Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1914-04-09
SCANDINAVIAN NEWS
SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT HAP.
PENiNGS IN FAR OFF
NORTHWEST.
ITEMS FROM THE OLD HOME
Resume Of the Most Important Events
In Sweden, Norway and Denmark
OF Interest to the Seandlnavians
In America.
SWEDEN.

ish inventor and philanthropist, is
displeased with the way the Nobel
prizes are distributed. He says in
part: "Nobel wished to tighten the
lives of the dreamers-spirits bent up
on high ideals, poets and inventors.
who, impractical, and devoid Of means,
often go to wrack and ruin to the full
hampered. struggling lives. lives that
threaten to come to complete stand
still, of such gifted men, he wished to
introduce, to a certain extent, finan-
cial motive to facilitate their labor
not to found a capitalist institution
for the decoration of famous men; he
himself never wore an order or any
other decoration on his breast. The
Nobel prize, therefore-and this is my
first contention, which. as testament
tary witness, would lay down for all
time-should never be bestowed as an
honorary prize, blu. as promotive
prize for the encouragement of new
and beneficent work. According to
this principle, more people such as
really had practical use for 1t would
by this time have received It than
such as, though no doubt amply de-
serving 1t, were no longer in need of
1t. The idea of simply bestowing an
honor, in pursuance of which 1t is al
ways person of worldwide celebrity
that is sought out, must positively be
abandoned, and the policy of economic
encouragement and support must be
adopted, If the proper recipients OF
the Nobel funds income are to be
found It is absurd to be always
searching only for the greatest
names. This has, however, unfortun.
ately been done; and a like thing
would have occurred If, as had been
suggested, the prize had been be-
slowed upon Emile lola and Count
Tolstoy, as it has been upon the Pole.
Pienkiewicz, who resided in knightly
castle, and upon the Indian patrician,
Tagore. Edison is assuredly the great
est living inventor. But Nobel would
have been convulsed with laughter.
anu NOulu HdNc IL q pun
joke upon his will, had Edison, who is
perhaps richer than Nobel was him
self, been awarded the prize. Now, 1t
has been most foolishly suggested that
the recipients should retain the honor
for themselves, and pass on the money
for other cultural objects. This, how
ever, would be utterly out of key with
NobePs walr-hearted, loving nature,
which wished to provide personal Joy
with his money. II was his express
purpose to abed life-giying rays upon
highly gifted individuals, and open to
them, at a fitting time, life free from
care, with nj need to be diverted from
their work. The inventor was to build
his laboratory, the poet his modest
home, where they could hearken I'M
disturbed to the promptings OF their
genius. But he did not wish to impose
upon them the onerous obligation of
transmitting the gift received. The
interest upon 10000 crowns is 5000
marks, or daily income Of 16 or II
marks, just sufficient for quiet and
simple mode of life, providing for a
fixed home and serving as stimulus
to further effort Nobels sole Joy in
his will consisted in the joyous con-
sciousness-and / often saw this no
BILE Joy glow in his mild, blue eyes
that his dead riches would become a
living source Of new and great achieve
ments. To quote his own words: i
wish to devote my possessions to the
good OF mankind But the good of
humanity rests solely upon continued
effort. No one was more profoundly
imbued with this idea than the cease
lessly active Nobel, who was overta-
ken by death at his work table. There
fore, this Is my exhortation: 'Bestow
the prize only upon persons from
whom much may still be expected In
the way of accomplishment Not up
on persons whose activity is concluded
as far as we are concerned, but upon
those who, judging by what they have
hitherto done for US all appear the
most promising, who evoke the wishes
OF thousands for their peace and con-
tent, SO that they may achieve still
greater things for u.s."
A Stockholm cablegram says that
Baron Nornenskjold. son Of the famous
Arctic explorer who died in 1901, re-
ports that his companion in an expedi-
ton In South America, Johnberg. has
been killed. The dispatch from Baron
Nordenskjold came from Pelim. Bra
I'll. 1t gave no details concerning the
death of Johnberg.
The council OF state has approved
the decision of the consistory court
granting a divorce In the case OF
Prince Wilhelm of Sweden, and Prin.
cess Marie. who before her marriage
was the Grand Duchess Marie Pavlov,
ma OF Russia. and has declared the
marriage dissolved. Incompatability
of temperament was given by both
the prince and the princess as the
ground for their appeal. The two were
married in 1908 and on account of do
nestle troubles the princess sepa'
rated from her husband.
The condition of health Of King
Gustaf is causing anxiety in court cir
Giles. His majesty has found 1t neces
sary to curtail his stay in the country
where he went from Stockholm a few
days ago. He returned hurriedly to
the capital.
A Swedish committee, formed and
headed by Admiral Poland. IL prepared
to send an expedition to explore Ora
hams Land, tract in the south At
lantic ocean extending beyond the ant
arctic circle.