SWEDEN'S POLITICAL CRISIS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2129, 22 April 1914, Page 7

SWEDEN'S POLITICAL CRISIS

ELECTIONS AND NATIONAL ' DEFENCE, By TsUrra-iih—Prcs-3 Apsociation-Copynßilt ©tic. April 21, 10.35 p,®.) , Stockholm, April 21. Jha Swedish elections i»W resulted in the National Defence Part.v securing. 84 mombers,-.the largest party lit tlic House. Tho SociaMstß secured 70 seats., and the Liberals 70.

Tho armaments question is tho occa r [.ion, if not the caiife, of the mo.st serious political conflict which Sweden has icnoTyit for 4.0 yea-rs, vlic'i tho late Baron dp (Jeer -cSifigeiled the Kijig to. replace the mediaeval Parliament o£ four estates with a modern Parliament.of two ChtSi befs resting Dn cd.nitu-M eiikenshij). lit the autumn of 1911 a great wave of tibcralisra swept over Svodcji, 1,6* ntid Socialists- "being returned against CI Conservatives, Mr. Staaf. s man of marked ability and high fliaracten became Prime Minister, and he at once appointed at Commission, consist nig of members of ail parties (to inquire into tho subject of national defence). Tli-.ttt Commission lias not yes reported., but two proposals have enlarged. relates to the need of ii la-i'go expenditure to mate, the existing defences elfieient. With this iieeil Mr. Staaf proposed to deal at once W raising i!3,!)n6 f 000 ii.v »S«ras of Graduated tax ou tb» larger piDperlia?- The other proposal i-i that the pcriffil.Of semca should be increased from fVSiHt to ten cip oven twelve months in order to permit of winter training. This proposal, however, Mr. Staaf trill #<*t put into client until fie country lias given a- decision an the subject at the election. It is on this question that the <risis has occurred, the Conse'rvatlves, angry at the threatened graduated tax an big .tax niade necessary by te condition . into which their- administration had allowed the defences to fall—re dflwaitdinK that the period of service .shall be estewlM at once, and the Kins hp asperated lninself with tbeif demand. He audresiJrt a si-eat demonstration of peaantSi organised )>v the Conservatives, aud declared that "ho did not shire tho view that tho Question of military service should not be settled now," This chaHengo was promptly taken up by the Government and. the tfeopte. A, sr-eat deiiionsWation, asiende4 'by nearly 50,000 lieople, vvas held in Stockholm iii support of tho Qovernttent, afld as the result of an ex-h-osirly unsatisfactory reply from the Kinc to an expostulation on tno subject of tlio sipc<?cli to tbc Mr. btaat tendered the resignation 'Uf In® Ministry.