The Coolidge examiner., 1935-05-24

i, J ties, dlthpugn the owners OF
many large estates have felt
the effect Of world depression and
have been forced 10 curtgll sharply
their living expenses. Yet modern
housing" has made few lnroads. ex-
cept In the large cities; and the
country gentlefolk. as rule. ad
here closely to quaint traditions of
I LONELINESS Inherited from their an
cestors.
I II Is not so easy to know the
I Swsdes well, especially the dwell
ers In the country, who for the most
part stay at home on their prop
erty. Foreigners are often led to
think that they are stlfr and re-
served, sometimes n little sullen or
even naughty. But this should be
Interpreted rather as n sign OF their
northern shyness.
They are In reality full OF fun
and Of warm feeling; but when II
Is a question OF showing the lat
ter. their shrinking from lmpulslve
gestures and emotional or grandllo-
quent language Is both comic and
/ touching.
Certainly the fetters are loosened
somewhat when they are In a fes-
tive mood and have drunk lit
/ tie wine. But II Is not then that
one gets closest to them. To know
and value them fully. one must OBJ
serve them within their own four
walls. in their daily life and ac-
tivities. Only In intimacy. free from
alien. disturbing elements, does
their charming Individuality come
to full Towering. Swedish home
life is a cult and a culture unlike
anything else. the product OF cen
turtles OF tender polishing and re-
Anlng. And nowhere has II at
talned such perfection as In the
old country houses.
There still were families which
can maintain TO some degree their
former luxurious standard OF liv-
Ing. Some had the good fortune or
the prudence not 10 invest their
fortunes In the securities which had
later been affected by the crisis
and the Kreuger crash. Others had
all their land leased on old and
profitable contracts, so long as the
tenants could keep up their pay
ments. But these were compare
lively few and privileged excep-
| tions.
Big Landowners Suffer.
II the situation is serious for near
ly everyone nowadays, 1t Is often
catastrophe for the great land
owners and territorial magnates.
Not a month passes but some OF
them have to leave home and prop
erty.
And where they stick TO their old
estates despite all their difficult
ties, they often do so less for their
own sake, but more In order not
10 abandon their retainers TO un-
employment. In the case Of en-
tailed estates there are OF course
no bankruptcies and forced sales,
but 1t Is not much more pleasant to
be placed under the management
Of banks and creditors.
For Swedish agriculture can no
longer pay Its way. There Is the
same conflict between agriculture
and Industry as In most other coun-
tries; and 1t looks as II the former
were getting the worst Of it.
A series Of relief schemes has
been started TO try to aid agricul-
ture In Sweden, as elsewhere. But
there has been no visible result so
far. An intensive educational cam
palgn has been set on foot: state
advisers and controllers have been
provided for every branch OF for
estry and agriculture.
An active agitation is carried
on for buying Swedish" and for
burning Swedish wood In the heat
Ing apparatus of public institutions
to reduce the importation OF coal.
Most Of the medieval castles In
Sweden are situated on heights sur
rounded by water or otherwise In
accessible places. Such placement,
needless to say, was not due to
any considerations for natural beau
ty, but because 1t afforded the most
advantageous defense.
For these strong stone houses
has developed direct from the pre-
historic Notifications whose founda-
tions are still found here and there.
Fortresses Made Into Dwellings.
When Sweden, In the Sixteenth
century, ceased to be disturbed by
civil war, the gloomy and inhos-
pitable fortresses were gradually
converted into dwelling houses. AS
time passed these grew more and
more comfortable, and esthetic con-
siderations became more decisive.
Many OF the most beautiful castles
In Sweden date from this interest
Ing transition period. From the be-
ginning of the Seventeenth century