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Show King Urges Vigorous Preparation Prepara-tion for National Defense Belligerents Disregard Neutral Rights. BRITISH ARE CRITICIZED Actions of Authorities of Great Britain Worse Than Open Rupture. London, Jan. 19, 10:56 a. m. The Pohtiken of Copenhagen as quoted by tho Exchange Telegraph company there, says that anxiety has been aroused in Stockholm by tho speech at tho opening of the Swedish parliament parlia-ment by King Gustav who urged vigorous vig-orous preparation for national defense de-fense In view of tho disregard on the part of belligerents toward neutral rights. The situation is a source of concern in Stockholm, tho correspondent correspon-dent says, on account of the seizure by the British last week of a large quantity of provisions from the Swedish-American steamship Stockholm, from New York for Stockholm. British Sharply Criticized. The action of the British authorities authori-ties Is criticized sharply by the Swedish Swe-dish press, which oxprossed the opinion opin-ion that the value of the goods seized cannot bo regarded as anything like an adequate offset to the effect of the incident on relations between Sweden and Great Britain. Some of the Swedish newspapers state that puch actions are worse than open ruuture. Iljalmar Branting, Socialist leader in tho second Swedish chamber who recently visited tho allied front in Flanders, is quoted by tho Soeial-Domokraten Soeial-Domokraten as saying that he prefers pre-fers decisive action a day too early, ralher than a day too late, In order to save Sweden from complications. "11 is noted that King Gustav in his speoch from the Lhrone did not make the usunl reference to tho good relations of Sweden with foreign powers," tho correspondent adds. "Several interpolations on foreign affairs af-fairs are expected during the session." |