Show scandinavian NEWS SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT happenings IN FAR OFF NORTHLAND ITEMS FROM THE OLD HOME resume 01 0 the most important events in Sw sweden edem norway and denmark of interest to the scandinavians in america SWEDEN f the swedish government la Is baring more gold coming in than it knows what to do with and as a measure ot of protection p has passed a Is law W to suspend for a year the obligation of the state bank to buy gold in 1872 when the scandinavian countries entered on their present currency basis it was arranged that tho the dank bank ot of sweden should buy gold on the basis ot of 2480 crowns for one kilogram ot of gold since the war commenced the scandinavian countries have been deluged with gold and in tear fear of 0 an inflated currency tile tho hank bank ot of sweden has haa obtained powers to refuse to buy gold it to la anticipated that norway aud denmark will follow suit and this remarkable incident arising from tile tho war will it if carried into effect cause balances oring to these nations to be left in foreign countries until the course ot of exchange la Is more favorable tho the following table shows the growth of gold holdIn holdings cF in pounds starling in scandinavian countries national banks since 1914 norway 1914 1916 1915 1916 1914 1915 1 1916 denmark 1914 1915 1916 1916 A swedish merchant who Is interested in the steel etoel business had been in new york consulting with members bers ot of his firm ile ho returned home on tho the stockholm tile the swedish ship that was captured by the english on its first trip ile iio was searched and every letter and paper in his posses possession slon was read many of them dealing with bustness business secrets ile he had bad in his bis possession three bars ot of sample steel brightly polished as samples of the work done by hla his firm immediately suspicion was directed against him and ho he was taken into linto custody and interrogated at gretat length before being released 0 it was reported at the end of february that a largo large german flotilla was engaged in laying mines to tho the south ot of falsterbo rals Fals a small seaport of sweden near its extremity on the baltic sea this new mine field was said to be intended to prevent traffic in contraband along the swedish coast to finnish ports it was later stated that sweden had made energetic representations on this subject to germany as not even Sw edens edenE navy aou would id bo be able to move from the north sea to the baffic without gravo grave danger from these mines unless accompanied by german pilots 4 0 0 A dispatch from stockholm oaks says it Is stated in swedish political circles that the swedish government on two separate occasions applied to the unit ed states to obtain president ellson s cooperation for concerted mediation toward peace Pre president wilson who at an early stage ot of the war had his oj ejler iter rejected adds the dispatch declined to join the movement unless requested by the belligerents it Is stated that in stockholm and other neutral capitals the quee question tion Is being discussed of 0 forming a mediation coa florenco without the operation cooperation co of the united states 0 0 4 A few weeks ago a business house heuse in stockholm sent a cablegram to td naw york asking for ft a quotation on bicycle valves of a certain pattern the managers were astonished when a few days later they received a letter from an english engligh firm which deals lie in these commodities and which suggested that it understood the swedish firm to be in the market for some I 1 goods of 0 a certain character repeating exactly the specifications of tho the cable gram the aho swedish government has decad ed to remove the german mine field oft falsterbo Fals which caused the loss ot of the steamer martha the press supports the government in this decision end and several daveral newspapers declare that the german object in the laying of 0 these mines alnea Is to prevent all traffic between the baltic and the north sea the tha cabinet has decided to loan out as an aid to small farmers during tho the year about swedes who had lived in foreign countries returned to sweden in 1915 0 4 the swedish steamer martha struck a mino in Fals Falater falsterbo tio sound and sank within swedish territorial waters february ad tho the ono one hundredth an of the birth of carl olot alot hos entus the tanous famous preacher was celebrated with a memorial service in the johannes church in stockholm and flowers were placed on his grave by his fits sons and several religious organizations 1 I 1 exchange of incapacitated russian ra and alfid german military prisoners will abd bo resumed april 3 ono one train weekly will run each way via sweden during durina may it la Is expected our four trains train ot prisoners viii bo be exchanged each week |