File No. 763.72/2535
The Minister in Norway (Schmedeman) to the Secretary of State
No. 190
Christiania,
March 14, 1916
.
[Received March 28.]
Sir: I have the honor to inform the Department
that an official meeting of the Prime and Foreign Ministers of the three
Scandinavian countries was held at Copenhagen from March 9 to 11
instant, for the object of further discussing the questions which arose
at the conference of the three Scandinavian Kings in December 1914 at
Malmö, Sweden. Norway was represented by Prime Minister Gunnar Knudsen
and Minister for Foreign Affairs Nils Ihlen.
The meeting took place at the suggestion of the King of Sweden and was
held at Copenhagen at the request of the Danish Government.
I have seen the Minister for Foreign Affairs since his return to Norway,
who informed me that, although many questions of vital importance to the
welfare of the three Scandinavian nations were discussed, they were, for
the most part, of interest to these countries only, and touched mainly
upon economic and interior conditions as affected by the war. The chief
question of international interest, as reported in the official communiqué of the meeting, is the understanding
which has been confirmed between the three countries to maintain a
strict and impartial neutrality and to cooperate to this end. This communiqué was published in the press on March
12, 1916, and I enclose herewith a copy of it taken from the Tidens Tegn, together with a translation. The
question of trade between Norway and the United States and of the
difficulties of transportation., owing to the control exercised by the
belligerent countries, was likewise discussed, but, as far as I could
ascertain from Mr. Ihlen, no tangible solution of
the problem was arrived at.
He further stated that an endeavor on the part of the Ford Peace Party
and of the Women’s International Peace Commission, during the sojourn of
the ministers at Copenhagen, to obtain the recognition and cooperation
of the three Scandinavian countries met with no success.
He also informed me that similar meetings would be held from time to
time, in order to insure the solidarity of the three northern countries,
and that the next one would take place at Christiania.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure—Translation]
Official communiqué regarding the conference of
Scandinavian Ministers at Copenhagen, March 9–11, 1916
The negotiations started on Thursday, March 9 and closed on Saturday,
the 11th of the same month. They were opened with a discussion of
the questions which had been before the northern Governments during
the course of the war and especially since the meeting of the Kings
at Malmö in December 1914. In this connection, several matters of
great importance which had come forward during the time which had
elapsed were touched upon. Unanimity was arrived at concerning many
special questions of practical importance, partly for the
continuation of joint measures which had already been agreed upon,
partly for the establishment of new measures in the interest of the
three countries.
The negotiations which had the result of further strengthening the
good relations between the three kingdoms gave a new expression to
the wish for
[Page 692]
the
maintenance of a strict and impartial neutrality. From all sides,
the wish was expressed that the cooperation which had existed up to
the present time might continue in the future and that, in
furtherance of this, meetings of the members of the Governments or
other representatives might take place whenever the conditions would
seem to require it.
[For the Brazilian Government’s suggestion of a conference of leading
American states in Washington to agree upon a common policy in
relation to submarine warfare and other belligerent actions
affecting neutral rights, see the telegram from the Ambassador in
Brazil, March 31, 1916 (received April 1, 8 a. m.), and the telegram
to the Ambassador, April 6, 5 p. m., stating that the suggestion is
receiving sympathetic consideration, ante,
pages 217, 223.
For the Spanish Government’s suggestion of a joint protest by all
neutral powers against the torpedoing of merchant vessels, see the
telegram from the Ambassador in Spain, April 12, 1916 (received
April 13, 8.10 a. m.), and the telegram to the Ambassador, April 17,
4 p. m., stating that the suggestion is receiving sympathetic
consideration, but the existing crisis allows no time for its
discussion, ante, pages
229, 230.
For an expression of Sweden’s readiness to cooperate in steps looking
toward relief from the conditions created by the British black list,
see the Swedish Minister’s letter of July 28, 1916, received August
1, ante, page
425.]
