Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-01-20
important Events IN Sweden,
Norway and Denmark.
BRIEFS FROM OLD COUNTRY
Interesting Items From the Three
Crest Kingdoms o. the North 3d.
Isctsd for 0candInavians and
Their Descendants.
BY MARTIN w. oRLAkD.
Norway.

Il norway.
i Norway Ia after more trade with
the United States and to that end has
recognized Its consular service In this
country. In former years Norway hal
been content with vice consuss In thu
principal American cities who were
residents Of this country and who de
voted but little time to their ofilcial
duties and who drew but very little
pay for their Official work. Now the
/ Norwegian government has sent citi
zens OF Norway to the principal com
mercial centers OF America who are
to be real consuls, bearing that title
and devoting all of their time to their
official dnties. r. Herman Gade. who
has been appointed Norwegian consul
at Chicago. explains Norways new
commercial policy In America. as fol
lows. "Norway's overseas trade with
the United States, that had been grow.
ing steadily before the war has since
that time gone ahead by jumps and
an organization has been worked out
| touching oil parts OF the United
States. The country has been divided
into three main sections. the Atlantic
and Gulf coast states. 20 middle west
ern states, and the Pacific coast states
making up the three divisions. Chi
cago has been selected M the head.
quarters of the middle western sec
ton. In addition to changing the con-
sulate system, the government Ia en-
couragfng membership In the newly
organized chamber OF commerce by
both American and Norwegian busi-
ness men In this country One hun.
dred Chicago business houses have al
ready been enrolled In the movement
Tho United States and Norway have
been held apart by lack OF understand
Ing I'm the past. The Germans have
been able to cut the price just little
bit below the American and offer 80
or GO days credit where the Ameri.
cans demanded cash. But the local OK.
portera can meet this competition once
the American Ia assured OF the finan.
cial responsibility of his customers.
Our consular organization has been
remodeled and the chamber Of com
merce formed to improve this sltua-
ton" Mr., Gade formerly was consul
In Chicago for Norway. Two years
ago he was called to Norway to work
on commission that had been np-
pointed to study ways OF bringing the
country into closer touch with the
United States
The cabinet has prepared bill for
introduction into the storthing prohib.
iting the sale OF Norwegian ships to
foreign countries. The demand for
ships In Norway has grown stronger
with each succeeding month OF the
war, despite the large number of ships
that Norsemen have purchased from
foreigners. During the month of No
vember, 1915. thirty shipa, with an az.
gregate tonnage OF over fifty thou.
sand, were added to Norway's mer-
chant marine, and the net increase In
the country's merchant fleet during
the hrst sixteen months tof the war
was log ships, the aggregate tonnage
OF which Is nearly two hundred thou
sand. The boom In ships since the
war began has created new class of
mlllionaires In Norway. particularly
In Christiania and Bergen. These mil
lionaires are principally brokers and
spectators who have made vast sums
on the rapid and constant rise In the
price Of ships. In recent years the
whaling industry has been the means
OF creating many millionaires In Nor
way. but the making OF millionaires
has fiourished more than ever since
the beginning Of the ship boom,
Munthe Morgenstiserne, young
Norwegian who spent several months
visiting Norwegian colonies In Amer.
lea In semioiiicial capacity In the I'M.
terest OF Observation-Disclosures,
worldwide Norwegian society, said
upon his return to Norway. AS
TO the so-called Morse American.
wish to say that only by personal OBJ.
servation can r,an get somewhat
correct idea OF the force, the mighty
development of power concealed un.
der this term. Oae cannot travel in
the Norwegian settlements over there
without being struck with high de-
gree OF admiration for the positions
which our countrymen have conquered
for themselves, and the respect they
enjoy among their American fellow
citisens. Finally permit me to thank
them for their magnificent hospitality
and Kindness during my stay over
there.
DIR, Sigurd Ibsen. whose plan to 20
abroad to live has previously been re
ported. has sold his villa I'm Slemdai.
Norway, and will take up his residence
In Munich, Germany, in the spring.
However. he has purchased smaller
villa ON the Christiania ford and will
spend the summers there.
Some OF tho Norwegian canneries
have been refused coal by the British
until they nrOnaise.l daflnifetv "a saa