The World War

Branting now formed his first purely Social Democratic minis try with Palmstierna as minister of foreign affairs. This min istry set on foot investigations into projects of socialisation, industrial democracy and control over trusts and cartels. At the second chamber elections the Conservatives and the Bonde forbund gained several seats; Branting therefore dissolved his ministry on Oct. 22, 1920. Baron Louis de Geer formed a moder ate Conservative ministry, at the head of which Oscar von Sydow replaced him in Feb. 1921. The Government granted large sums for relief work and the support of the unemployed. To carry out the new constitutional reforms fresh elections for both Chambers took place in the autumn.

The result favoured the Socialists, especially in the first cham ber and in October Branting formed his second purely Social Democratic ministry, in which he himself was both premier and minister of foreign affairs. The economic crisis and the problem of unemployment were the vital questions at the moment, and at the instance of the Government the 1922 Riksdag granted what were, according to Swedish ideas, enormous sums of money for the relief of the unemployed. The Government finally fell over this question of unemployment. Swedish policy was to provide relief work whenever possible, otherwise to give monetary as sistance. Wages for relief work were to be less than ordinary wages and assistance still less. Help was not to be given to workers involved in any conflict (strike or lock-out). The Gov ernment and the Riksdag interpreted this last clause differently, and Branting resigned in April 1923. During 1922 a referendum on the total prohibition of all alcoholic drinks was defeated.

Controversy on Defence.

Lord Justice Ernest Trygger, the old Conservative leader, now formed a new ministry, whose special task was the solution of the national defence question. The army regulations had not been entirely carried out when the war ended, and the Socialists, especially, felt strongly that the crea tion of the League of Nations and the fall of the tsardom justified a reduction of armaments. During the 1924 Riksdag the Govern ment had brought in a bill for this purpose, but it was not suffi ciently drastic for the Social Democrats and the folkfrisinnade (the Radical half of the Liberal Party; the rest still called them selves Liberals). The Riksdag threw out the bill, but the Govern ment remained in office until after the second chamber elections in September. As the result did not strengthen the Government, it went out, and Branting formed his third ministry on Oct. 18, 1924, with Prof. Osten Unden as minister of foreign affairs. The

Government and the Social Democratic Party suffered a severe loss in the death of Branting (q.v.) on Feb. 24, 1925. Rickard Sandler, minister of commerce, succeeded him as prime minister. A Government measure, introducing shorter military service and a reduction of the army, was passed by the 1925 Riksdag.

At the close of the session of the 1926 Riksdag the ministry fell over the unemployment question after a sharp conflict re garding the Riksdag's instructions to the Unemployment Com mission and the latter's manner of carrying them out. C. G. Ekman, member of the Board of Directors in the State Bank, had led the Opposition in the Riksdag and he now was invited by the king to form a ministry, which remained in office till Oct. 1928. It was made up of fo/kfrisinnade, to which Party the premier belongs, and Liberals, with Eliel Lofgren, the foreign minister, as their foremost man. Both parties together consti tute but a small proportion of the number of members of the Riksdag but their position in the Centre has made it possible for them to assume the responsibilities of the Government. During the Riksdag of 1927 there were undertaken a number of additions to the fleet and a thoroughgoing Radical reform of the Higher School system. In the Riksdag of 1928 a measure of reform in respect of communal taxes was carried through. In October a con servative government was formed by Admiral Lindman, and this was followed by a liberal government under Ekman in 193o. In 1931 Sweden abandoned the gold standard. The suicide of the financier Ivar Kreuger in 1932 brought to light questionable trans actions involving public men, including Ekman, who resigned in August. An interim government under F. T. Hamrin was suc ceeded in September by that of Social-Democrat Albin Hansson.

Foreign Affairs.—When the question of the entry of Sweden into the League of Nations was broached there was considerable opposition, one reason being the non-entry of the United States. The decision to join was, however, carried by a large majority and in March 192o her entry into the League was officially an nounced. Among the Swedish representatives at the League As semblies were Branting, Trygger and Unden. In Sept. 1922 Sweden was given a seat on the council and held it to 1926. The Aland (q.v.) question was decided by the League in favour of Finland (June 1921). In March 1934 Sweden granted Russia, for the purchase of Swedish goods, a credit of 1 oo,000,000 Kr., guar anteed by Soviet government bonds at 51% maturing 1939-41.