The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-06-15
BY MILTON BRONNER NEA Service Stan Correspondent

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 BY MILTON BRONNER
 NEA Service Stan Correspondent
 oscar Gustaf Adolf, looking back on 80 years of life and 90 years of ruling as King of Sweden, of the Gotns and the Wends, can smile the smile of 8 man who has done Q job well.
 AS Gustaf the Fifth, this kindly, humorous, able monarch has seen others kings topple around him; he has seen the world at war, and neighbor nations a-fire with inter- nal strife.
 He has led his country through a terrible world war, doing the im- possible by steadying his people on the tight-rope of neutrality while the seething cauldron boiled on both sides.
 He has seen a new order rise in his land--and he has met 1t, grace fully, as a king should. He has given history something to talk about: He has been the king of a Socialist country.
 He has seen angry passions at work while his subjects idled dan gerously in @ nationwide strike. And he was father confessor to both capital and labor.
 He has seen panic strike the hearts of his people, stunned by the collapse of the vast Otto Kreuger interests.
 And, like King, he has led them up from the ruins.
 Gustaf had good training for his responsibilities. Six times during the last years of the reign of his father, King Oscar II, Gustaf had to serve as regent while his father was i'll.
 He succeeded to the throne or December 8. 1908, Ca half century after his birth on June 16, 1858) and promptly won his way into the hearts of his people by foregoing q glittering coronation ceremonial tc save the cost of such an event.
 Two years after his accession Gustaf had his first anxious time Labor unions had been growing rapidly and the employers fought them. The year 1909 was marked with bitter strikes and lock -outs climaxing in nationwide strike Gustaf helped bring the warning factions together and thereafter there was peace.
 But an even more dangerous period for Sweden broke out in August, 1914, with the start Of the World War.
 In foreign countries 1t was believed Sweden was sympathetic to the Central Powers because Gustafs queen Victoria. daugh- ter of the Grand Duke of Baden) was German Princess: because of the Kings own early admiration for the Kaiser. and because Ger many had been the best customer for Sweden's high grade iron ore.
 In any event, Sweden was badly crippled by the war. The Baltic Sea was a German lake, thanks to Ger manys navy. And the North Sea and the oceans were held by the Allied navies.
 l British men of war held uu Swedish ships and Britain impos- ed trade restrictions on the cOun- try. Imports of food stuffs and raw materials were limited for fear Sweden would buy in excess and pass them on to Germany. Al the same time, German submar- ines were sinking Swedish ves- 1 seIs.
 Sweden paid a high price for neutrality. Sugar, meat and po- tatoes had to be rationed; bread cards were issued; and milk was reserved for children and inva- lids. A food commission controlled grain imports to satisfy the Allies An industrial commission rationed raw materials to factories and mills
 Through 1t all, Gustaf walked consoling his people. buoying uE their spirits.
 When the war was over, the rev olutionary spirit which overthreW kings all over Europe, made itseli manifest in Sweden with the growth of a Socialist Party. Hjalmar Brant- ing became the first Swedish Prime Minister in 1920.
 The coming of the Socialists die not embarrass Gustaf, however He had sworn to be 8 constitu- tional monarch. He accepted tht will of his people.
 Thus when Premier Granting sat down at his desk he looked upon three framed photographs one of Marx and another of En. gels, the Socialist demi-gods while in the center - in the place of honor was signed photo. graph of King Gustaf.s It wal charmingly inscribed:
 ITO my dear Granting, from hi, devoted GLstaf."
 They had been old school fel. lows and in their matured year, the friendship was renewed ane enhanced.
 When Granting died. Gustaf, ir full military uniform took hi place behind his friends coffin while all around him was a sci Of blood red flags of the socialists
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