Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-11-30
IN FAR NORTHlAND'
important Events in Sweden,
Norway and Denmark.
BRIEFS FROM OLD COUNTRY
Interesting Items From the Three
Great Kingdoms Of the North, Sc.
tected for Scandinavians and
Their Descendants


Sweden.
William Philip Simms, the war cor
respondent. recently visited Sweden.
and describes conditions there. and the
feelings of the people toward the war
ring nations, In an interesting article.
Sweden is perhaps the most divided
country in the universe over the war"
he says. ''One could not say with
truth that Sweden is pro-ally or pro-
German. There are many factions and
each looks at the great consiagration
In Its own way. Most everybody IL
anti-Russian. A great many are anti
British, small circle are prof German,
but everybody Is pro-French. even the
pro-Germans. A strange paradox, but
a true one. Still Sweden as a nation
is neither pro-ally nor pro-Prussia.
The Russian antipathy Is historic.
Sweden used to be on both sides Of the
Baltic. Russia took Finland and for
generations Sweden has feared Russia
some day would try to go further west,
blazing way to open ports of the At
lantic. German propaganda has helped
this feeling along. France, one and all
say, has been the ideal country In this
war, from the first gun till the last.
She has fought like lion and I'M
selfishly. She has put herself, heart
and soul, into the struggle and has al
way fought strictly to Hoyle. Her at
titude has been nobility itself and not
even the pro-Germans seem to hope
for her defeat. However, In this pro-
German crowd, one hears that England
Is using France for her own selfish
purposes. According to them England
is aiming as world domination and
that If the allies win and Germany Is
crushed, England will have her hand
! on the worlds windpipe and can throt-
tie 1t at leisure, commercially and 9TH
erwise. And us proof of what Eng
land will do they point to the English
blockade. Even now, they claim, Swe-
den Is being sorely pinched ecenomi-
cally by the action of England's fleet.
The cost of living has gone up from
~ to 100 per cent, they assert, and
certain commodities are not to be had
at all. Should England become all
powerful, as she would in the event
of crushed Germany, what then
would happen to Sweden? / asked
President Carl Frish of the Stockholm
Handelsbank, one of the most powerful
financiers in all Scandinavia and one
of the best informed men in such mat
ters in Sweden, about the effect of the
British blockade and If it had effected
the cost of living to any great ex-
tent. He did not seem to think 1t
had. Living was higher, he said, but
on an average not more than % or
30 per cent. Sweden Is exceedingly
prosperous and there Is plenty of mon
ey In the land. Perhaps the greatest
authority on the cost of living in Swe-
den is Axel Robert Bildt. director Of
TraEsito Ltd, formed to handle freight
in transit" from foreign countries,
through Sweden. to Russia. This con-
Germ was recognized by the British gov
eminent and goods consigned to 1t
were allowed free passage through the
blockade because England had guar
antics that such goods would not be
diverted to Germany, once in Sweden,
as formerly had been the case very
often. The pro-German press of Swe-
den fought Translto mercilessly, claim
ing that through it England was try
ing to get strange hold on the
economic life of Sweden. controlling ev-
cry mouthful of food and all other
supplies coming into the country.
This assertion was utterly without
foundation" Director Bildt told me.
1--WE handle only in transit goods.
These, now arriving in large quaint
ties from America and other countries,
nre let through the blockade without
delay 1t is not true that England
thus controls all Sweden's imports.
We simply are surety to England that
such goods are not consigned TO us to
go to their proper destination instead
Of 70 the central powers. Has the
cost Of living gone up very much since
the war;" he was asked. Not more
than In the United States. Argentine
and other neutral countries, l should
say" he replied.
The heirs Of Mrs. Emmy Setterwall,
nee Fagerlund, and the widow Of the
late Consul G. Setterwall of Stock
holm. have. according to the will Of
the deceased, set aside $4,000 as a |
fund for furnishing good and cheap
rooms for poor parents who have
many children. The same parties also |
donated $4,000 to charitable institu- |
tons Ind private parties.
Tbs women of Ostergotland have |
raised $1,000 for an airpiane, which |
is to be made at Thulln's ironworks.
Overheard at the Zoo.