Sweden Protests
Clearly the Swedish Government has an overwhelming majority of Swedish opinion behind it in making a vigorous protest against the German violation of Sweden's sovereignty in her territorial waters. It has protested both against the action of the German merchantman Altkirch ' in firing on the Swedish submarine Draken' in territorial waters and also in laying mines within them, and has warned Germany that action will be taken against any ship belonging to a belligerent Power which commits any such warlike acts in the future. The firmer line which Sweden is taking is an indication both of the disbelief in a German victory and of a growing disgust at Nazi behaviour. Anti-German feeling was exemplified last w:ek by violent demonstrations against an attempt
to hold a Swedish Nazi meeting at Uppsala. It is doubtful if the Government would have ventured to be so outspoken a year or two I ago as it is today. It was always a question whether Germany would decide to march through Sweden in support of her position in Norway, and to avoid this the Swedish Government made many concessions about the transit of German leave-troops through Swedish territory. These concessions have been grossly and indeed openly abused, and there is growing indignation in Sweden that her neutrality should thus be flouted, and insistent demands that the Government should take a strong line. It is probable that it could now do so with impunity, since it is unbelievable that Germany, with so much more on her hands already than she can cope with, would dare to make a new enemy by quarrelling with Sweden.
Previous page
