The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-22
Dean Of the Corps Of Riksdag
Journalists Talks on the xs
Scandinavian Crisis. B,
Dr., Nansen, Statesman, Gives
Stead Norway's Early View !
Of Crisis.

James was he party to the agree.
ment9o
seThat is the man - said DR.. Nan
sen..;" He was one Of those who drew
up the agreement. But was about to
tell the main lines Of the settlement
The first was to affirm the principle !
for which he had always contended:
Separate consular service shall be es-
tablished both for Norway and Swe-s
den. Each kingdom s consuls shall be
placed under whichever department the
country concerned shall decide The
second principle was that the relation
between the respective consuls and the
foreign minister and embassies should
be arranged by identical laws which
could only be altered or suspended by
the consent Of both governments.
Where the Hitch Came.
,.Now, where did the hitch come ina','.
nIn the refusal of the Swedish gov.
eminent to carry out the agreement;
perhaps I should say of the Swedish
Premier. Bostrom, for the foreign mini
lister was compelled to resign by the
manner in which the prime minister
treated him. It was agreed by the two
governments at. the beginning of 1904
that the foreign powers should be no.
titled Of the intended appointment of
been done. y
But whYs,Wass il not 6danes',
because we NorWegiansa could only
communicates with foreign powers thru
the Swedish, foreign minister, and as
that minister was dependent on the
Swedish prime minister the joint
agreement of both governments was by
him rendered Of none effect. -
"But surely that is very bad poll
cy,' I replied, 'because it illustrates
and aggravates the injustice and in
convenience Of the existing arrange
ment as to the foreign office in the
very Worst possible way fol. the advo-
cate Of the statu quoa' 81
"You would think SO; but they do
not mind that. Not only did the for
eign minister, who is supposed to repre-
the Joint instruction of both govern
ments, but the Swedish government
! took mo steps to work out plans for
| establishing it's own consular service.
We, on our. part, have all .our plans
ready. :" -
| Forcing to a Head.
t. n . gssd,5 did you do to force things
"We only asked the Swedish govern
ment to cardy out the agreement. To this
| the reply of NJ Bostrom was to spring
upon us series of unheard-of, un-
dreamed-Of conditions, unconstitutional
and impossible, which, if assented to by
us, would not merely destroy the whole
| benefit of the new arrangement, but
would DESTROY, our national independ-
ence.'
'sWhat are these conditions9'
,tThey are practically summed up IN
this, that our consuls-Norwegian con-
suls-appointed by the Norwegian gov
eminent, are to be controlled by the
Swedish foreign minister, Swedish
official responsible only to Sweden. As
our constitution forbids the removal of
/ a Norwegian civil servant by any au-
thority but the crown, it is obvious
that this condition is not only unconsti-
tutional, but is direct inroad upon
/ Norwegian independence. To this we
can never, and will never, consent.
Hence the deadlock which has set some
i people talking Of national demand for
/ the repeal Of the union
"Tut, tut, - I said, "that is non.
sense That is unthinkable. The Swed-
ish farmer will not insist upon controll-
ing the foreign agents of his Norwegian
partner. If he persists he will simply
precipitate a demand that the Scandina-
Wan foreign eHice shall no longer be the
perquisite of the Swedish ministry. And
that, surely, is the last thing that the
Swedish government wishes to do9
hope you are right. / sincerely
wish you may, be right. At any rate we
shall appoint our own consuls. -
How can you do that, excepting thru
the foreign minister2'
! You will see," said DR.. Nansen.