Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-09
SOON ELECT MEMBERS Of
NORWEGIAN STORTH|NC
Christiana Attaches Unusual Impor-
lance to Political Event to Take
Place This Fall.
MAKE LAND sELF-sUPPoRTING
War Crisis Finds Country Poorly
Prepared to Meet ANY Emergency.
Chief Demand for Strengthening
National Defense.


usual Importance may be attached to
the forthcoming elections of members
OF Parliament. for which the different
parties have already adopted their plat
forms. The Storthing. as the entire
Norwegian Legislative body is called.
is elected every third year. direct by
the people, with women now entitled
to vote under the same conditions as
men. The election will take place this
fall.
NoRWEGIANs DETERMINED
TO STRENGTHEN DEFENSE
LII common with number of other
countries. an issue in Norwegian poli-
tics this year is the question OF national
defense The war crisis wear AGO
found the country very poorly prepared
10 meet any emergency. The army and
navy were by no means up to the stand
ara required by the military cxperts
ana the people have but lately realized
no" largely the country is dcpenden,
upon foreign countries for food sun.
pies, Inc latter circumstance is due
70 'he fact that In the last two or
thrce decades farming has diminished
,he young people of the rural districts
having passed more and more freely
ihto the Industrial work In the cities.
Consequently II has been increasingly
o'Nlcult for the farmers to Ket heln
anu me situation has made competi.
'ioh with foreign products almost out
OF the question For grain, -four and
sugar, for instance. Norway has been
uepehdent on the imports from the
,hitcd states. Russia and GERMANY
ne war brought about great cur
,aiiment In these importations. and has
Impressed the Norwcgians that some.
thing must be done to make their
country more fsupporting.
The Conservative and Liberal let's,
IN their platforms for the coming cleo
'ion. nave made their chief demands.
therefore. for the strengthening OF the
national defense TO the full! extent that
the country can econom!cally bear. and
Tor an increased duty on Imports OF
farmers may be able to regain their
lost ground in competition with for
eiSn products
Tho party that 10 AT present in
power. however. asserts that there ia
no need OF STRENGTHENING the defense
o. me county at present. They point
10 the facts that tho government has
h""n able 10 conduc, the country safe
- through situation when every
thing was ahlazc around II. SO far as
the protection 81 the farmer is con.
cerned, they propose guarantee that
the government pay tho farmer a
stated price FOR grain or establish a
state monopoly in this particular trade
Tho National Committee of the
party In power has recommended CO.
operation with the Socialists rather
than conccdc the demand made by the
armament advocates. The Socialists
in Norway still adhere to the doctrine
that the international Socialistic fra.
ternity is able TO prevent war between
nations. and instead OF increas sing
means OF defense. tho party would
have Norway keep no army or navy
at all The Socialists at the last cleo
ton numbered two-nfths OF all the
voters Since then the party has
gained considerably, so IT 10 impossi.
bic that in combination with nonar-
mamont symnathiaers they may get
control OF the next Storthing.