Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-09-30
Norway.

l
foreign Office has received dispatch
from Archangel, Russia, to the effect
/ that the arctic expedition headed by
Capt. Otto Sverdrup, which has been
searching for the Russian explorers,
/ Rusanoff and Brusiloff, has arrived
there, and that all the members of
the party were well Capt. Sverdrup.
with crew of 20 Norwegians. sailed
| last year on board the Russian relief
ship Eclipse for the Kara sea to res
| cue the geologist, Rusanoff, and the
| oceanogra pher, Kutchin. who left
| Spitzbergen for Nova Zembla in Au-
gust, 1912.
Special correspondence from Chris
| tiania speaks of the sinister situation
which prevails on the North sea fish
ing banks, on account of the war. The
| fishing fleets, says the correspondence.
are encircled day and night by torpe-
do boats and armed trawlers, subma-
rines haunt the depths, and overhead
| float the giant Zeppeiins and the swift
| aeroplanes. At night the watchmen
are frequently surprised by sudden
| flashes Of a searchlight from a war.
ship, which subjects each vessel to
searching examination. and then dis
| appears as suddenly as 1t came. At
times one can hear the throbbing of
the engines of ship which threads
its way stealthily through the dark
| ness, but not a CLEAN of light betrays
| its whereabouts.
Under such circumstances the fish
ermen are compelled to be constant
ly on their guard, and rest and sleep
| are reduced to a minimum. At all
| times the crew must be ready to leave
their ship at n moments notice. For
| this reason 1t Is difficult to secure suf-
ficient men for the fishing vessels.
| Added to this difficulty Is the high
cost of insurance, and the result Is
that comparatively few Norwegian
cutters take part in the fisheries in
that region this year.
Some time ago representative Nor
wegian business men from various
parts OF the United States. particular
ly the northwest, met at ST. Paul for
the purpose of organizing a body de-
signed to bring about closer CONNER
cial relations between America and
Norway. The name selected for this
body was the Americana Norwegian
Chamber of Commerce, and Chicago
was selected as its headquarters, in
preference to the Twin Cities and
New York, whose claims were cham
pioned by several of the representa-
tives. Now word comes from New
York that similar organization has
been perfected there under the name
Norwegian American Chamber of Com.
merce, and there is a feeling in the
Northwest that the New York body
will prove detrimental to the Chicago
| organization, and shows bad faith on
the part OF those responsible for the
New York concern. The representa-
tives from New York who participated
in the st. Paul meeting and accepted
election as directors of the American
Norwegian Chamber of Commerce.
are among the incorporators of the
New York chamber. Skandinaven,
the big Norwegian newspaper of Chi
cago. denounces the New York move.
| saying In part:
Here we have the old story. so
often repeated on both sides of the
ocean: Whenever worthy Nor.
wegian undertaking Is to be launched.
| person can with reasonable assur-
| ance bet his last dollar that Morse
| men will be found who will place
| some difficulty or other in the way OF
the successful realization of the I'M
dertaking. Thus also with the blessed
| chamber OF commerce"
Replying to the charge that the St
Paul meeting was packed by Chicago.
| the Skandinaven questions the good
faith of the New York delegates in
having taken part in its proceedings:
Why did they not bolt Immediate
ly9 Why did they Join an Ameri-
can-Norwegian chamber of commerce.!
Why did both take part In voting on
| the location of the headquarters for
tho chamber And why did both Mr..
Tokstad and Mr.. Thompson accept
| election as directors In the American
| Norwegian Chamber of Commerce?
| Had they bolted as soon as they per
| ceived that the meeting was packed,
! there might have been reasonable
| ground for tho step taken in the Nor
wegian consulate in New York on Au
| gust 81"
There can be but little doubt"
| continues the paper. that this step
will arouse general iii feeling in the
| West. Meanwhile. We shall have to
await the course to be taken by the
| meeting OF the chamber in Chicago
next month. 1t is to be hoped that at
that time, Ii not before, an attempt
will be made to reach an understand.
ing. so that this undertaking. which IL
embraced with so much interest both
here and in Norway, shall not suffer
any permanent harm ON account OF
/ petty considerations"
A New York dispatch says that the
NOrwpgian cpyarnmanf hae plar,.3 on