Evening star., 1941-03-02
iceland Possesses
Oldest PurIioment
By Frederic J. HdSktn.

crumbling and others are fighting for
their survival, it is refreshing TO observe
that the oldest parliament in the world,
that Of Iceland, is still in existence. Not
only Is there evidence in this that democ-
racies survive, but Iceland is the only
nation in the world without single SOL
dier, warship or fighting plane. Indeed,
1t has no army and no navy, and 1t has
never had war.
Icelands Parliament, now more than
1000 years old, and known as the Althing
CAR meaning ALL and thing" being
the old Morse verb for TALK held its
first session in a great cleft in a fan
tastic lava field, and its members were
hardy Norsemen who feared neither the
inclemencies of the weather nor the
wrath of their fellowmen. Their de-
scendants through the years have been
the same pioneering and daring stock,
carrying out the convictions and putting
into practice the ideals of their FORE
bears.
Icelands capital is Reykjavik, real
metropolis for this unusual little country.
although the city's inhabitants number
however, was formed at Thingvilla,
where in the summer of 1890 people from
every part of the globe gathered to cele-
brate the millennium Of that first meet
ing of the Althing The occasion was
chronicled in every important daily paper
throughout the world, while practically
every government sent official felicita-
tionS.
Although Iceland'S first Parliament
had no official home, having met for
many years in some convenient place, it
has never striven for pretentious place
of abode. Even today Parliament House
is much like the Town Hall Of some very
small New England village. The small
subsidized church that stands beside 1t
would even pass unnoticed among Wash
ington's most modest houses Of worship.
The islanders are, with only unimpor-
tant exceptions, members of the Luth-
eran Church, and the State Church.
located hard by the capitol. is as much
a department Of the government as 1t 10
In the other lands Of Scandinavia.
Fleeing from the tyranny Of the many
petty kings Of Norway during the tenth,
II not indeed also the ninth, century, the
Norsemen who sought refuge in Iceland
founded a republic which endured until,
several hundred years later, it was re-
turned to the King of Norway.
Denmark inherited Iceland along with
Norway and kept it until after the Nor
wegianS shook off the Danish yoke. In
1918 Iceland virtually regained her in
dependence through treaty signed with
Denmark. This left the two countries
long a single kingdom-as Siamese twins,
bound together by the same King, but
otherwise having almost no of1cial con-
nection In theory. King Christian x
of Denmark until he lost his throne last
April as consequence OF German occu-
patton, could veto acts Of the Icelandic
Parliament. In practice, however, this
authority was never exercised, for the
king always signed on the dotted line
anything Iceland's Prime Minister laid
before him. Even the previous counter
signature of Danish Minister was not
necessary, nor indeed, from the Icelandic
point of view, was such signing per-
missible.
Iceland's Althing is composed Of q
varying number of members, although
no more than 40 may be elected or serve
at the same time. Thirty-eight of these
are elected in constituencies, each elect
ing one or two members by the simple
democratic majority rule. There Is an
exception which makes the plan of rep
resentation in direct contrast to the
voteless Capital of the United States. for
Reykjavik, capital of Iceland, has six
representatives who are elected by pro-
portional representation.
1t has been the custom for the King
of Denmark to appoint the President Of
the Council of Ministers, generally
known as representatives, and all are
subject to approval Of the Althing. BY
this method the same procedure is fol-
lowed as practiced in the Congress Of
the United States, where members OF
the House or Senate have the right to
declare a seat vacant upon proper
grounds.
When Iceland entered into q treaty
with Denmark in 1918 there was stipu-
lation that at the end of Is years there
was to be a radical revision Of the rela-
tons of the two countries. Prior to the
time when the Nazis occupied Denmark
| Iceland served notice that in 1943 q
revision Of the treaty would be expected:
and while the notice did not so state,
there was every indication that absolute
| freedom from Denmark would be ex-
| pected. Icelanders now say that since
Denmark is under German control. there
is no more outside authority over their
affairs, and that complete freedom il
now theirs Whether Hitler intends TO
use the King as an instrument of at
tempted control over Iceland Is any
mans guess.
The day following the occupation Of
Denmark by German troops, Ieclands
National Assembly assumed control Of
the countrys foreign affairs that pre-
viously had been shared by Denmark.
Since then there have been runlors that
the Germans were attempting to seize
the island, but now, with British troops
protecting it, many observers feel that
its invasion is unlikely
Iceland with an area of approximately
10000 square miles, and some 10000
inhabitants, has long carried on friendly
relations with the United States. An
occasional customer until recently, 1t now
looks largely to this country for many