Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-04-01
important Events in Sweden,
Norway and. Denmark.
BRIEFS FROM OLD COUNTRY
interesting Items From the Three
Great Kingdoms Of the North Sc.
ieeted for scandInavIans and
Their Descendants.
by MARTIN w. ODLAND.
ti-rway.

IT, ". OppeGsts N5SOcidLe euit0T Ot
verdens Gang. who is visiting the
United States, has stated In a recent
interview that from this time on Nor
way will buy more staple products
than she has In the past. Prior to the
war, says Mr.. Oppedal. Norwegian
merchants bought heavily In Germany
on longtime credit. Now, on account
OF the war. Norway gets nothing from
Germany, buying what she needs In
the United States. paying cash. He
says that the Norwegian merchants
have found that they can get, what
they want just as cheaply In the Unit.
ed States as they did in Germany, and
he predicts that they will continue to
buy In the United States after the war
ls over.
II is reported from Christiania that
the government ownership OF mer-
chant vessels has been brought up as
an issue In the Norwegian storthing
by two members of the committee on
communications. Last year the stor.
thing made an appropriation of 5000
kroner and authorized the appoint
ment Of commission to investigate
the problem of AFOREMENTIONED
merchant marine. Due TO the out
break OF the war. this committee has
not been appointed, but two members
pf the storthing have now called atten-
ton to the matter again and assert
that conditions as they now are con-
clusively prove that the government
must secure control of the regular
oversee routes and the coast lines. In
order to maintain transportation serv-
Ice at reasonable rates. >s.
The Norwegian government Is max.
ing every effort to rid the waters of
Norway of floating mines and has of.
fered rewards to those furnishing In.
formation leading to the location of
such mines.
Norway. says an exchange, was
eighth In the list In shipbuildng in
1914, exceeding both Italy and Russia
among the larger nations. Sixty-seven
new vessels We're built In that year In
Norwegian shipyards. with a total ton.
mage Of 54,l0S tons. In Great Britain
and Ireland 1924 ships were built,
with a total tonnage of 1,722,145 tons.
The total for the whole world was
S,153 ships and 3.47l. 1877 tons. These
figures cover building operations
nlone and do not show the number of
ships or tonnage added to the mer-
chant fleets of the respective coun.
tries, as many OF the ships, especially
In Great Britain. were built on foreign
orders,
Miss Katincka Augusta Guldberg,
superintendent OF the Deaconess insti,
tute of Christiania, has been made
knight OF the first class of the Order
Of st. Olaf, being the first woman thus
honored. She is thus honored because
of her distinguished services in the
deaconess work.
dispatches from Newport News say
that q sailor from the crew of the VIII
liam p. Frye. Norwegian. Is being
held aboard the German cruiser prinx
Eitel Frederick in German uniform
against his will, according to the
sworn statement Of Il. w. johnson.
another member of the crew. The
name OF the impressed sailor Is
Charles Frank. Johnson asserts that
Frank was summoned before Capt.
Thierichens of the cruiser and that
the next time he was seen he was In
German uniform although II is de.
clared that he did not wish to fight
with any Of the belligerents.
The Dominion Coal company OF
Nova Scotia has brought suit in the
United States courts against the Nor.
wegian steamer kronprins Olay for
breach of contract to carry coal. The
Morse owners of the vessel refused to
fuitll the contract on account of the
war and the resulting dangers In.
yolved in carrying contraband goods.
The suit involves $a5o,00o.
ExNAAAn