File No. 763.72112/2277½
The Swedish Minister in Great Britain (Wrangel) to Colonel House
His Swedish Majesty’s Government, ever since the beginning of the grand crisis, have been endeavoring to arrive at an effective collaboration with other neutral powers in view of common material and idealistic interests. The Government, who are sincerely pacific, have been compelled to recognize that the difficulties must increase with the extension of the fight, and that the possibilities for neutral interests to assert themselves evidently decrease in the same proportion as the circle of neutrals becomes narrowed down through the entry in the struggle of new powers.
The Government are convinced that it would prove a great and irreparable damage if the voice of neutrals could not make itself heard with sufficient weight. With regard to this, the Government do not only think of the difficulties and losses inflicted upon one or the other of neutral countries through undue interference from the belligerents, inconveniences which might have been avoided through a unanimous action of the interested neutral states.
The Swedish Government consider it as the precious duty and the inalienable right of all sincerely neutral countries to intervene with impartiality and firmness against every attempt, whenceever they come, to render non-valid and void international rules, which are the fruit of centuries of experience and work. By preserving the inheritance of the law of nations a service is indeed also rendered to the belligerents themselves, who under altered circumstances may one day have bitterly to regret—also from practical point of view—the actions in which they now allow themselves to indulge in order to gain a casual and often doubtful advantage.
His Majesty’s Government have often, during the war, put forward these points of view. Especially may be remembered the note of November 12, 1914,1 addressed to both the belligerent groups, which in identical wording was also sent by the Danish and Norwegian Governments and about which, as a matter of fact, the Dutch Government also agreed.
The above-mentioned is an instance amongst others of the Swedish Government’s efforts to attain collaboration with other neutral countries. Such a collaboration would be especially precious and effective if it could be established with the United States. That country is without comparison the most powerful and influential amongst the neutrals. Its influence is due not only to its riches, great population and power, but also to moral factors of greatest importance. To this it may be added that also with regard to material relations there exists between Sweden and the United States a communion of interest, which has been steadily increased by the new conditions created by the war. These new conditions have caused the commercial relations between the two countries to take a greater importance than before, and this, on the other hand, has decided the Swedes to [Page 690] establish a new and important direct shipping line between Sweden and the States.
His Swedish Majesty’s Government have therefore hailed with sincere satisfaction each evidence that the United States Government share their opinion with regard to the great questions now involved, and that they are willing to work in the same direction. The Swedish Government had particularly to express their gratification of the clear, decided, and comprehensive utterances which found their expression in the note of November 5, 1915,1 to the British Government and which will constitute not only a lasting memorial of a grand nation’s unbiased conception of the right, but also an unmistakable promise that the right will be enforced. On the other hand His Majesty’s Government must deeply regret that unforeseen circumstances seem to have, so far, put some obstacle in the way of the complete realization of the program enunciated in the note and which is of the greatest interest also to Sweden. It is the Swedish Government’s sincere hope that it will soon be found possible completely to overcome these obstacles.
Apart from the commercial relations, there exists a special sphere within which Sweden and the United States of America have a strong common interest of unimpeded communications between the two countries. On account of the fact that a great number of the sons of Sweden have sought and found a new home under the Star-Spangled Banner, innumerable personal bonds of family relations and faithful friendship extend over the Atlantic Ocean. Also for this reason a check in the postal traffic is bound to create disappointment in both countries. The Swedish Government state with no little satisfaction that the United States of America with righteous appreciation hereof have taken measures to prevent interference with the postal traffic in spite of the law of nations. The Swedish Government expect a speedy and complete correction as a result of the American intervention, which is in accordance with measures taken by themselves for the same purpose.
The Swedish Government who wish to maintain a loyal and impartial neutrality and, at the same time, desire to defend their own and other neutral countries’ rights and interests, will view with special satisfaction any action from the United States of America susceptible to favor this object, either in collaboration or in parallel efforts. The Swedish Government express the hope that the United States will make all the powerful contribution they are capable of to further the maintenance and the restoration of the law of nations.
As far as His Swedish Majesty’s Government know, none of the belligerents are yet desirous to listen to proposals of peace or mediation. But nevertheless a day will come when there must be peace. It is not unlikely that the neutrals who through their loyal and impartial action during the war have deserved—if not immediately obtained—the respect and the confidence of the belligerents, will have to play a momentous part in connection with the conclusion of peace.
- Foreign Relations, 1914, Supplement, p. 360.↩
- The note, based on instruction of October 21, 1915 ( Foreign Relations. 1915, Supplement, p. 578), was delivered by the Ambassador in Great Britain on November 5.↩