Stockholm, Oct. 13.
Sweden must hold herself ready to defend her peace and liberty, declared the Minister of Defence, M. Peter A. Skoeld, in a speech last night at Gothenburg. She was well prepared, he added, with a good army that could be mobilized at short notice, and a navy which in relation io other Baltic states, was stronger than in 1914, with a large number of modern destroyers and submarines.
The Finnish organ here the "Arbetar Bladet," suggests that the five northern countries should enter into an association like the British Commonwealth. Joint Finnish and Swedish discussions regarding the fortification' of the Aaland islands, it states, constituted a step towards military collaboration Why hold back, the newspaper asks, when the whole of Finland, including the Aaland islands, is threatened?—Reuter, King of Sweden Urged To Be Mediator Stockholm, Oct. 12.
The newspaper "Svenska Aftonblader" yesterday proposed that King Gustav V. of Sweden act as mediator in the European war.—United Press.
Shortly before the negotiations opened, Mr. Laurence Stemhardt, United States Ambassador here, called at the Kremlin and saw M. Molotov. It is believed that they discussed the Soviet-Finnish situation.—Reuter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.