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Show SCANDINAVIAN HEWS i SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT HAP-PENINGS HAP-PENINGS IN FAR OFF NORTHLAND. ITEMS FROM THE OLD HOME Resume of the Most Important Events in Sweden, Norway and Denmark Of Interest to the Scandinavians in America. DENMARK. A limn luiorked nl tin' door (if tin; Jiiilkei'pi'r In Aljiribo oik; fvoniiiL; and iiskril In lie ut in jail. The jailkcci-T jailkcci-T told tin- man that In- cimld not uc-'nininodalc uc-'nininodalc liim. In n little while tin' man ivl nrncd, and a second titin; lie uas refused admittance. Then he went to a man on the street and explained ex-plained his had Ini-k. "Sins koiiK." said Die .slranner, "and you will lie put; in jail." The. woulcl-lie jailbird went up the street singing "Augusta" as best he could. Now a ninht watchman watch-man came and took elm pro of the man. IHd Ik; Hit him in jail? Not at all, he simply conducted him to bis home. Old Ellen Nilniis of Balstrup, has passed away at the age oC eighty-two years. During the latter part of her life she was known as "Ellen the Wise," for she had the reputation of knowing how to get rid of many of the Ills to which human llesh is heir. Partly Part-ly by reading, partly by oral information, informa-tion, and partly by practical experience experi-ence she became able to cure many diseases, and the people, gradually came to look upon her with a certain cer-tain superstitious reverence. The Swedish laws are bard on quacks, and the fact that she did not get into trouble trou-ble with the authorities proves that she earned the title of "Ellen the Wise." Long before her death she was known far and wide. An organization of Danish ship osvn-ers osvn-ers has been formed with the object , of keeping Danish shipping on the seas in spite of the submarine war, a Reu-ter Reu-ter dispatch from Copenhagen reports. The new company is pledged to keep its ships in service under the conditions condi-tions laid down in international law, whatever action Germany takes. The ships will be used exclusively for the carriage of foodstuffs and other necessaries neces-saries between Denmark and ports of the United States and Great Britain. The company svill have available capital capi-tal to purchase new tonnage on a large scale. American hardware manufacturers will find the Scandinavian countries a promising field for pushing their trade after the war, according to a report issued by the department of commerce in Washington. Denmark, Norway and Sweden will have to restock re-stock with hardware, the report declares. de-clares. ' : FINLAND. Elucidating the manifesto extending new liberty to Finland, the foreign of; tice of Russia explains that the aim of the new government is to abolish completely com-pletely all the restrictions which stripped the grand duchy of the historical his-torical rights conferred upon it in 1.812. In that year Finland became part of the Russian empire. All laws illegally imposed upon Finland during the reigns of Alexander III and Nicholas Nich-olas II are declared void. Russian members of the Finnish senate who, contrary to the constitutional rights of the country had been appointed by the imperial government instead of being elected by the Finnish landtdag, have been removed and will be replaced re-placed by Finns chosen according to law. Full self-government, including the right to initiate legislation, determine deter-mine the revenues and expenditures of the country and assess taxation will rest exclusively in the control of the Finnish legislative bodies. NORWAY. Indications of renewed tension between be-tween Norway and Germany are appearing ap-pearing in the German newspapers. The Cologne Gazette makes a feature of an editorial beaded "Norwegian Insolence," In-solence," in which it says : "The press of Norway in these days has assumed a tone of an insulting character which Germany cannot tolerate. The Norwegians Nor-wegians woidd do well to remember that their unbridled press campaign once before led to diplomatic tension. A sense of responsibility should have kept the papers from again singing the same tune." It is probable that the neutrality markings on Norwegian vessels soon will be removed. It is pointed out that these markings, which have been painted on the sides of the ships during dur-ing the war, not only do not any longer long-er protect neutral ships, but make them an easy prey for submarines. In proportion to its population, Norway Nor-way is the greatest seafaring nation in the world. On January 1, 191G, its mercantile marine consisted of 3.4SG vessels, with a tonnage of 2,75l).."07, or an average of more than one ton for each inhabitant, and practically the whole fleet is owned by Norwegian citizens. The city council of Frodrikshahl voted vot-ed unanimously to distribute $2,700 among the poor people of the city in order that they might be able to buy-fuel buy-fuel for keeping U'eir houses warm. The first great problem confronting