Morris tribune., 1912-04-19

Swedish Novelist One Of Greatest in
the WorId-BIind People of Norway
Well Taken Care Of-Danish Press
Takes Great Interest in Germany's
Foreign Policy.
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i. SWEDEN. :.
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The greatest living writer in the
Scandinavian North and one of the
greatest in the whole world, is the way
Edward Bjorkman of New York char
acterizes August Strindberg. Writing
in the Forum of Strindberg and the
main facts of his life Mr. Bjorkman
tells us that mo artist was ever more
personal in his choice of material,
and none more impersonal in his treat
ment of that material. Thus his life
and his art are, to an exceptional de-
gree, rendered inseparable. And
coming up through grinding poverty
and the most antipathetic surround
ings, young Strindberg's story is the
same one told by one man Of genius
after another. Then, suddenly, he dis
covered that he had in him the fine
gift of poetical creation. His first
masterpiece, Master Olaf an historical
prose drama grouped around the Lu-
| ther of the Swedish reformation, was
completed in 1872. Forty years of
| shifting literary fashions have failed
to sap it's strength or dim it's charm.
But while it still seems great today,
even when compared with the epoch
making works of universal literature,
it stood unique in Swedish literature
at the time of it's completion-a land
mark proclaiming the inception of a
new era. That play was rejected
scornfully and sneeringly rejected
by the literary arbiters of the Roya!
theater, then the only stage available
| for the production Of such a work. No
publisher could be found for it. Nor
until five years later was it placed in
book form, and then in altered shape,
after it's author had rewritten it five
times in compliance with the edict of
the critics that verse alone was suit
able to the historical drama. Strind-
berg was most unfortunate and unhap-
by in his matrimonial experiences. He
was married three times, always seek
ing and never finding peace and hap
piness in the marital relation. His
second masterpiece, a novel entitled
The Red Room established his repu-
tation as a writer. 1t was written un-
der the stimulus of the happiness that
came with his first marriage. In a
work subsequently published in 1884
entitled Marriage he endeavored to
4 present modern marriage as he saw
it-'based not on ideal claims, but on
economic Conditions It aroused the
opposition of even the government
and at the instigation of the queen he
was 'criminally prosecuted not for
immortality, but for 'sacriligious treat
ment of an established religion! AS
the years passed the relationship be.
tween him and his wife grew more
painful The tortures he endured as
this grew worse have been pictured
by Strindberg in his photographed
novel, "A FOOLS Confession with a
minute exactness and a psychological
penetration that have probably never
been surpassed. At all times, from
his earliest youth to the present day
Strindberg has been keenly interest
ed in every aspect of life not only as
an artist but as thinker ALSO"
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The state church Of Sweden has be
gun on small scale what may be
called slum work somewhat in the ma
ture of that conducted by the Saliva
ton Army, but in different manner
The initiative work has been started
by Rev. P. A. Wenner and a place il
Stockholm has been opened for the
support and shelter of the poor anG
wretched and thus far the necessary
funds for this work have been Sc
cured from private funds and dona
lions. The. intention is to have some
Of the other congregations in the city
open up similar places in various sec
tons of the city. A corps of Sister!
I of Mercy is to be trained PRACTICAL!
and theoretically to work among thu
, destitute and forsaken and ministe
: to their temporal and spiritual wants
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{ Henry Coleman May, charge dat
flares at the American legation il
| Stockholm, says: From the bulge
. proposals for 1913 now before tn,
riksdag it appears that the financia
position of Sweden is very strong ant
! compares favorably with that of mos
( other European countries. In spite o
4 increased expenditure in several de
partments, particularly for public in
strlction,. no new, taxation is required
A loan OF $7,5O0,O00 is to be raise
. for extension of railways, telephones
: waterpower stations, ETC., about $3.50
: 900 is to be added to the workman
: insurance fund and $1,75O,0O0 is to b
: put into the sinking fund.
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: On April IL, 1912. the Swedish go,