Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-09-25
NORWAY.

relations between Norway ana her
great neighbors, England, Germany,
and Russia. On account Of the triple
entente between England, France and
Russia, the country last mentioned
will not be apt to crowd the Scan
dinavian countries, for such a step
would be highly offensive to England
For the time being, therefore, Eng
land and Germany are the only great
powers that may cause trouble to
Norway. The present strained rela-
tons between England and Germany
may develop into war, in which case
the Scandinavian peninsula and
Norway in particular, would be ex-
posed to an invasion by England or
Germany. Accordingly says the
paper, we must look to both cOun-
tries with anxiety. But there is a
considerable difference in the feelings
with which we consider them. In
stinctively we fear Germany more
than England, and by tracing the rea-
sons for this sentiment we feel sure
that our instinct is on the right way.
For we feel and believe that England
in the long run would be less dan
gerous than Germany to our independ-
ence and liberty. If we suppose that
England, in the race following the
breaking out of war, beats Germany in
being the first of the two to establish
q firm footing on the peninsula, We
take it for granted that in case Eng
land is victorious at sea, she will not
keep any permanent positions in our
country. If, however, England should
violate her policy of one hundred
years standing in this respect, she
would according to her traditions and
her home politics, NEEDLE as little
with our internal affairs. But if Ger
many should win the final victory we
Norwegians believe that We would
have a poor show of getting rid OF
Germany again. She would be so
greatly interested in keeping the keys
to the Baltic against England and Rus
STA that she would not give up her
StrOnghOldS on the peninsula. In that
case our fate would be a sad one.
people in the course Of time is changed
SO much that the German government
and the German people interfere no
more than the English with the gov
eminent of an occupied country. yet
the character of the position which
Germany would occupy on the Scandi-
navian peninsula would make her in.
terfere more profoundly with the in.
situations of the people than England
would. Such an overpopulated coun-
try as Germany, which at all times has
sent emigrants in large numbers to
the neighboring countries to the east,
the north, and the west, will, if firm
footing is gained on the peninsula,
make this the object of an invasion
which may result in the establishment
of permanent German colonies in Nor
way and Sweden. This would not be
the first invasion of the kind. We all
know that for centuries Bergen and
Stockholm had a numerous German and
German-speaking population though
the countries were politically indie
pSAuOAAI VI OSA AAe~AAJ, eAAA LAAC sdIO
as the year 1848 there were Gertuan-
speaking clans in Copenhagen ouch
German colonies would of course be
far more serious If the Scandinavian
countries became political dependen.
cies of Germany. Fearing nothing OF
this kind from England, we naturally
look upon Germany with greater anx-
iety. A nation, as we'll as an indi-
vidual, is eager to preserve it's own
identity and integrity. But as it
would be sad fate to have even
England occupy any part of our ter.
fences in such shape that it will not
pay either party to make an inva.
sion.'
The infantile paralysis epidemic is
evidently on the retreat in Norway
The whole number of cases reported
in 1911 was 1,407, of which 1874 were
fatal, while the whole number report
ed up to the beginning of September
this year was only 179, including %
deaths. About Is per cent of the vic
Tins were children, which is sufficient
reason for calling the pest ''infantile.
A free religious rally at Lilleham
mer was attended by 800 persons
from different parts of the country
The program was of an exclusively
devotional character. and there was
NO discussion of any kind.
Many Driven From Home.