve our neutrality to the end of the war and unalterably opposed to entering the war Even the opposition or so BO called party partY- which is is' is very strong in Sweden does not want to enter the war var and on that point is in accord with the government Only one thing can bring Sweden into this conflict and that is if one or the theother theother other side attacks or invades us That I and t that at alone With our difficulties and miseries S already great with t the I Virti t f ii ra pg before h n o OJ f war wal walSo So BO close U e OUT our va e eyes J h n o OJ f war wal walSo So BO close U OUT our va eyes J for three years we would be nothing nothing- short of madmen to plunge into this conflict which could only increase not diminish our miseries and sufferings and in which Sweden could only lose and gain nothing If I were permitted to quote the of official official official of- of by name the importance of the statement would be seen But he insisted in insisted insisted in- in that he was talking privately and not officially I touched upon I Sweden breaking relations with Ger Ger- I I I I j I I I I I I I many or closing her bord borders rs to the central gentral empires Impossible quite Impossible quite impossible We are too dependent upon Germany for certain things especially es especially especially es- es coal things coal things we must have to live The question much talked about in Europe whether an absolute agreement agreement agreement agree agree- ment exists between the three Scandinavian Scandinavian Scandinavian Scan Scan- countries to jointly maintain maintain maintain main main- tain neutrality and not to act singly the official declined to discuss That some such agreement whether only a agreement or something something something some some- thing more formal does exist I was assured in well Informed circles both bothIn bothin bothin in Copenhagen and in Stockholm Sweden with an effective army as large as that of both Norway and Denmark Denmark Denmark Den Den- mark undoubtedly better equipped and far better supplied with guns a ar af C ammunition than either can be said to practically dominate the Scandinavian situation Danish officials frankly told me that Denmark would last about two weeks if it entered the war against Germany even even In hi the present stage without oth other r assistance They professed to believe that Denmark's entrance in the war could only serve serveto serveto serveto to strengthen Germanys Germany's position strategically strategically strategically stra stra- and help her out greatly inthe in inthe inthe the matter of food Sweden can put an effective army of men in the field In organization tion drill discipline equipment and appearance they remind one strongly of the German army The Swedish troops make an excellent Impression In artillery and In aviation the Swedish Swedish Swe Swe- dish army is so far ahead of the Danes panes and the Norwegians that there is no comparison n. n It Is easy to see why Norway and Denmark can hardly make so vital a move as entering the war without knowing what Sweden would do I asked the high government official whom I have quoted to explain to me Sweden's position He lie turned to his desk and drew out a mass of official data and figures which is explained and cited in detail The following are some some of the official figures and data given me The chief scarcities in Sweden are coal wheat and fodder Sweden re requires requires requires re- re quires to tons of coal per month to keep her railways and anal industries running and anti for other domestic domestic domestic do do- purpose Before the war bj far the greater part of her coal came from England Since the war and es esPecially especially especially es- es after the beginning of submarine submarine submarine sub sub- marine war war she has had to rely on Germany In 1911 Hill Sweden imported importer from England England En- En gland tons of coal and coke as against only tons from Gel Ger- many In 1914 from from England tons as a. I against from Ge Germany many In 1915 Sweden's coal supply from flOm England had dropped by one half In that year she imported tons of all varieties of coal and coke colee from Irons England a a. as against tons from I Germany In 19 1916 6 from England 1707 tons as against from 1707 1 Germany German This year no coal vi v I ever was obtained from England in iu the months of February and March arch when the ruthless submarine campaign be began began began be- be gan a small amount in April and May and a little more In June The present present present pres pres- ent agreement between Sweden and Germany calls for a minimum of tons of coal per month The Germans Germans Germans Ger Ger- mans have hae fulfilled their agreement This together with what was Imported from England in May and June is about one half of the amount required Were Sweden not obtaining any coal from Germany German the street railways railway and private ate railways in the country would have to suspend within one month the state railway sst system m within three months which together with IndustrIes industries industries indus Indus- tries which would woul have to shut down downIn In consequence would throw morp more than thana a quarter of a million mep men out of em em- This is the statement made to me unon the basis of figures shown About men are are- employed d in the Swedish ore fields and 14 Ono In the paper pulp