SWEDEN'S NEUTRALITY
Sin,—Your review of Mr. Kenney's book—The Northern Tangle— implies that Sweden, despite her acceptance of membership of the United Nations, has got to make up her mind about the principle of neutrality in face of aggression. "The decision of the Swedes" (the reviewer writes) "to join the United Nations has, of course, somehow changed their policy of strict neutrality ; within the United Nations the question of regional adjustments and agreements will arise and may make some sort of choice inevitable." Surely, there is a misapprehension here as to what membership involves. The Charter's obligation of non-neutrality in case of sanctions being called for by the Council is explicit. Art. 2, para. 5 says: "All members shall give the United Nations every assistance in any action it takes in accordance with the present Charter, and shall refrain from giving assistance to any State against which the United Nations is taking preventive or enforcement action." Sweden has always been keenly aware of the risks of "collective security "—that was evident at the First Assembly of the League of Nations—and it is not surprising in view of her geographical position and her peculiar depen- dence on her iron-ore industry. But there appears to be no justification for assuming that Sweden has entered the United Nations with eyes shut to one of the cardinal obligations of membership. This is not a matter in which "some sort of choice" may presently becomo " inevitable " ; the choice has been made.—Yours truly, Eagles' Nest, Zennor, St. Ives, Cornwall. W. ARNOLD-FORSTER.
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