rk
at Malmoe on Dec. 19 last. This meeting was especially designed to
provide an opportunity for taking counsel together regarding means which
may be resorted to for the purpose of limiting and counteracting the
economical difficulties imposed on the three countries through the war.
The meeting at Malmoe served not only to give most powerful expression to
the common determination of the northern kingdoms to remain neutral, but
it became the means also of agreeing upon and adopting a modus vivendi
for continued co-operation between the three countries during the war
for the protection of interests they have in common.

In this manner Sweden has led in a movement to establish for the
northern countries a potential policy of neutrality with the practical
aim of limiting and reducing to a minimum the economical difficulties
consequent upon the existing state of war.

From what already has been said it appears clearly, too, how completely
without justification have been the accusations which have been voiced
from time to time in the press of countries that enter into either of
the belligerent groups--that Sweden, now in one respect and now in
another, had shown partiality to the adversary. Thus, suspicion has been
cast, with no justification whatever, on the circumstance that during
the last month Sweden has imported large quantities of necessaries
which would have been both valuable and helpful to the belligerents. And
yet, this increase in the Swedish imports is very readily explained on
the ground that it was necessary, partly, in order to make up for an
existing shortage in supplies due to stopped traffic during the first
months of the war, and, partly, to insure ability to fill Swedish
demands for some time to come. A country which desires to remain neutral
is not in a position to submit to dictation from any of the belligerent
nations, but this very thing is frequently interpreted by one party to a
struggle as involving an understanding with the other.

But Sweden's peaceful resolve and her fixed determination to maintain
her life as a nation against all attempts at encroachment would count
for little if behind her word there did not exist the strength to make
it good and material resources to fall back on when the demand comes.
That these exist in Sweden will be shown in the following with some data
of Sweden's economics.

With a population of 5,700,000, distributed over an area of 448,000
square kilometers, (170,