Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1916-08-31
SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT HAP.
PENINcs IN FAR OFF
NoRTHlAND.
ITEMS FROM THE OLD HOME
Resume Of the Most Important Events
IN Sweden, Norway and Denmark
OF Interest to the scandinavians
In America.
NORWAY.

moment. The great emigration of
Horwegians to the United States
which during the past 80 years has
drained the country Of young labor.
ers and girls from the farms, has
never made itself felt so much as in
the last two years while Norway has
been endeavoring to become more and
move self-supporting 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 a higher standard
and more acreage devoted to the rails
Ing OF grain crops. The Norwegian
government is trying to assist the
v2rogress of farming by the granting of
cheap loans to farmers and providing
sthem with inexpensive lands for cul-
ovation. Although the number of
FARMERS has Increased recently, diff
culties have arisen owing to the lack
or farmhands, many of whom still
prefer to seek new homes in America,
although wages for farmhands of both
sexes are almost as high as they are
In the United States and better than
anywhere else In Europe. The press
all over the country is devoting much
attention to this subject and strong eff
forts are being made to change the
current of migration and bring back
from America to Norway at least some
OF the farm laborers and women en-
gagged In agricultural pursuits who
have In recent times left Norway. The
idea of beginning a campaign in Amer
lea with the object of making young
Norweglans there acquainted with the
promising prospects In their own coun-
try Is rapidly spreading. One society
with the title of New Land has been
In existence some time with this pur-
pose in view and also for providing
iand to be farmed by peasant youths
desiring to start for themselves. An
other scheme has been started by big
Industrial man who needs thousands
OF men for his water power enter
prises with the view of inducing the
various Industries to appoint agents
in America to hire Norwegians there
for employment in Norway and to as
sist them to return to their native land.
The most recent government census
shows that Of the population of $780,
900, some 10000 are returned Norwe-
gian Americans. 100 of whom were
born in the United States. The ma
5ority of these people have taken up
farming on their own account.
Americans who arrived In Scandina-
via recently on the steamer Bergens-
ford told Of decidedly unique cele-
bration of the Fourth of July on board
that vessel. On the third of July the
Bergensfjord was captured" by a
British cruiser and escorted to Kirk
wall for the customary examination of
cargo and passengers. Despite the
fact that they were to be "captives"
over the Fourth In British harbor,
the passengers decided to hold fitting
celebration and to read anew the Dec
laration Of Independence. All the neu-
trails on board decided to Join the
Americans, and Captain Irgens of the
Bergensfjord appointed a committee to
arrange everything. The hour set for
the ceremonies was eleven o'clock the |
morning of the Fourth. 1t was found
mt that time however, that the British
authorities required the presence of all !
first-class passengers, and the reading |
OF the Declaration of Independence
was postponed until two o'clock. At
this hour the ceremonies were begun |
Anew. America" was sung, a short |
prayer was offered and then Captain |
Irgens arose. II regret very much"
he announced, "but the Declaration Of |
Independence must again be postponed |
as the British authorities require the |
presence of the second-class passen-
gers In their dining ROOM" At three |
o'clock the ships company assembled |
again to hear proclaimed the principles |
of free and Independent people. But
again Captain Irgens arose. II regret |
again to have to announce further
postponement of the Declaration of In |
dependence, for the British authori- |
ties, who do not recognize the Fourth |
of July as a holiday. say they must
have the third-class passengers In their |
dining room at once" Forty-five min |
utes later the British authorities had
concluded their examination Of the
neutrals and this time the declaration
7 was read amid great enthusiasm. The
Bergensfjord. however, and the Amer
teams aboard her, remained in cap
tivity" until the afternoon of the fifth.
The Norwegian steamer Gaute, the
second Of three vessels laid down at De
troit for Norwegian interests. sailed
from the yards Of her builders In the
Detroit river yesterday for New York,
via the Welland canal. Upon arrival
mt New York several thousand tons of
relief supplies for Belgian war suffer
ers will be taken aboard. The first
Norwegian vessel built In Detroit was
the Gisela, which departed some time
ago. A third, the Vestland, will be
turned over to her master in a few
weeks.
The Norwegian steamer Amanda, of
1888 tons gross, which was reported
On August to have been sunk. has
been towed to Neville bay. Her hull
is considered total wreck, but ar
rangements are In progress for salvag-
ing the cargo. The crew is reported to
have been landed.
The Norwegian steamship Ragnarok,
from Gothenburg for Rouen, has been
sunk In the North sea. Her crew was