| Show NORWAY AND SWEDEN well wishers of norway and sweden at present hope that those who direct public opinion la both countries will realize that their business Is altti the future rather than with thelast the past it is always an easy but never a profitable task to fan tho flame of past animosities there have been in re benr years beany misunderstandings and much friction and in both countries there is a practical agreement that the union as it was constituted borne ninety years ago had ceased to be a source of strength and cannot now be restored that sweden should fee some soreness at the manner in which the bonds were in tact broken is easily intelligible and no doubt como timo elapse before these natural feelings can b wiped out of the memory of the swedish people but patriotic swedes who realize the dangers to which a scandinavian peninsula irreconcilably divided against itself be exposed from the ambitions of ha more powerful neighbors cannot fall to understand that the service they can render their country Is to exacerbate popular gentl against the norwegians Norwegia ns while the norwegians Norwegia ns on their sideby tho promptness with which they have accepted the proposed plebiscite have given the strongest proof in their power that they desire to meet the legitimate demands of the swedish government and people As to the conditions formulated in tho report of the special committee adopted by the dag aa the basis for negotiations for legalizing legalising lega lising the dissolution of the union when the preliminary condition hag been satisfied none of them should present any insuperable difficulties it the negotiations are conducted on both sides in a spirit of wisdom and moderation the only condition on which there would seem to be any room for much difference of opinion would appear to ba the establishment of an unfortified zone on both sides of the common frontier this would involve the dismantling of the forts on the norwegian side of the frontier the modern forts are reported to be of no great military value and are also said to bo purely defensive none the leas their dismantlement will probably be distasteful to the norwegians Norwegia ns but as a means towards an end this would appear to be not too great a sacrifice for them to make such fortresses as possess historical associations will doubtless be allowed to remain as interesting relics of the past providing an un 1 der taking is given not to give them a new character those however are perhaps matters for atura consideration in the meantime it is gratifying to note the disposition shown by both peoples to put an end aa speedily as possible to a situation fraught with grave peril for their national interests far from rejoicing in the attention they are receiving at the hands of their powerful neighbors both sweden and norway will we imagine find in this circumstance a fresh incentive to as speedy an adjustment 0 their differ ance as can conveniently be arranged |
