Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1948-05-01

natural resources: they have no
coal and no oil - in fact no min
eral wealth worth mentioning ex-
cept some deposits of high-grade
iron ore in Sweden and a little
low-grade iron ore in Norway. In
Norway and Sweden the climate
is harsh; and topography and ge-
ography make communication and
transportation difficult. On the
credit side of the natural resource
es ledger we find only the follow
ing: in Norway and sweden tim
Der and water-power the lat
ter still largely undeveloped; in
Denmark, soil made fertile enough
to support their quadruped butter
and bacon factories. And then, in
addition, all three have the SUR
rounding seas which, dating back
to Viking days, they have learned
to master and to make profitable
as have no other races in modern
history.
Today economists base a nations
true wealth on its natural re-
sources plus, or multiplied by, the
quality of it's workers. If Scand-
inavia is poor in the one it is rich
in the other.
Team Work is Necessary
Based on very limited natural
resources, these nations of fisher
men, sailors, woodcutters and far
mers developed over the years by
thrift and patience the highest
living standard in Europe. To
maintain it and to make it higher
still, given the conditions which
they face, they have decided that
much teamwork is necessary a
large measure of self-imposed,
state-managed and semi-socialistic
cooperation. And the means of
lifting it if that ever seems
necessary or desirable - remain
in full force and effect. There is
no so-called socialistic measure in
force in Scandinavia today - no
limitation on the right of free en-
terprise = which cannot be re-
called tomorrow by the vote of
freely elected parliament respons-
i've to popular will. And despite
their recourse to governmentally
operated teamwork in the solution
of their problems, these countries
remain as little likely as we to
give up, voluntarily, representa-
tive government and guarantees of
individual liberties; as little likely
to forego the right to abandon
their present procedures, whenev-
er they choose to do so.
OF course they are weak mill
tarily and conceivably they may
be bludgeoned into such a course
by a foreign power. That hap
pened in Norway and Denmark
during the Nazi occupation. 1t
has happened elsewhere in Eu-
rope since the war. There is rea-
son to fear it is happening in Fin
land today. But it will never hap
pen in the Scandinavian countries
of their own choice.
You Feel At Home in Scandinavia
Naturally not all lessons from
these successfully operating and
efficient workshops of democracy
are applicable here; and more than
all the lessons which we Ameri-
cans can teach them, particularly
in chronological fields, will apply
in Scandinavia. But the two ar
cas- have much to learn from each
other. And it can be a form of
education which, unlike many, is
extremely pleasant. AS l implied
when l began, you will feel sur
prisingly at home in any Scandin-
avian country; just as, 1 think,
Scandinavians usually feel at home
here.
l can't welcome. you to Scandin-
avia. can only say welcome to
Scandinavians coming here. But
the Observation-Disclosures Found
alton will hope that some day it
can speed at least some of you on