Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1946-02-01


leaders and their "hewing to the
line" in diplomatic relationships so
as to keep the Swedish neutrality
inviolate and the national integrity
unimpaired. This was all the more
remarkable because of the terrific
Nazi military threat on the one
hand and the unquestioned pro-ally
sympathies of the vast majority
of the SWedes on the other hand
When the march of time will offer
the true perspective and permit
an objective and unbiased ap-
praisal of the significance of the
events in this World War, I am
confident that Sweden will get her
just need of praise for her con-
duct.
Further, the humanitarian ben
evidence of the Swedes is some
thing for the book. Undoubtedly
many books will be written about
it and they will contain beautiful
chapters of serving love. We were
told that since the beginning of
the World War. including the
money appropriated but not yet all
spent, this international benevo-
lence of the Swe h people
amounted to well over two billion
crowns. In American money this
would amount to about $50 for
every man, woman and child in the
kingdom of Sweden. I wonder if
that is not a world record.
Aid has been given to suffering
conquered and war-ravaged peo-
Piles in several European countries
and Sweden has given food and
shelter within her borders to hun
dreds of thousands of refugees.
Let me cite only one illustration.
/ At the time of our visit the Swed
| ish "Donator- Kommitte" was ship
ping across the border from Swe-
den's own meager store of food
thirty tons of food daily eight
tons of these were meat to feed
100000 Norwegians at 600 distri-
button stations in Norway. On the
preferred list were the sick, the
aged. expectant mothers, and chill
dren, many of whom would have
persisted but for this agency of
ministering mercy.
In this connection I want to
take the opportunity to brand as
lies the newspaper stories that
} have gone the rounds here in the
: United States that the Swedes
have lived in luxury. My observa.
ton is that they have had tt
tighten their belts" several notch
es more than we Americans. Fol
: We have all the while been priv
legged to go into our hotels anc
/ restaurants and order all the avail
able food without rationing. II
t Swedish hotels and restaurants W.
= had to present food ration coupon!
{ for every order of bread, butter
: meat. eggs. etc. In fact, even il
l private homes at the end of tn,
r meal the invited guests would la,
r their food ration coupons on tn,
, table to compensate for the toll
, that the hostess had been obliged
, to pay. I've never seen anything
l like that happen in America.
l 1t stands to reason that sucl
t strict regulation was mandator,
] if Sweden was to control her foot
, situation, what with the almos
E complete stoppage of food import,
E and whit he feeding of destitut,
:. refugees in such numbers that tn,
United States would have to feet
: six million refugees within he
4 borders to match the achievement
s Of Sweden.
D A noble chapter in Sweden
: wartime record is also her con
e tribution in personnel and materia
d to the Prisoners of War Work an
: to the works of mercy of the Re,
e Cross. In these fields of servic
d Sweden took the lead. If it had no
d been for the contributions of neu
s trail nations like Sweden an
r Switzerland this work within tn
: Axis countries would have bee
e stymied
e They said that they had no Goa
l. This was quite evident for cord
n wood for heating purposes wa
# stacked high on the sidewalks q
Sweden. That fuel isn't very salts
l. factory for heating hotels and Of
I flee buildings. I'm glad that winte