Evening star., 1941-08-17
Norwoy's Bottle for
Freedom
BIZ Frederic J. Hdskin.

ture a country but quite another to con-
quer a people. Norway's continued
struggle for freedom, too, affords an IN
sight into the possibility of an eventual
revolt by the captured countries which
may be more startling than the rapid
succession of their occupation by tbs
Germans.
When the Norwegian cabinet decided
on June 9, 1910, to go to London, 1t was
not merely to seek shelter. From London
the fight for Norwty's freedom goes on.
Here the cabinet members meet in
weekly council with the King and the
Crown Prince, while the various minis
tries carry on their regular functions. A
Norwegian hospital has even been estab-
lished in London with Norwegian staff,
| also a large social center for Norwegian
soldiers who are fighting side by side
with the British.
! But Norways work in London is not
merely that of passing resolutions, pro-
viding disqualification and recreational
centers for its soldiers. Several state in
| Stitutions such as the Bank of Norway
| and the Norwegian State Broadcasting
! Service also have their seats Of adminis-
! tration in London. Several daily broad
casts through courtesy of the British
| Broadcasting Corp. are made, and from
Station WRUL in Boston, the leaders OF
free Norway remain in touch with the
Norwegian people, who are carrying on
| their uncompromising fight against
foreign masters and Nazi traitors.
The fight is far-hung and determined.
and most of the country's fighting equip
ment is out of reach of German hands.
Norways merchant marine now trans
ports war materials, while Norwegian
forces are participating in the war by
fighting on land, sea and in the air.
This is quite showing for captured
country.
How Norway saved her ships from
German seizure will likely be recorded
as one of the most thrilling events of
World War IL When the Germans in
vaded Norway, more than a thousand
Norwegian ships were sailing the high
seas That very day the Norwegian
government took steps to preserve these
ships for the nation. or if not for Norway,
for use by the Allies. The Norwegian
government transferred control as an
emergency measure, of merchant ships
from private owners to ownership by
the national government. Then began
a great battle of the air waves between
the German-heId radio station in Oslo
and transmitters still available TO the
Norwegian government, both sides max
ing a desperate and dramatic effort to
control the country's thousand ships. A
clear-cut victory was scored by the
Norwegians, for not single ship in any
part of the world not dominated by the
Nazis needed German orders. Instead
they went. to Allied or neutral ports.
Indeed, several Norwegian ships escaped
Italian ports, thus avoiding inevitabls
seizure.
Norway's fleet is no small affair. At
the outbreak of the war England had
400 tons of shipping to each thousand
inhabitants, the United States not quits
100 tons, whereas Norway had l,700 tons
per thousand inhabitants. Besides being
on a per capita basis the largest in tho
world, Norway's feet Is one Of the most
modern. 1t has fast cargo boats, large
number of tankers and comparatively
more motorships than possessed by any
other nation.
Norway has buttressed its position in
other ways. For example, its gold re-
serve, after being rescued from Oslo
and transported under great peril
through the war-torn country, was car
.ried safely to London, and later most
of it was shipped to Canada and the
United States for safekeeping. These
gold reserves are being used not only to
help Norwegians wage fight to regain
their country, but the Norwegian gov.
ernment operating from London is meet
ing its foreign obligations in Allied and
neutral countries.
One never would suspect that ths
Norwegian government had any thought
of going out of business by looking over
its current budget. Funds for the prose-
cution of a war for freedom are amply
provided so are funds to meet internal
obligations as we'll as obligations with
foreign governments. But there is not
a single kroner appropriated for the
maintenance of Norways unlimited and
unwelcome guests, the Germans whom
the Norwegians vow they will oust.
Another interesting sidelight on this
never surrender attitude of the Nor
wegians has recently filtered into the
United States from authoritative
sources The churches of Norway are
condemning with all their power efforts
of the Germans to silence them. BY the
use of words which ring like those Of
the Declaration of Independence, and
by quoting Martin Luther, church leaders
are sowing the seeds of a religious revolt
against efforts Of the Nazis to silence
the church. This statement from o
declaration for religious freedom is a
good example of the fervent spirit OF
the movement. The church is not the
state, and the state is not the church.
In worldly matters the state may en-
deavor to use force against the church.
but the church is spiritual and sover-
eign entity built on the word of God and
unity of belief. Despite all its short
comings the church has been given di-
vine authority to spread His law and
gospel among all peoples. The church
therefore cannot be silenced." Indeed
these words sound like those of John
Huss, the Bohemian religious reformer,
4 a., ~faH