Evening star., 1938-07-04
.DEPRESS|0NFELT
LESS IN SWEDEN
Workers and Small Farmers
in Power in His Nation,
IndustriaIist Says.

J. Sigfrid Edstrom, Swedish indus
trialist. said yesterday in an interview
that Sweden had felt the depression
less than many other countries because
it had raw materials the world re-
quired
Mr. Edstrom took issue with the
opinion which he said he found cur
rent in this country that the co-opera-
tive movement had prevented severe
depression in his country.
The co-operatives had nothing to
do with it," he said I'VE simply had
raw materials and products the world
demanded" He mentioned lumber and
steel.
Mr. Edstrom is head of the Swedish
delegation of 40 to this country's cele-
bration of the 300th anniversary of
the arrival of the first Swedish colon
lists in America. He is also chairman
of the board Of the General Swedish
Electrical Co., chairman of the SWed-
ish Employers Federation, past chair
man of the Federation of Swedish
Industries and an avowed foe of labor.
Nevertheless, chatting with him pleas
antly in his suite were an unskilled
workman from a Helsingborg marg-
crime factcry-an ardent union men,
ber-and a farmer and his wife, who
till the soil in North Sweden at the
same latitude as Alaska.
Workers in Power.
"In our country the workers and
small farmers are in power said
Mr.. Edstrom.
I'VE call their party Social-Demo-
cratic-a name that might scare Amer
leans, but we like the word. Now ]
am a conservative, and would like to
see my party get elected, but I have
the best time in the world with the
labor party. We have learned to get
along"
He introduced the factory worker as
Owe OLSON, young man who was
chosen to come to America as typical
Swedish workman, not union officer
with all expenses paid by the govern
ment.
Mr.. OLSON said strikes are rare in
Sweden
Il think this is because we workers
have q greater solidarity than those
In any other country" he said.
Almost 100 per cent belong tc
unions, and employers think that Ii
the best way to deal with us. We use
union funds in political campaigns
and control both houses Of our Con-
gress by working with the peasants
party.
Discrimination Agreement.
There is no law compelling EN-.
ployers not to discriminate against
union members. but this is covered
by the national agreements we have
in every industry Mr.. OLSON con.
tinued.
I'VE have established workers night
schools, which make us stick together
more. That's where learned to speak
English, never dreaming I would gel
to come over here.
"Of course, the government has
established arbitration courts, with nc
strikes allowed till they have beer
given chance" he said.
Mr.. Edstrom's farmer friends were
Mr.. and Mrs. Arvid Oberg, who grow
barley, rye and oats 40 miles south o1
the Arctic Circle, where at this sea.
son the sun doesn't set at night anc
in winter there is solid month oi
darkness
Farm Long in Family.
Why doy they farm there? Both
the Obergs laughed-they were borr
there, and the farm has been family
property for eight generations.
Their big product is milk. Mrs
Oberg gets up at am. every day tt
milk by hand the special northern
cows. which are white and without
horns.
The Obergs, too, have been sent te
the United States as typical workers
Of their kind. They will go to Maine
and then fly to Tacoma, Wash. They
were asked what they most wanted
to see.
"Oh, cows" said Mrs. Oberg. "Bui
these American ooAs are so ugly!"