Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-09-09
SCANDINAVIAN NEWS
PrknolpaI Events 0afaberod = III
OH 8oanaknavkan Countries

VVvvvvVv~vvvv
1t is several weeks since q cable
gram was sent turnout the world,
stating that the organization Of q
Observation-Disclosures steamship line
was progressing successfully. A more
careful study Of the situation reveals
the fact that this movement is meet
ing with such z general and deter.
mined opposition In Sweden and Nor
way that the promoters may have to
abandon the plan. The movement was
started by Copenhagen capitalists who
are interested in the United Steamship
Company. The Swedes and Norwe-
gians feel that il the proposed Scan
dinavian line were established it
would be controlled by the Danes, and
Sweden and Norway would become
mere feeders to Danish concern.
The movement has not only met with
opposition, it has aroused the Swed-
ish and Norwegion shipowners to the
realization of the fact that the United
Steamship Company is already doing
so much business in the northern pen
insular that it would be worth while
for them to make an extra effort to
regain some of that trade. Therefore
instead of supporting the Danish pro-
moters, hundreds of energetic Swed-
ish and Norwegian shippers are COM
pairing notes and devising plans for a
separate Swedish-American line and a
separate Norwegian-American line. A
realization of this plan would result
in three Independent steamship lines
between Scandinavia and America.
To avoid a destructive competition
between the three it is proposed to
cooperate to a certain extent. The
main feature of the cooperation would
be to have the steamers of the diff
ferent lines run alternately so as to
divide the mail and express traffic.
One of the strongest arguments
against a united line is, that old
steamers would be bought in Germany
and England, painted and given Swed
ish and Norwegian names, and finally
used as means of Gripping the ex-
and preventing those countries from
establishing lines to America. The
NOrwegians feel that they are able to
support line of their own, and as to
competition they point to an expert
ence which they had few years ago.
A German line commenced to slash
the rates to continental Europe in reg
ular Standard Oil fashion in order to
throttle the much weaker Norwegian
lines. The Norwegian shipowners ex-
planned the situation to the Norwegian
exporters and told them that if they
took advantage Of the German rates
the Norwegian lines would have to go
out of business. With a few excep-
tons the Norwegian exporters paid
the usual rates to the Norwegian lines,
which were thus saved, and the ef-
forts of the Germans to destroy the
Norwegian lines resulted in a COM
plete failure AS to Sweden there is
no doubt but that the large and very
important export trade would support
we'll equipped and we'll managed
steamship line to America.
The separation of Sweden and Nor
way seems to have put a greater value
on the individual as pillar of the
state. 1t is an historical fact that since
the epoch-making year of 1905, clear
ly defined, organized efforts have been
made as never before to induce Scan
dinavian immigrants to return from
America to their native lands. The
Swedish government seems to have
given it's minister at Washington spe-
cial instructions to investigate the
question of repatriation, and to make
suggestions as to how the movement
may be begun and stimulated. While
the Norwegian government has taken
no formal action along similar lines,
it is much interested in the organiza-
ton of patriotic Norwegians formed
for similar purpose, and definite
campaign is to be carried on in this
country. But despite the increasing
opportunities that are presented in the
old countries nowadays, and despite
their need for active, energetic men,
there is very little chance of persuad-
ing even a small percentage of the
northumberland to return.
They are too. we'll rooted in the new
soil, and too we'll suited with condi-
tons of life here.