Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-05-11
IN FAR NORTHLAND.
important Events In Sweden,
Norway and Denmark.
BRIEFS FROM OLD COUNTRY
Interesting ltems From the Three
Great kln0doms OF the North So
tected for Scandlnavlans and
Their Descendants.
BY MARTIN w. opLAND.



An interesting dispatch from Stock
holm says: Twelve years ago August
Strindberg wrote finis under the last
act of his historical drama, Gustav
H." and tossed aside his pen, and
now. in the year of grace, 1916. when
the master has long since ceased his
Iabors, Stockholm sees his work per
time. Even In Stockholm. the home
of the Strindberg drama, first per-
fcrmance of Strindberg play is not
to be passed over lightly. 1t calls out
royalty and the intellectual nobility;
it leads to protracted comment over
the coffee and licueurs and to long
| criticisms and reviews in the newspa-
pers. When Gustav III" went on the
''lntima teatern" on January rs, men
| with high foreheads and long hair
| cabled their comment to Norway, Dem
| mark and Germany, and what they
said appeared in print next day by the
| side of the official French communique.
Strange it was, perhaps significant,
that the premiere took place I'm the
| "Intima teatern"-the intimate the
alter, as we would say. the Little thea
ter of Stockholm. Heretofore 1t has
been the great royal dramatic theater
which gave the accepted Strindberg
| performances-th dramatiska--where
AndeSs de VAIL, regarded by Europe
as the best interpreter of the Strind-
berg roles, had been wont to appear in
the leading parts of "Erick XIV"
| Master Olaf" "Gustavus Vasa,"
and other plays. Wahl was the friend
of strindberg and today owns many of
his manuscripts. 1t was, perhaps, sim
gular too, that Wahl appeared at the
lntiina on the opening night, not in
costume, but as a spectator, who occu-
pied loge with Prince Eugen, the
| royal patron of the arts. Gustav III
was published some years ago, so that
most Strindberg students have read
1t. AS was his custom in other cases,
| Strindberg adopted his own view of
the life of the hero king, and his inter
probation was roundly scored in the
| newspapers of Stockholm. Perhaps
this was one reason for the belated
premiere. The attitude OF the critics
OF today is that the Interpretation
should not be allowed to detract from
the value of the work as drama And
drama it undoubtedly is. The subject
| was good one. Gustav Ill developed
a strong personal rule between It'll
and 1892, which succeeded in holding
| pf n iu I,r hs
cause of his justice toward them. He
crushed the mobiles, checked the inter
ference of Russia In Swedish affairs.
abolished torture and encouraged sci.
ence and art. When he sought to inter
vene in the French revolution on the
side of Louis XVI the mobiles conspired
against him and on March Is, 1892, he
was assassinated while at masked
ball in the royal theater, which stood
on the site now occupied by the Royal
| Opera house. Here was surely suffi.
ctent material for heroic treatment.
Lars Hanson played the part of Gus
tav to the great satisfaction of the
critics and the delight of the public.
and on the whole the play, which is
still on the bill at the Intima, has
pleased immensely. Gustav III" is
not Strindberg's best manner; 1t is
| easily inferior to "Gustavus Vasa,
which was played In Chicago a few
but ii is superior to Queen Christina"
and in all respects notable work. 1t
is Enthusiastically Strindberg, with
| plenty Of effective situations, which
compel the interest of the audience
and hold it in almost breathless sus-
| pense as the destiny of the king full
| fills itself.
| According to recent cablegram, the
| Swedish government has asked the
| riksdag for vote of 100000 kroner
| for the army; 12,25O,000 kroner for
the navy and 1900, 900 kroner for has
| tening the construction of destroyers
and submarines. The army expendi-
ture is proposed principally for the
heavy artillery. engineering and supply
| services and for the equipment of the
landsturm.
| The Swedish steamer J. J. Dickson.
bound to Amsterdam, was captured
and taken to Hamburg by the feet OF
German warships while the feet was
returning from the bonn bardment of
the English coast April Is.
A person who does not want his
name published has donated $1,000 of
| stocks in the national tobacco monop-
| oily to Upsala to be used for the bene-
| fit OF poor children and for two pri-
| vate societies.
A syndicate has been organized for
utilizing the waterpower OF the Dial
| river. 1t is to be no small under
taking, the plans calling for an ex-
| penditure of 100000. The combined
| capacity OF the plants is estimated at
| 10000 horsepower.
The following Swedish ladies have
| celebrated their 100th birthday ami