Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-03-26
(By G. S. ~strandvold)

(By G. S. Strandvold) 800 |
II.
Assthe interests of the three Scandi-
countries in q very large meas
ure were identical, concerted action
for the purpose Of maintaining peace
was quite naturally ~resorted to during
the early period Of the war. and the
attitude was DEEMED at
conference at Malmoe of n kings OF
Norway, Denmark and Sweden as n
Of consistent and strict neutrality.
This meeting was followed by a series
Of conferences between he premiers
and foreign, ministers of the three
countries whose foreign policy and
trade relations with the belligerents
were made subjects to thorough n
discussion.
one rather striking feature in con-
nection with these gatherings was
that they were apparently uninfiuenc-
ed by internal conditions in each of
the countries; the political storms in
Sweden, the restless labor sentiment
in Norway, and the threat of an In
dustrial crisis in Denmark in no way
affected the parleys at the conference
table.
Send Joint Note.
Inc 1aCL tHdI tue luISo 6ovo1u.
ments uttered their protests against
the announcement Of Unrestricted
German submarine warfare in Febru-
airy, 1917. in a joint note was an in
teresting prelude to the most impor-
tant Scandinavian meeting. during
the war, that of November, 1917.
when the three kings gathered at
Chrtstiania. The significance Of the
occasion was emphasized by the pres
ence op Norwegian soil Of King Gus
tavius v for the first time since the
dissolution Of the acknowledgements
union, and also by the fact that the
Scandinavian 1nterparliamentary I'm
ion had been summoned for an extra.
ordinary meeting at about the same
time.
Just one month before the confer
ence Of the kings took place, the Con-
servative Norwegian journal. Morgen-
bladet. had found opportunity to ex-
press its dissatisfaction with the ef-
forts made to interpret Northern
solidarity as a desire for the consum-
nation of a political union. THE
great countries will not succeed in
separating I. the Scandinavian
tries" this paper said, .'andp there, Is
at the present time no n in Norway
who wants to accentuate the differ
ences between them. But there are
three countries. and each must work
out it's own destiny. This does not
mean that the lines. are divergent, but
simply that they are not necessarily
IDENTICAL"
A Swedish View.
Commenting upon this article, the
Swedish Aftonbladet remarked that
it really was synonymous with Nor
ways declaration that she would
stand aside from the rest Of the
NORTH statement to which Morgen.
bladet retorted that 1T is peace and
neutrality which is our policy, and a
breach with the rest of Scandinavia
would endanger u (Norway's) peace
and, neutrality. But it does not mean
that we are to maintain a joint COM
mercial policy" The Danish National
tidende said that the conference of
the kings would signify IAN official
and solemn sanction Of Northern
lead ito an increasingly lively COM
mercial c~o-operation between the
countries"
The three kings met November %,
and the fact that King Gustavius aft
er concluding his speech at the state
banquet stretched his right hand
across the table to King Haakon and
simultaneously his left to King Chris
ttian was considered a beautiful and
significant episode"
In commenting upon the conference
Of the kings, one Of the leading Dan
ish newspapers wrote: Z
1--WE do not belong to those who
erect glittering air castles on the
phantom foundation of prospects for
Northern solidarity. Each of the three
countries will in the future remain in
the same unchanged unity as hereto
fore. There must be no dreanfs Of en-
f-.-- nAlAA nroo tn a So Py,f Tho
Northern brother peoples will, during
the period following the war, work
shoulder to shoulder in mutual trust
and sincerity. The universal catastro-
phe has taught u5 the importance of
cooperation in the North, and, Great
ed the possibility for q development
OF q practical Scandinavianism whose
main support will be those identical
interests which must be looked for
tics"
Discourage Political Union.
influential Norwegian and Swedish
Journals discussed the meeting OF the
kings and were careful to note that
results Of rfar-reaching Significance
might follow, but there was always
evident in the, comments q pains
taking endeavor not to allude to any
political cooperation. .-..
the time opportune for suggesting
definite steps toward the incorpora-
ton Of Finland into the Northern
league Of nations but were taken Sc
verely to task by the Conservative
press. ss5&
German newspaper editors gravely
reminded scandinayia that while CO.
thing, It must not be forgotten that
|StCnrna q M, n the maakor nf the Ra1-