Askov American., 1915-10-07
important Events in Sweden,
Norway and Denmark.
BRIEFS FROM OLD COUNTRY
interesting Items From the Three
Great klnodoms Of the North se-
Iseted for scandlnavians and
Their Descendants.
Ry MARTIN w. oDLAND.
Norway.

present time, with reference to pro-
visions and finance. He says that
something very close to panic Is
spreading over both Norway and Swe-
den as a result of the alarming scar
city of provisions and the unprece-
dented prices which are demanded for
the simplest kind of food. Norway Is
now on the point Of following Swe-
den's lead in prohibiting the export of
all provisions of which there is pres
ent shortage in order that 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 1t has been even
more marked. Herrings, which are one
OF the main articles of diet among the
peasant population, have risen from 2
the present price of oatmeal is $50 per
cent higher than 1t was before the
war.
The meat shortage was temporarily
relieved some time ago, as it was in
Sweden, by the slaughter OF large
number of cattle which there was not
enough grain to feed, but prices have
now advanced again, reaching the
highest level ever known in Norway.
1t is curious paradox, however, that
as a nation Norway's economic and
financial condition is better than be-
fore the war. Norway's tremendous
exports, at the same time that they
have drained the country of its neces.
sary provisions for home consumption
and carried masses of the people to
the verge Of starvation, have brought
tremendous amount of money into
the country, enabled the country to
pay for all it's imports and left large
surplus to be used for industrial pur-
poses and public loan.
The bank of Norway-the govern
ment's bank-had a year ago $20,000,-
900 of gold in its vaults. Today it
has s40,000,000. A year ago it had is
sued paper money to the extent of
$5,250,000 beyond its deposits, while
today with the same amount of paper
currency in circulation. it has re-
serve of $3000.000.
Deposits in private banks are at
present $3o.000,o00 greater than year
ago on the same date. These banks
had to their credit in foreign banks
100000 last year. This year they
have $10,000,000. The war has thus
brought Norway flood tide of pros
perity, and IL government action is
taken to reduce present prices and
provide the poorer people with food
Norway will have little to lose and a
great deal to gain from a long war.
Norway's friendship for England
and the fact that she has had less to
complain of In the restriction of i'm,
ports than Sweden have made her
trade question much less serious one
than in her sister country. Her chief
grievance against England remains
the English censorship of her mail
and cablegrams to Am0ica and other
neutral countries. Norway is still try
ing to devise more direct and speed
According 10 press dispatches,
Prime Minister Gunnar Knudsen has
withdrawn from the agricultural soci-
ETY. OF Norway, Of which he was vice
president, and this act has created a
sensation in political circles. His re-
tirement marks the eventful break be.
tween the prime minister and his ag,
ricultural constituents over the pro-
posed tariff on grains.
There has been gradual estrange.
ment of the prime minister and the
Agricultural society on the subject OF
protection for the agricultural inter.
ests of the country. Knudsen. al,
though himself an extensive owner OF
farm properties, is strong adherent
Of the Left party principle of free
trade.
The direct cause OF the break was
the refusal of the executive committee
Of the Agricultural society to take q
favorable stand on Knudsen's propos
al Of a government monopoly in grains
as a substitute for tariff,
Last month direct commercial re
lations were established between Nor
way and Greece for the first time
when the Norwegian ship San Miguel
arrived at the port OF Athens with q
cargo from Norway The occasion
was celebrated by the presentation ol
Henrik lbsen's play. Hedda Gabler, al
an Athens theater,
The interesting report comes from
| Stavanger, Norway's great canning
| center, that the canneries of that city
used 7TS,eee bushels of raw materi
ais during the first hail of the pres
| ent year. Most of this was fresh fish
The stapendous growth of this indus
| try may be inferred from the follow
Ing figures: The entire consumption
for the year 1918 was 1T4.o00 bushels
and l.15e, 900 for the year 1914. From
January | to June &c this year the to
tai output of canned goods was 1856
tons, as against l0.5oo tons for tn,
sesr IaiA