Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-10-13
NORWAY.

Something very close to a panic is
spreading over both Norway and Swe-
den as a result of the alarming scar
city of provisions and the unprecedent-
ed prices which are demanded for the
simplest kind of food. Norway is now
on the point OF following Sweden's
lead in prohibiting the export of ali
| provisions of which there is a present
shortage in order tina. prices may be
brought down within reach of the
/ poorer classes. The advance in prices
in Norway is approximately the same
as in Sweden, but in some cases it has
been even more marked. Herrings,
which are one of the main articles of
diet among the peasant population.
have risen from two cents to four and
one-half and five cents apiece, and
the present price of oatmeal is ESQ
per cent higher than it was before the
war. The meat shortage was tempo
rarily relieved some time ago. as it
was in Sweden, By the slaughter Of
a large nunbe: or cattle which there
was not enough grain to feed, but
prices have now advanced again,
reaching the highest level ever known
however, that as a nation Norway's
economic and financial condition is
better than before the war Nor
ways tremendous exports. at the same
time that they have drained the coun-
try of its necessary provisions for
home consumption and carried masses
Of the people to the verge of starva-
ton, have brought a tremendous
amount of money into the country. en-
abied the country to pay for all its
imports and left large surplus to be
used for industrial purposes and pub
lie loan. The Bank of Ncrway-the
governments bank-had a year ago
500 100000 OF gold in its vaults To-
day it has $40 100000. A year ago
it had issued paper money to the ex-
tent of s5.250.O beyond it's deposits.
while today with the same amount of
paper currency in circulation, It has a
reserve of $3,000.000. Deposits in
private hanks are at present 30,000,-
900 greater than year ago on the
bdAle udIG. ACSC LdAho Hu ~ AACAA
| credit in foreign banks 500 600 last
year. This year they have $4,000
600. The war has thus brought Nor
way a food tide o.; prosperity, and IL
government action is taken to reduce
| present prices and provide the poor
er people with food Norway will have
little to lose and great deal to gain
Wrta fr-ss
ship for England and the fact that
she has had less to complain of in
! the restriction of imports than Sweden
have made her trade question a much
| less serious one than in her sister
country Her chief grievance against
England remains the English censor
ship of her mail and cablegrams to
America and other neutral countries.
Norway is still trying to devise
more direct and speedier communica-
| ton with America.
The supreme court of England has
ruled that the Norwegians have no
right to use the French name "sar-
dimes" for the fish that they can in
Norway. The Norwegians at once
agreed to use the Norwegian word.
"Brisling." which has the advantage
of being very simple and easy to pro-
nounce by people using different Ian
guages. The Norwegians realize that
| their own name will do Just as well.
| They even have a reason to believe
/ that brisling will have good mar
/ ket in France after the war. The ie-
gal fight for the French word cost the
Norwegians a heap of money.
A touching sight was witnessed at
the Christiania Eastern station the
other day. It was the arrival OF IA
ladies' Of different ages, but all dressed
in the deepest mourning. They were
| Norwegians and Germans who had
been to Germany to place wreaths on
/ the graves of their fallen husbands
and sons. The German authorities
had assisted them in many ways. aud
finally had made arrangements for civ
! ing them a chance to return in COM
pany to Norway. Even those who
did not know the ladies were deeply
moved at the sight.
Norwegian seamen tell that they see
so many submarines. Zeppelins. aero
! planes and torpedo chasers that they
get quite used to the sight. Dead
bodies are net so common. But the
crew of a ship counted about thirty
/ dead bodies in tire course Of half an
hour while passing through the Eng
lsh channel Many of them were mu-
| tilated
The commune board OF Roken has
resolved to buy acc tons of coal to
be sold again to the inhabitants OF
the community.