Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-14
Norwegiams the World Over with Observe
18th of May as Morse independence Day

II de mai! Many will ask the ques.
ton, What does that mean?' Trans
lated from the Morse language it means
the 18th of May. Norway's Independ.
ence day-the Norseman's Fourth OF
July, as it were-which will be cele-
brated next Wednesday by Norwegians
in Great Falls and throughout the
world where they may be settled. and
more generally at home in Norway
the home of the Vikings. One hundred
eight years ago, May II, 1914, a brave
band of Norsemen gathered at Eds
void, not far from the Norwegian cap
ital city, and in convention assembled
adopted q declaration Of independence
for Norway, a constitution framed
upon the constitution of the United
States, of France. and of Spain.
Time was when all Scandinavia, and
England also, were governed by Danish
kings, and Denmark was one of the
people of Norway chose Queen Mar
garet of Denmark for their ruler. and
for nearly four hundred years from
that date the realm of the Norsemen
did not exist as a separate kingdom. 1t
remained attached to Denmark until
1914, when the Danish king, Frederick
V, without consulting the Norwegians,
ceded Norway to Sweden by the treaty
of Kiel (January IA, 1914.
Some time previously Sweden had
joined the '~allies' in their struggle
with Napoleon, while Denmark had,
unwisely sided with the French. In
1913 the Swedish crown prince, Berna-
dOtte, afterwards King Carl XIV, took
command of one of the armies of the
''allies'' then in Germany. After the
power of Napoleon had been broken at
Leipzig, he advanced against Den
mark, and the Danes were compelled
to accede to cessiOn to Norway. which
had long been the aspiration of the
Swedes, especially after the loss of
Finland in 1909. In the treaty of KEEL.
the Danish king absolved the Nor
and called upon them to become loyal
subjects of the Swedish king.
But the Norsemen. who had not been
consulted in the matter, remained to
be dealt with. They did not propose.
vassalage to the Swedes. They re-
fused to acknowledge the treaty. de-
claring that, while the Danish king
might renounce his right to the Nor
wegian crown. it was contrary to in
ternational law to dispose of an entire
kingdom without the consent of its
own people. Then there arose a Pat
rick Henry" party in favor of the alb
s0lute independence of Norway, and
the memorable meeting of delegates
was convened at Eidsvold on May Il.
Among the adopted constitutions most
important features are that the stOr-
thing. or national assembly. a single
chamber institution. over which the
king is not given an absolute veto nor
the right to dissolve that body. The
then Danish governor of Norway. |
Christian Frederick, was unani-
elected king. /
Viking Blood Stirs
Though Norway was lacking in peo-
pie, finances. defenses and armies. yet
the old Viking blood flowed in their
and they were bent on striking
for freedom. 1t was a hasty act, of
which of course Sweden could not ap-
prove. and the Swedish trained army
Norway. The hostilities last
ed only a fortnight. when negotiations
we're opened. A convention was held
at Moss, where it was proposed that
he Norwegians should accept the
king as their sovereign on the
that their constitution of the
9TH of May should remain intact. ex-
.ept with such alterations as the union
night render necessary. Peace and
Inion finally came. and on November
1914, the status of Norway was
established as a free, independent.
'qual and indivisible kingdom. united
With Sweden under one King. Charles
NH. but not as a subject nation.
Prince Christian Frederick had shortly
before laid down his crown and left
Norway.
The union was defined by an Act
# Union. accepted by both countries
he following year. which states that it
vas accomplished not by force of
rms. but by free convention and con-
The constitution framed at
,idsvold was retained and formed the
grundlov." or fundamental law of the
ingdom. The union was really an of
and defensive alliance under a
ommon king, each country having its
WI government. parliament and laws.
In Sweden the people for a long
HOLLYWOOD this union ia no an