Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-09-07
BRIEFS FROM OLD COUNTRY
interesting Items From the Three
Great Kingdoms Of the NORTH se-.
Iected for Scandinavians and
Their Descendants.
Norway.

present moment. The great emlgra-
ton Of Norwegians to the United
States which during the past 80 years
has drained the country of young In
borers and girls from the farms. has
never made itself felt so much as In
the last two years while Norway has
been endeayoring to become more and
more self-supportlng and more indie
pendent OF foreign imports. Although
since the outbreak of the war Indus
tries have grown In all parts OF the
country, this is not enough. Farming
must be raised to q higher standard
and more acreage devoted to the rails
Ing of grain crops. The Norwegian
government Is trying to assist the
progress of farming by the granting of
cheap loans to farmers and providing
them with inexpensive lands for cul-
tivation, Although the number of
farmers has increased recently, Diff
cnlties have arisen owing to the lack
of farmhands, many of whom still pre-.
fer Co seek new homes In America, al.
though wages for farmhands of both
sexes are almost as high here as they
are In the United States and better
than anywhere else I'm Europe. The
press all over the country liz devoting
strong efforts are being made to
change the current of migration and
bring back from America to Norway
ut least some of the farm laborers and
women engaged i'm agricultural pur-
suits who have In recent times left
this country. The idea OF beginning
campaign In America with the OBJ
iect of making young Norwegians
there acquainted with the promising
prospects in their own country Is rap.
idly spreading. One society with the
title OF New Land has. been In exist
ence some time with this purpose in
view and also for providing land to be
farrned by peasant youths desiring to
start for themselves. Another schelhe
has been started by big industrial
man who needs thousands OF men for
his water power enterprises with the
view OF Inducing the various industries
TO appoint agents I'm America to hire
Norwcgians there for employment in
Norway and to assist them to <eturn
to their native land. The most recent
government census shows that OF the
population of 2,5o0,o0o, some 2o,oo(
are returned Norwegian. Americans
LOO of whom were born In the United
States. The majority of these people
have taken up farming on their OWL
account, using as their capital money
they had saved while working fol
others In America. A new emigration
law is under consideration which viii
provide for closer control of emigra
ton agents nd steamship lines anC
make it easier for emigrants to re
turn to Norway by giving them tiispen
sation from military service IL the.
have been away from Norway for +;
certain number OF years, at the same
time facilitating the restoration O
their Norwegian citizenship.
II is reported from Christfaaia tina
an important reorganization has TO
Gently taken place in the Norwegian
ministry. two departments havin;
been added to the cabinet and trans
fers having been made i'm other depart
ments. Minister Friis~petersen, hea,
of the social and commerce depart
mont. is the chief of the new depart
nent of commerce, Minister Of JuStic
/. Abrahamson has been transferre'
to the social department. Secretary @
Labor Irhye Is now minister OF iustic
and President Olsen Nahum Of III
storthing has been appointed ministc
.,f labor, The ether new department
f. that of supplies. oddmund Vii
chief magistrate IN Romsda}en, vii
head This department. The cabinet vii
thus i'm the future consist of ten mir
listers Gunnar knadsen retains hi
rosItion as prime minister.
correspondent writes that con
nany for the manufacture OF elretri
automobiles is in process Of orgaRizs
rian in ChriStiania. Ii is PLANNED I
begin operations with the u1anufacrar
,f freight trucks, the estimated annHs
,i.tfy,,t being leo machines. Late
messenger cars will also he made TIL
.,oaausay alse proposes TO estafiis'
stations for charging batteries &
various centeTs. The project IL Sirens
w recommended by the department. g
defense.
Henrik Land, Norwegian sssa-is
aer has placed orders for cqrinf9en
.,s..rsnatfng 1,eoatsya crowHs, fer RI
N6rse raine,s in sfitIeerEen with firm
il milwaukee,, Chicago and Dntail
1,,,asa mines ere tn i've tievetrrsesl A
r.r,i.sfs as possible, ewing tn the sf's'H
sr,g coal pg-iees ia Norway and fo nh
..,es,xnfty s,f obtaining cetat from 70
e.gn countries.
Henry Van Dyke the American mil
ss;er ri Holland, ~hs Is also famous q
an ansher. has a.een spending hts VI
>.ssss. III EvSngcr. Norway,