Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1946-12-01

Erlander's retention of all n e
former ministers, simply filling
his old post as Minister of Educa-
ton and Church Affairs by ap-
pointing the former second in COM
mand of the department, Josef
Weijne.
Opposition Material
This very fact has on the other
hand been seized upon by the OPP
position as evidence that the talk
of regeneration within the party is
not to be taken very seriously, the
suggestion being thrown out that
it in reality may imply victory
for Mr.. Wigforss, who is one of
the more radical members of the
government. Certainly Mr.. Wig
forss was one of those who sup
ported Mr.. Erlander's candidacy in
the party councils.
The whole affair seems to have
been conducted in an atmosphere
of utmost cordially, the various
speakers handing out bouquets al
most equally to the candidate they
We're supporting and his opponent.
The browning piece was Mr.. Err
lander's declaration in proposing
Mr.. Moller that he did not wish
to stand up against "the man who
had brought him up in politics"
Up From City Politics
Coming from academic circles
generally considered an adverse
qualification for a labor leader in
Sweden = Mr.. Erlander entered
public life via the Lund City Coun-
Gil, of which he was a member
from 1929 to 1888. While still at
Lund University he had shown
himself a master of debate and
in 1888 he was elected a member
on the Second Chamber. Here he
was discovered by Mr. Moller, who
appointed him his department sec
rotary in 1888.
1t was in this capacity that Mr..
Erlander became Chairman of the
important Population Commission,
the report of which has been de-
scribed even in opposition circles
as possibly the most efficient piece
of committee work ever carried
out in Sweden. The first results
: of this work probably will be seen
in 194S, when family subsidies are
; introduced. That such matters as
, this, involving the Punishment as
: far as possible of want and inse-
: curity in Sweden, will continue to
| be one of Mr.. Erlander's main in
| terests may be gathered from a
= specific statement he made in one
: of the opening debates of the SEES
: sion The cost of a decent dwell
ing should be possible on an ordi-
nary workers budget.
Interest Made Evident
= This interest was made further
, evident during Mr.. Erlander's yeal
} as Minister of Education, when he
t concentrated his attention on tan
t gible reforms, leaving ecclesiasti-
= cal matters in other hands. The
f law providing free lunches for al
r school children, VIII h recently
i was passed and gradually is being
2 put into practice, and the provi.
. sion of free school books largely
/ are his work. He also laid gooC
= foundations for a general politica
agreement on a reform of the
4 school system, involving a loosen
e ing and freshening up of an eX
cellent but rather stiff educationa
apparatus.
| But what of Tage Erlander as {
politician? Has he the makings o
real leader?
II One of the opposition papers
| Goteborgs Misunderstanding. imme
diately after his election delivered
the following adverse characterize
ton: His mental physiogonom,
is that of the bookish academician
| Nothing in his respectfully indus
trious career gives any indication
that he either feels the need of o
is capable of that self assertion
which makes leader something
more than the instrument of a pc
litical party He never has seri
ously measured his strength witt
the great and mighty, and no on