Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-12

be based upon the freedom Of races
and their self-determination as to
what kind Of government they de-
sired.
With all the world-more or less
free, why must Iceland remain bound
to Denmark? News comes from Oslo
that word from Iceland emphasizes
the increasing demand for absolute
separation from Denmark. That was
the campaign slogan in the late cleo
ton, as voiced by the Peasant Party,
and it won.
Freedom is not required immedi-
ately, nor will it come by force OF
arms. When Norway and Sweden
separated. few years ago, 1t was by
mutual consent, so why should not
the Icelanders accomplish their free
dom and independence, not by an
armed struggle, as did Ireland, but by
consent of Denmark?
OF what importance Is 1t to the
world whether "a little island buried
under polar icebergs and sparsely
peopled by tribe of Eskimo,
pays homage to a European king.
dom or not?" That Is the naturaa
question of the unsophisticated. The
main trouble with the query is that
Iceland, (39,207 square miles, Is as big
as Virginia or Kentucky and bigger
than all of Ireland 1888 square
miles), and it is not buried under an
iceberg and is not peopled by Eski-
mo, but largely by folks of charac-
teristics more European than Arctic.
Iceland was old to civilization when
it inspired Christopher Columbus to
seek Cathay-and find America. She
Sings to the same tune we use for
al %foV a1 IJyyY1
Fire.olden Iceland strand,
Hearts dearest foster-land,
Hill maiden rare!
Of thee shall souls be fain,
While land Is girt of main,
And wooeth maiden swain
Or sun shines fair.
Mid Ravens murky night
Crave we homes wonted sight,
For thee we yearn;
Weary towns din must be
Joyless it's revelry;
Though idlers mock to see,
To thee we turn.
Haven" means Copenhagen. In
dicating that the hymn was written
bv an Icelander, homesick and
stranded in Denmark's capital, Mr..
of this "Eldgamla Isafold."
So patriotism may be as deep
seated in the heart Of an 1celander
as it is in that of a Yankee. There's
no place like home"
In a ponderous book, Iceland and
It's Scenes and Sagas," by Sabine
Barring Gould, M. A. a story is told
Indicating some of the peculiar GUS
toms of Iceland. Says Baring-Gould:
During the night a caravan belong
ing to a Danish merchant arrived,
consisting of 80 horses, laden with
wares from the station of Hofsos, at
which a ship had arrived with goods.
These he was conveying to Akureyrl,
the capital of the north. We all
started together in the morning and
found the Dane very agreeable, as ne
spoke little English. / mentioned
nv regrets at having deprived him OF
the guest bed at Steinstahr.
"Dank you," he said, but l never
slip in an Island bed"
Zone meaning of Island IS Ice
landic.O
sitting room?
eyes. / not like a bed in a native
bvre. It is so dirty and so full of in
sect" Then after a pause he said:
"You should come to Husavik and see
the fair; it will be dare in dree week.
"I wish 1 could, but 1 shall not be
in the neighborhood then. What
trade is carried on at the fair. may l
ask?
"Oh. the merchants sells Of crock
ery. of corn brandy and Of Globes.
allow do the natives pay? They
have no money!
mo. but dey have fleas.
II am we'll aware of that. but how
comes that to alter the case?
'Vhyw replied the Dane, "dey
takes of de wares and dey gives of de
fieas. De people of Denmark likes OF
de Island fleas very much.
"a singular TASTE" l remarked.
Indeed. 1 may say very singular.
What can there be in them so at
tractive?'
ooh" with enthusiasm, "dey is more
big and more long dan in any odder
country.
Woes me! Your statement Is cor
roborated by my experience.
"De colder de Winter, de bigger de
fleasp' remarked my companion.
"And they bring these denominations
to the merchant stations for barter?'
"When dey have washed and dried
de feas-Daren' exclaimed the mer-
chant, pointing-'dare Is lot, lying
in the sun to be dried"'
My eye followed the direction of
my companions finger, and l saw a
quantity Of sleeps wool-feece-
lying in the tun of small farm.
II
So it appears that in Iceland the
farmers produce not only "feas" but
also fleece; they raise sheep and horses
and cattle and garden stuff. though
it is impossible to raise grain be-
cause the Summers are only four
months long. Possibly that Is not a
finality, for in Minnesota corn ma
lures in 80 days and Spring wheat in
less than four months. If they
sowed wheat before breakfast" in
early dawn 1t might get good start
by sIn-up. for twilight is four months
long. daylight four months and night
four months.
The early settlers of Iceland came
from Norway, in S74 AID. At that
time Norway was a loose confederacy
of semi-independent chieftains and
tribes. These chiefs ignored any
superior. until Harold Fairhair reign
ed. He was young, insolent and i'm
perious, and he bent or broke the
chieftains to his will. This resulted
in an extensive migration, similar In
purpose to that of our Pilgrim Fathers
to America, but the Norwegians stop
ped at Iceland. That was before the
discovery of "Vineland." later found
in New England or Labrador by Nor
wegian Vikings. The Morse fled be-
cause a new religion. called Christian,
was being forced upon them in place
of their old Worship of the trees.
During the first 60 years in Iceland
there was no central government, but
about $50 AID. central assembly of
chieftains and priests met, and there
after until 1898. 1t was not democ-