Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-05

building modern nation out OF an OLD
rundown colony that for centuries had
lain in the North Atlantic, away from
the trade lanes of the world, often
hardly able to survive, clinging to ifs
literary traditions with a fierce love
that almost amounted to desperation
and dreaming constantly of the Viking
days of its past glory.
The many hundreds of tourists who
will flock to this years celebration will
still be able to see much that is quaint"
and out of Enthusiastically as 1t was
two or three centuries ago--but they
will see far more that is new, modern
product Of the energetic work of a re-
awakened people.
From Reykjavik, q modern capital
with ONCE buildings, moving picture
houses and cosmopolitan cafes they will
be able to telegraph or telephone to al
most any farm on the island-a thing
that was impossible before 1906. They
VIII be able to drive in an automobile
almost half way around the country
where a few years ago they would have
been forced to walk or spend weeks in
the saddle. They will be able to fly to
any point on the island in one OF the
two planes operated by the Icelandic
Aviation Co. in conjunction with the
German Lufthansa. They will see har-
bors teeming with ships from various
European ports and Icelandic trawlers
steaming to the fishing grounds where
20 wears ago they would have seen a
few small sailboatS and many open row.
boats. They will receive news from
America and Europe by radio and see
farmers in century-old houses ana
chronistically listening to broadcast NIL
sic. weather reports. political arguments,
the latest developments in the scheme
for Harvesting the country's water power
and furnishing electric light and heat
TO every farmer in the land.
And they will see almost as many con-
crete buildings In the rural districts as
sod and stone houSes-perhaps more, for
tourists have habit of sticking to the
beaten track.
In few places in the world can we
see such splendid example of the end
less chain of Improvements that a few
automobiles and few miles of road
bring about.
LuxurieS Become Necessities.
When Icelandic farmers found roads
replacing the old pony trails that had
served them for centuries they discov-
cred that they could get number Of
things that had been out Of their reach
before. Cement, lumber and coal not
only could be bought. they also could be
transported. Foreign clothes to replace
the old-fsshioned homespun could be
obtained at not too prohibitive a cost.
Fruit, canned goods and foreign foods
we're available. And with the avail
ability of these things the farmers de-
sire for them grew.
The imported objects that at first
were luxuries soon became necessities
with that relentless habit that luxuries
have. The farmer obtained them in ex-
change for his produce, and as his needs
grew the output Of his farm was forced
to grow.
Aided by the countrys numberless
farmers cooperative societies no less
than by the newly established govern
ment agricultural stations, he began to
improve his working methods. He intro
duced foreign fertilizers and machinery.
He began to experiment with exotic
vegeta lettuce. spinach
things that no power on earth could
have rammed down his own gullet but
that were appreciated in the towns and
prejudices we're less restrictive than
his own.
A friend who visited Iceland recently
found that several farmers had very
successfully grown a number of vege-
tables from seeds a German traveller
had given them the year before-vege-
tables that had previously been consid-
cred absolutely unsuited to the Ice
landic climate and soil. MY friend and
his wife had to demonstrate not only
how these foods should be prepared. but
how they should be eaten and relished
as well
The latter demonstration proved an
absolute failure so far as any effect on
the audience was concerned. Living
up to Stefansson's principle that the
readiness with which people take to
strange foods is in direct proportion
to the variety Of foods they are already
accustomed to, the rural Icelanders,
with their limited diet. looked with hor-
Farmers Export Food.
Not only are the farmers importing
food, they are exporting it as well.
The fertile lands of southwestern Ice
land are today beginning to export
splendid butter and cheese to England.
This course of events, in a varying
degree, took place wherever the auto
mobile roads reached-and to some ex-
tent in the isolated districts as well.
And it had a marked influence on the
other activities of the country. BY
stimulating foreign trade. which today
is higher per inhabitant in Iceland
than in any other country in the world,
1t had its contributory effect on ship
ping and harbor works. the construc-
ton Of lighthouses, the nations foreign
policy.
Iceland's policy toward her foreign
trade, like that of every other coun-
try, must be concerned principally with
the maintenance Of favorable balance
OF trade through the increase of ex-
ports or the decrease of imports, or
both. For years the Icelanders have
been convinced that they had to i'm
port the majority of things needed to
sustain civilized life. On the whole
they seemed to be right, but lately they
have discovered that there are items in
the list Of imports that can be cut down
to a great degree.
Take coal as an example Most of
the coal used in the world is burned
for the purpose of heating water. only
lately have the Icelanders realized the
full significance of the fact that Ma
ture. while neglecting to furnish them
with adequate fuel. did give them I'M
limited amounts of hot water.
A number of public buildings
throughout the land are today heated
by the simple method OF piping hot
springs into radiators, and there is
nothing unusual in finding an old sod
or stone farm house heated by the most
modern means-With the additional adj
vantage to the farmer that he has no
fuel bills and no ashes to bother with.
And irrigation with the water from hot
STANDARDIZATION for warmth rather
than moisture-is more than doubling
the size Of the potato crop for many a
farmer
The hot springs laundry outside OF
ReykJavik and the warm water munich
pal swimming pool are old sights to
tourists, but few are aware Of the
scheme. now being discussed, of HEATING
that whole city of $4,000 inhabitants
with natural hot water. When the
scheme was first proposed it was con-
sidered hair-brained and visionary, be-
cause the nearest adequate springs were
25 miles away. Lately. however. this