Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-09-06
NEWS AMONG
SCANDINAVIANS
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groups are in position to defy the
formerly so powerful Conservative
groups. This is a situation which is
reflected Interestingly in the legisla-
ton of the session now adjourned, and
which will mean much in NorWay's
political development during the next
few years.
Elections i'm Sweden.
Sweden is passing through an cleo
ton campaign, for members of the
Second Chamber blouse of Repre-
sentatives) of the Riksdag (parlia-
ment) are to be chosen by the voters
late this summer.
The issues are manifold, but in
general it may be said that an in
creasing dissatisfaction with the pres
ent government-hea by Carl Gus
tat Ekman-is at the bottom of them
ALL Apparently, the principal charge
of the opposition parties is that the
government is not sufficiently demo-
cratic, and numerous instances are
cited to bring out this alleged fact.
Strike i'm the Iron Mines.
Directly the government may not be
blamed for the widespread strike in
the iron mines of Sweden, but it is
charged that the cabinet ministers
were unable to avert this crisis which
was of an exceedingly serious nature
since iron mining is one of the funda-
mental industries of the country. The
government has share in some OF
the great iron ks-Luossenvaara
and Kirunavaara-and it figured on
an estimated surplus for itself of A.
SOC, 900 krOnor; due to the strike this
surplus was reduced to less than 6
millions.
Another thing is that the govern
ment had undertaken to reduce the
passenger fare on the state-Owned
railroads; the promise has not been
carried out, and this fact means much
in a country where railroad fares are
abnormally high as in Sweden.
Defense Issue Critical.
The problem of national defense
has for years been acute in Sweden,
and one reason for this is the close
proximity of Russia. 1t seems that
some sort of compromise is being at
tempted between the government and
the opposition parties, but so far
nothing tangible has resulted.
A naval construction program sub
mitted some time ago calls for fleet
capable of defending the entire coast
line, and an expenditure of 105, AGO.
900 kronor (about $26,350,0O0) was
suggested. This program has been the
basis of great deal of acrimonious
political fighting, the conservative
groups insisting that no price is too
high for the country's defense, and
charging the opposition with losing
itself in fantastic dreams about flu
ture disarmament, while the Social
lists and other opposition groups main
tain that modern war machinery, as
developed by the Great Powers, makes
it perfectly futile for a small country
like Sweden to sacrifice immense
sums on a defense system which, in
any event, will be inadequate.
Agitation i'm Denmark.
A new Landsting (Senate) of the
Danish Rigsdag (parliament) is to be
elected this month, and it looks at
this distance as though Denmark is
to again enter a constitutional crisis.
In the present Landsting there are
81 Left-party members, 25 Social
Democrats, II Conservatives, and s
Radicals constellation which means
in effect, that the Left party, with the
support of the conservatives, has been