Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1909-12-24
Interesting News from Sweden,
Norway and Denmark.
COST OF LIVING IS VERY HIGH


Workingmen and Families Live in
One Room and Kitchen.
SWEDEN.
Swedes who have been away from
their native land fifteen or more years
are accustomed to think that crown
in Sweden represents as much in buy
ing power as dollar in America
That is no longer true It was true
when agricultural was the main reii
ance of the country. Farming used
to engage four-1fths of the people OF
the population, but now less than hall
of the people of Sweden make theil
living from the land. Foodstuffs are
largely imported and pay customs
duties besides. Workingmen have oh
tanned increases, and roughly speaking
they estimate that wages have been
doubled in fifteen years, but that the
cost of living has increased in about
the same scale. Since the big indus
trial growth, there has been a real es
tate boom in Stockholm and other
cities, and rents have gone UP enor
mously. Now in Stockholm the great
mass of workingmen with families live
In one room and a kitchen. For this
they pay at the least 800 crowns, OF
$S1 year. Most of them have to pay
324 crowns and in parts Of Stockholm
nothing can be had for less than 400
crowns. Many families pay more than
one-fourth of their income for two
rooms without heat or any modern
convenience The cost of bread is one
of the main complaints in Stockholm
and indeed it has gone so far that it
became the subject of a special in
vestigation by the Stockholm city
government recently. The cost for the
present year has been an average of
6 cents pound for plain white bread
Of the cheaper sort and there is OF
course a general complaint that this
is too high.
Says Charles B. Cheney, the Mime
apolis Journals Honolulu correspond
ent: zone of the lessons of the great
strike last summer was that the peo
pie of Sweden can get along without
strong liquor The success of partial
prohibition during the labor troubles,
which were devoid of riots and scenes
Of disorder, has given a big impetus
to the temperance cause. The prohibi
tionists are asking the nation this
question: If it was good for Sweden
to give up liquor for month why
would 1t not be better to give it up for
all timer Taking advantage of the
temperance wave that is on, the pro-
hibitionists have started a big enter
prise. They call it a 'plebiscite' on
the liquor question. It is what Ameri-
can politicians would call a straw vote,
and like all such votes, is being taken
by partisans. All who are engaged in
the work are friends of temperance
and of ultimate prohibition. Many en-
gagged in it are not eager to try prohi-
bition at once, but are ready to help
agitation and progress along that line
The work has been organized by
joint committee of all temperance
bodies, aided by numerous citizens out
side. Volunteers are working in every
parish and ward, and in the next
month will see every person in Swe-
den over the age of eighteen. The pro-
hibitionists hope that the majority will
express themselves for prohibition
Even If they fail, the agitators will
have lost nothing. They have been
tainted with representing a mere
handful of people, and they expect 10
show by this vote that they are backed
by the sentiment of millions"
Selma Lagerlof has by the Nobel
committee been awarded the literary
prize. which amounts to about $40,
600. Miss Lagerlof is at present re-
garded as Sweden's greatest living
woman writer. Her books have been
extensively read in foreign countries, !
and have been translated into not less |
than six different languages. "Jeru- |
salem,'' which brought her into the |
limelight of fame, has been read out
side of the Scandinavian countries, |
very extensively in Germany and Eng
Karl Braun of Strassburg university |
IN Germany, have been awarded the |
prize for physics which will be divided /
between them. The honor has COM
% Signor Marconi, who is equally well |
known on both sides of the Atlantic, In |
recognition of his achievements with |
wireless telegraphy Professor Braun
will share the honor, it is said, because
If his invention of various improve
nents in the Marconi system of wire
ess telegraphy. The Nobel prizes as
s known number five, of the average
7alue of $40 600 each, and are given an
lually to those who have done the
most useful work of the year in litera-
ure, physical science, chemistry, ply
iology or medicine and for the pro-
of peace.
'cean monsters has been added to it's
navy at cost of 13,700,000 crowns.