The L'Anse sentinel., 1915-06-26

Norway.
The prohibition movemsnk a Nsrs
way, says . Newspaper correspond
emit. has received some impetus as .
result Of the war, and while there is
no clear indication Of what the ef-
feet win be. there are . number Of
interesting phases Of the situation.
Since the prohibition movement was
started 70 years ago the consumption
Of strong liquor IL shown statistically
to have diminished gradually In all
Norway from ten quarts Of 100 per
cent alcohol per capita to about one
and one-half quaxts. The laws have
made 1t more and more difncult to
obtain these drinks, and. according to
the law Of 1894. no sale and NO
saloons are allowed In the rural dis,
tricts. In the cities, the sale of
liquor In saloons or restaurants n
done BY stock companies which get
their license by municipal voting.
These companies are allowed only five
per cent interest on their capital, the
remainder of the profits going to the
state. the city or philanthropie fnsti-
tutions. Beer and wine, In bottles,
may be sold by any grocer. The sale
Of all intoxicants, however. u Suspend
ed everywhere during holidays. The
Legislature has gradually raised the
duty on imported liquor, and has
fixed q high revenue on native distilla-
ton, and also on beer with an alco-
hol percentage Of over 3h. Under
these laws sobriety has generally In
creased. The restricted sale Of liquor.
however, has driven the lower classes
Of the population to the use Of dena-
tured alcohol. OF eau de cologne, ether
and shellac, and in many industrial
centers and In dry towns blind pigs"
are not unknown. When the war
broke out the government ordered
temporary suspension Of liquor man.
ufacture and sale. but this resulted In
large individual importations Of
whisky and brandy.
A report from Christiania says that
Norway is threatened with serious
labor war as protest against the
adoption of the proposed law on COM
pulsory arbitration in controversies
between employers and employees. II
the bill passes the storthing the labor
leaders threaten to call strike on
the part of 100000 men. The Social
Democrats are at the head Of the pro-
test movement. declaring that the Ia
boring class should be permitted to
retain the right to enforce their de-
mands by means Of strikes. 1t is re-
ported that the protest strike will be
declared as soon as the government
bill passes the odelsthing, one Of the
two branches OF the storthing. In this
branch of the legislature the Left
party has a solid following Of "a
members, while the opposition, COM
posed of the Socialists and the Right
party, number only SS. In the lag
thing, the other branch of the legisla-
ture, the government party has to-
tai of II votes as compared with IA
for the combined opposition. OF the
IT left members, however. two are
reported to be doubtful. In view OF
the European war the labor situation
becomes doubly serious. as strike OF
the proportions indicated above would
cripple the country economically at
a time when all its resources should
be. conserved to meet possible emer-
gencies.
The aggressiveness Of Norway's
shipping interests IL shown by the ad-
vantage they are already taking Of
the opening of the Panama canal
Capt. Frits 8. Olsen Of Christiania,
representing the new Norway-Pacihc
line, has arrived ON the west coast
OF the United States to look after
the interests OF his company. The
new line has large ships under con-
struction, all of them propelled by
Diesel motors. They viii be ready
by September. and win be plying be-
tween the Pacific coast Of America
and Norway by the way Of the Pan
anna canal. As an experiment, the line
has already started two boats In tht
new service. one Of them. the Bravo.
having already returned to Norway
from the Pacific
The United States department of
commerce has given out report
which shows that the exports and Inn
ports Of this country carried In Nor
wegian vessels have doubled during
the eight months ending March 81.
1915. as compared with the, same pc
Rod ending March Il, 1914. During
the eight months ending March 81.
1914, the value Of the domestic ex-
ports carried in Norwegian bottoms
was $4s,000,000, and during the cor
responding period the year following
this amount had jumped to $11s,00o.-
600. On imports the value of goods
carried in Norwegian ships during the
same two periods was, respectively,
$3s, ,000. 900 and s6s.000.00o.
a. 4. xyaIl kunwu lr,dina n mad0