The Nome nugget., 1938-06-22

here is the same civilization that Eu- rope and America know.
 And mmaterial factors proclaim the truth still more enthusiastically than do material things. Here, in this far northern land. worthy national lit- erature and stable national institu- tlons were developed when much of Europe was tioundering in the Dark ages Here the lamp of a Nordic Renaissance burned and lighted It's own region before the beacon of the Latin Renaissance was held aloft to light the way for the world. This northern light has never failed.
 II is true that physically Iceland's best foot is forward. It's most pleas ant aspect is its fringe of coast. h. land it is in nowise a pretty country. though the distinction may be made that it possesses much scenery Of beauty-a weird. magnificent beauty coupled with desolation; for. though Iceland Is not the icy waste that dis tant popular fancy would make It. 1t fared less fortunately at the hands of another of Natures great forces, fire. The land is actively volcanic. and in the interior. on every hand. are the evidences of great fiery outbursts of the past To tourists 1t presents none of those scenes which have made other lands popular; no forests, no rich meadows. no prosperous-appear- ing farms with beautiful gardens.
 Proud Of Their Island.
 In spite of adverse conditions. in spite of earthquakes and volcanoes, and the absence of luxnries the Ice anders cling to their land with fierce pride. They have national life which is different from that of any other land in the world
 They feel strongly their one-time glory and value highly the culture and civilization that they built practically without outside help and in which the Iceland of today has it's roots. Not only have they long ranked among the most lierate people in the world, but they possess q broad knowledge and excellent taste in literature.
 The people of Iceland have great literature of their own in the old sagas. and many of their modern poets are especially gifted. Their folk songs are popular throughout the coun- try and rank with the best of any nation.
 Reykjayik on Icelands southwestern coast. is the capital and metropolis of the island. Like all other early settlements in Iceland, IL was founded by Norwegians. Ingolf and Hjorleif, two Norwegian chiefs who refused to recognize IIarald Haarfager. Nor. ways first king. settled on the south. ern shore of Iceland in STA.
 As the traveller enters the Reykjayik harbor, he sees little to suggest that the city has been the capital of Ice land since 1900 and for many years has ,been the Icelandic seat of learn. ing. Everything appears to have a commercial aspect The harbor is a parade ground for dingy weather beaten. commercial and fishing craft, the quays are lined with unattra ctivs warehouses; and portions of the shore nearby are white with codfsh that the Islanders put out each day to dry.
 Once in the town, however, the pic ture changes. More than one fourth of Iceland's lOS,0OO inhabitants live in the gaudily painted wooden and cor rugated iron houses that border wide streets. American automobiles (there are about 300 of them in the capitaD are slowly taking the place of the little Iceland horses that not long ago had only wheelbarrows as their com. petitors in the transportation field. The show place of the capital Is the City Square. Here in the center of grassy plot rises the statue of Thor. waldsen. the Icelandic sculptor. which was presented to the lcelanders ny the rity of Copenhagen in 1874.
 The buildings 0t the Iceland uni. | ,ersity, which was established in 1911, the museum. and the library are fin the eastern portion of the capital city.