Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1949-03-01

AS Lney closed tnelf DOCKS on
1913, Denmark, Norway, Iceland,
Finland and Sweden took stock of
the past II months with a gen.
eral feeling of relief that this third
postwar year had not been worse
than it was.
In each county, the Commun-
lists efforts to convert their fell
low workers and bring about the
downfall of democratic regimes
have met a steadily growing OPP
position. Though the overhanging
cloud of new world war has not
yet lifted, there is a fresh wind
of increased economic security
blowing which makes it possible
for the citizens of these five
northern democracies to start 1949
with decidedly more optimism than
appeared justified a year ago.
Denmark: Hans Hedtoft's mi
nority Social Democratic govern
ment celebrated it's first birthday
with pats on the back even from
the Conservative and Liberal op-
position.
The past year was marked by
very few internal political schisms
and a record of low in trouble
with local Communists. Tangible
evidence of better conditions cul-
minated at the years end in ra-
ton relief in some categories of
food and clothing, plans to deal
with the housing shortage, and the
disclosure that exports of Danish
goods had risen all along the line,
in a few cases by as much as 100
per cent above the 1947 figure.
In addition, Denmark's four
year plan drawn up in accordance
with the Marshall Aid program
has been worked out to every de-
tail, and while there are several
skeptics who regard it as too OPP
timistic, its publication had a de-
cidedly favorable psychological eff
feet on the general public.
On the Danish calendar for 1949
are plans for elaborate celebra-
lions of the Tooth anniversary of
their constitution, the opening of
discussions on Greenland's future
management, in which Iceland
would also like to have a part,
and continued debates on many
problems which have dragged ov-
err from the past year. OF these,
defense is regarded as the most
serious and pressing and work on
defense installations and military
training will continue at forced
tempo.
Norway: The country is still
very short Of meat, butter, eggs,
and most luxury goods. To most
Norwegians 1948 was a year of
exertion and irritation, and 1949
does not appear to promise much
relief. But they are grateful that
peace has been preserved, and
they declare that certain amount
of belt-tightening never hurts any,
body.
Presenting the record of the
past year they point at the $780,
900 tons of new shipping, and in
creased industrial production. in
GLIDING work begun in newly op-
ened mines and the expansion of
their electro chemical industry.
both expected-with the help of
Marshall funds-to be going full
blast by the time the four-year
term is completed.
The past year was also a year
of setbacks for Norwegian COM
whose strike at the Norsk
Hydro plant at Heroya lasted six
weeks but ended not only in a
fiasco for the Communists behind
it but also in some serious self
analysis among members in a
number of other labor groups who
it would appear, have now re-
turned their copies of Karl Marx
to the library shelves and have
decided to get on with the job of
Elections Attract Attention
Regulations and controls decreed
this past year by Einar Gerhard
sens Social Democratic govern
ment have been generally accept
ed as necessary, though they have
not increased the popularity of the
regime. For this reason. Norway's |