Industry English 10 foal 11 is commanding nl a price of or shillings per ton In Sto Stockholm kh as against Germ Germ Germ Ger- Ger m m m nn coat coal At t 60 0 o shillings s. s That Sweden n Is exporting large E of of Iron ore to Germany wa was admitted Tt was wa declared that ore 1 Ic a a. domestic product that n ho h has a I. I r h ht to b it arrI 1171 HII Pt t s she hl h Is it not only to but hut to Fn England l. l Tt It was 11 PriAr P- P olar riAr Pd d that w h PIPA P t a 11 ill b h a c chief pf course of 0 supply for the ffield fine I I t nt nl t Aeh Alen A to 1 non n nI n I had been exported to the United States this year I I Iron ore it was explained Is one of the compensations insisted upon by Germany No ore are from Sweden no coal no salt no medicines no dyes I no chemicals from Germany German is the latter's lat- lat ter's ultimatum It was also frankly stated that a aI I certain amount of copper and brass Is IsI I exported from Sweden to Germany but explained that this was for the I manufacture of copper and brass articles ar- ar ar articles not obtainable elsewhere I Sweden imports from Germany all the fine copper wire nets used in the making of wood pulp Sweden has never had the facilities for manufacturIng manufacturing manufacturing turing these copper nets which require a special process For this thU and andi i for machinery with brass bearings Sweden furnishes the German manufacturers manufacturers manufacturers manu manu- I with the amount of copper returned to Sweden as manufactured article together with a specified al allowance allowance allowance al- al lowance for wastage Touching upon Sweden's mercantile marine the following figures were given given- Sweden has a total tonnage of I dead weight or loading tons Of this amount tons are held in British ports and tons in other ports controlled by the allies ames I Sailing Salling in the service of the allies are tons of Swedish ships tons have been lost and sunk since the I beginning of the tiro war war and between and lives lost I That Swedish ships were reluctant to sail to England was explained on the ground that they had to run the risk of being torpedoed and if they did reach British ports they were Impressed impressed impressed im Im- pressed into service and compelled to tomake tomake tomake make a voyage to France or Italy before before before be be- fore ail allowed owed to return to Sweden with coal or other cargo It was waa stated that over worth of Swedish goods were tied up in British ports The Swedish trans-Atlantic trans passenger steamer Stockholm holm it was pointed out was held in Halifax from February until the middle of July Sweden is very hard up for cotton Whether the action was based upon evidence or orbe be belief that Sweden was letting imported imported imported im im- im- im ported cotton reach Germany the fact is that England h has s allowed little or orno orno no cotton to get into Sweden for more than a year It was stated to me by high off official clar personages that no cotton cotton cotton cot cot- ton had been exported to Germany fr fl fo two years an and no cereals for one year ear Sweden h bread sugar and coffee corree cards The bread allowance in Sweden Is one-fifth one less than the present bread rations In Germany There are bread and sugar cards in Denmark but no bread cards in Nor Nor- way Bread Is better and much more plentiful in those two co countries than in Sweden The cost of living is much higher in Sweden than in the two other Scandinavian countries Sweden as does Denmark gets its fodder for her cattle from America Itis It Itis Itis is chiefly In the form of oil cakes and cottonseed cakes cales As a result of the embargo Swedish farmers are compelled to dispose of much of ot their livestock Thousands of head are be being being be- be ing and will be thrown on the market Many farmers are petitioning the government government government gov gov- fr for r permission to export their cattle In consequence it is asserted Germany Germany Germany Ger Ger- many will obtain a considerable amount of this meat from Sweden With no meat canneries and very limited limited limited lim lim- refrigerating and cold storage fa facilities facilities facilities fa- fa Sweden it is alleged has no alternative between en letting the cattle for which there is no o fodder die or disposing of them at high prices to Germany It follows that meat Is very plentiful One finds finds' it It on the table three times a day Coffee is very scarce Many families have none I at all In Stockholm with its h hundreds of surrounding islands and beautiful Waterways waterways waterways wa wa- every person person has either a sailing yacht or a motorboat Gasoline has become so scarce that comparatively comparatively comparatively few motorboats could be operated operatE operated oper oper- atE d this summer Even Ira Nelson Morris the American minister has had much difficulty in getting ga gasoline for his big motor yacht America The price of gasoline is around 1 per gallon An automobile tire is worth its weight In gold A large sized tire costs as much as a jitney car As high a price as as has been beets paid in Stockholm for a single outer casing It has resulted In all but a few cars cara being preserved in garages for better better better bet bet- ter days The question of lubricating oils for the Swedish railways has reached a critical stage and is one which is causing causing- much |