Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-07-20
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
leeted for Scandinavians and
Their Descendants.
BY MARTIN w. ODLAND.
Denmark.

Edward D. Winslow, the American
consul general at Copenhagen, has
given out an interview in which he de-
ciares that Denmark is becoming an
increasingly important distributing
center for goods exported from the
United States. sit is IL very signiti-
cant fact" he said, that American
goods going to Russia, Germany and
Austria are passing through Danish
ports. The Danes are now frankly
claiming that Copenhagen with its
free harbor, the only one in Scandi-
navia, has, supplanted other ports hav-
ing free harbors as Il continental dis
tributing center. I believe this port
will be able to hold its advantage when
peace comes, to hold the bulk of the
forwarding commerce already OBJ
tanned. Goods can be transshiped from
here to all ports of the world, as
cheaply and as expeditiouSly as from
any other port, especially il the final
destination be Norway, Sweden, Fin
land and the Germanic Baltic ports.
There are no hindrances to the es-
Establishment of agencies by Americans
In Denmark. Warehouses can be op-
Grated in the free port in which stock
can be carried. An authorized agent
Is recommended to handle American
trade. Denmark has i'm it's geograph-
ical position and In its land formation
unique qualifications for the develop
ment of important export and transit
trades. Owing to climatic conditions
Denmark must import from countries
| OF milder climates rice, coffee, tobacco,
| and colonial goods In general, also
cotton, iute and other materials for
| its textile manufacturers, and from
countries nearer home wool, flax and
hemp. The country possesses no for
ests, nor does ii produce either coal,
| iron or other minerals; it is therefore
compelled to import from abroad tim
Der, coal, petroleum, iron, steel, lead,
| tin, copper, zinc, etc, besides ole
| aginOus seed for crushing, oleomarga-
rine, wood pulp, cork, dyestu1fs and
many other similar goods, also feed
| ing stuffs to satisfy the growing re-
great quantities of manufactured goods
| for general consumption. So enormous
an import of foreign goods demands
| by necessity corresponding export
| Of home produce. The export of Dan
ish farm produce and of the fishing in
| dustries alone considerably exceeds the
| total imports, and to this must be add
| ed the export of Danish manufactures
which Is not at all an insignificant
| item. The export of Danish home prod
acts is further augmented by a large
| regular re-eXport of foreign goods.
From olden times the Danish customs
| regulations have been framed with n
| view to the encouragement of the tran
| sit trade. Through the large and fully
| equipped free harbor the merchant Is
able to import and export goods from
and to all parts of the globe, without
| being in any way hampered by duty or
| other customs regulations. In his eff
forts to expand the transit trade the
| merchant is extensively supported by
| the Danish banks, whose business is
| conducted on thoroughly modern lines
and whose tr1stwOrthness Is well
known and generally recognized. Co
penhagen Is the largest bank center in
northern Europe. In the year 1913
there arrived in the harbor Of COpen-
hagen GncIuding the free harbor) r.
| 02l steamers with a total of 4,3S2, 900
registered tons ard 1927 sailing ships
| with total of 10000 tons The har-
Dor Is supplied with all appliances. A
| special quay Is the landing place for
| the traffic with America. From the
| foregoing am of the belief that Amer
| lean merchants should fully investigate
| the question of locating agents or rep
resentatives at Copenhagen. No dis
| agreeable government restrictions are
| in force and foreign merchants are
welcomed"