The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1906-01-25
WAR WAS BARELY AvERTED.
Rare Diplomacy Saved Bitter Fight Of
Scandinayians. /

naFe NJ 6ttteF fi9nt OF
Scandinayians.
AS the son of one of the great men
Of Europe, Erlin Bjornson is eagerly
sought by interviewers since his ar
rival In New York. The Times gave
him almost half a column in whichsto
air his impressions and opinions. Hav-
ing been in close touch with the re-
cent developments on the Scandina,
Wan peninsula, his description of the
excitement attending division of the
empire is particularly interesting, and
more graphic than the dispatches.
When the revolt did come it came
in earnest" said Mr.. B%jornson. How
earnestly was shown by the fact'that
upward of 10000 Norwegian troops,
fully armed and provisioned for a pro-
tracted campaign, were massed on the
border. Sweden was not idle, either,
for she threw upward of 100000 men
into the breach, and never was war
so narrowly averted as when England,
Germany and the United States inter
vened automatically.
Il do not think it is generally known
that several thousand resident Nor
wegians in this country had made all
preparations to return to Norway and
strengthen tour hands in case of war.
In that respect the rupture was very
beneficial to the Norwegian peoplesa1
home and abroad. 1t brought chem
closer together by reminding the stay
aways that there was a mother couns
try to which they owed something.
Hundreds and hundreds Of letters
arrived from Norwegians over here
.pledging their support in case of war.
At the same time zone of the writer's
meant to forego his privileges as an
American citizen. Had even thousands
of Observation-Disclosures returned to
Norway, very few Of them but would
have returned to the States and have
fought just as ~valiantly for their
adopted country in case of need. So
Norway has a very warm place in her
heart for the great Western republic
|. why, in view of your national dem
ocratic convictions, did you choose to
remain. a kingdom?' was asked.
"Ah," replied MI. Bjornson, with a
decided Gaelic shrug, but Norway is
4 kingdom in name only, only for dip
lcmatic purposes, you understand. We
had a popular ballot on the subject, as
was advertised to the world, and 80
per cent of the people voted in favor
of a., kingdom, with the understanding
that Prince Charles of Denmark was
to be king.
''And why did we choose a king
rather than a president? AS a matter
of simple diplomatic convenience.
France is the only republic Of major
consequence in Europe, and we would
have unnecessarily antagonized our
neighbors by establishing an out and
out republic"
"Now that you have been here long
enough to look about, do you note any
distinguishing differences between
American and European womeh?" was
ventured.
There is so much difference be-
tween Them" he slowly replied, that
an Ibsen would probably be impossi-
BILE in America. You Americans are
too young, too virile, too optimistic, to
give birth to such dramas as Ibsen has
written.
zone point Of difference between
American and Norwegian women is"
he added, "the inherent lighthearted-
ness of the former and the serious
ness of the latter. America does not
take it's women seriously, or rather,
does not treat them seriously. Amer
lean women seem to be playmates
rather than mates.
81 fancy they are more superficial,
fonder Of shows, fonder of open aq-
miration. For example, your women
are great novel readers. They sub
scribe to and support thest forms of
artistic expression that appeal to
their romantic natures-heart art
'ather than head art.
But my, my! Such abundant ener-
gy and freedom! 1t is amazing to one
who visits the United States for the
first time. ! have been in many coun-
tries, but none of them have such
women as n sees in this city and