Sweden Applies the Brake
It is becoming plainer every day that the drift of the Scandinavian countries towards joint defence and closer association with the West is mainly being held up by the policy of the Swedish Govern- ment, and of the Foreign Minister, Hz. Unden, in particular. Norwegian pressure for the co-ordination of Scandinavian defence is constant and even anxious. In Denmark, too, there has been plenty of discussion of defence problems, but, in the absence of any consistent lead from Sweden, the only practical issue has been a measure for the formation of a home guard. But in Sweden vacillation is giving way to a growing determination by the Govern- ment to stick to the traditional policy of neutrality. If the only reason for this new move had been a wish to check the exaggerated current opinion that the Scandinavian countries are about to be invaded there might be something to be said for it. But it goes to the opposite extreme. Hr. Unden actually argued in an article in the Swedish Social Democratic Party's official organ last week that because there had been no unprovoked and isolated attack on Sweden in the past century, the possibility could be ruled out altOgether. He also suggested that the acceptance of. a military guarantee from one set of Powers would be considered a hostile act by another set ,of Powers. So it would. But does Hr. Unden
really think that unwillingness to consider such a guarantee would in itself be a sufficient defence against Russian determination to spread the gospel of Communism everywhere ? Certainly the recent experience of Finland could not be regarded as a justification for a purely negative neutrality. The Finns escaped partly because they do not even seek military neutrality (if Russia is attacked the Finns will aid her defence) and partly because the Russians know they can exert new pressure at any time they please. Swedish inertia will certainly not alter Russian policy. What Hr. Unden has to decide is whether he can afford to Ignore that policy.
Previous page