the new congress of the United States Is the organization of the house. There Is said to be a difference of one vole between the two great parties, and it is supposed that in case of a party vote half a dozen more or less independent members may turn the balance. Many patriots suggest that the party lines be ignored In the interest inter-est of the common weal of the nation as a whole. In this connection it is Interesl ing that an attempt fit coalilion has just been made in Norway. Nor-way. The conservative members of the i storthing made a formal proposition to the Liberals, who are in power, to drop some of the Liberal ipeinbers of the cabinet ami put Conservatives in their places. The arguments used by Ihe Conservatives were that an oinni-partisan oinni-partisan cabinet would be more efficient, effi-cient, and that it would enjoy greater confidence among the people at large. The Liberals held a caucus and formulated formu-lated an answer to the! effect that it would be safest for the country to let the present cabinet remain undisturbed. undis-turbed. As late as the 20th of February the lakes and canals of Telemarken were navigated by steamers. IHit the captains cap-tains reported that in some places the ice was almost a foot thick in the channels through the sheet of ice, and that these channels themselves were getting dangerously narrow. One steamer knocked off the blades of its propeller in the ice so that it had to be towed out of the channel by another anoth-er steamer. Considerable quantities of fine fruit is raised in the deep valleys of western Norway. Hut it is poorly prepared for the market, so that fruit growing is not very profitable. Now the fruit growers grow-ers are urged to pick and pack up their products in better shape, and they may be sure of handsome returns. SWEDEN. The Russian revolution has brought relief to Sweden, which sincerely hopes that the new regime in Petro-grad Petro-grad will be permanent. The Swedish Swed-ish nation never felt safe, as long as an autocratic government ruled in Russia. The new Russia will not constitute any danger for her neighbors, neigh-bors, especially Sweden. Democracy has always been opposed to aggressive wars. The new Russian government will also be too busy within her own frontiers, after the present war is brought to an end, to even think of disturbing the peace of its neighbors. It is expected that the Russian revolution revo-lution will result in a further decrease of Sweden's sympathies for Germany and an approach of the former toward the allies. It was Sweden which took the initiative in the co-operation between be-tween the three Scandinavian countries coun-tries in regard to foreign problems created cre-ated by the war. Norway and Denmark Den-mark have from the beginning leaned toward the allies, but the influence of Sweden, the only one of the Scandinavian Scandi-navian kingdoms possessing an up-to-date array of considerable size, has until un-til now prevented any open demonstrations demon-strations in favor of the allies. The reasons for such a restraining influence influ-ence on the part of Sweden has now disappeared. The nesv Russia will have many friends in Sweden. The liberal elements in that country have always been interested in Russia's fight for liberation from the yoke of bureaucracy. Members of the Russian Rus-sian duma have repeatedly visited Stockholm, where they have been accorded ac-corded cordial reception. The Ssved-ish Ssved-ish business men will be quick to see tremendous- opportunities for Swedish commerce and industries in Russia, governed by an efficient administration, administra-tion, supported by public opinion. The geographical position of Sweden will give her a decided advantage on the Russian market ever other countries. The stimulation of the commercial intercourse in-tercourse betsveen Sweden and Russia will, no doubt, do more than anythng else to remove the animosity among the Swedes toward Russia. In Washington it is said that Sweden Swe-den is Interested in offering mediation between the United States and Germany Ger-many if acceptable to former. There have been informal conferences betsveen be-tsveen the Swedish minister in Washington Wash-ington and the ambassadors of the A. R. C. powers of South America. The aim is said to be to induce the three Latin countries to propose mediation. It is reported, but denied by Secretary Lansing, that Ira Nelson Morris of Chicago, American minister to Ssve-den. Ssve-den. has cabled the state department inquirng whether mediation by the Stockholm government would be acceptable. ac-ceptable. The prominence of Ssveden in the reported mediation undertaking, has led to the surmise that Germany is seeking to avoid war svith the United Unit-ed States and contemplates a back-down back-down by the mediation route. There svere 210,000 'lephone apparatuses ap-paratuses in use in Sweden at the beginning of the year. Only sixteen automobiles were in use in Gothenburg last winter. The Swedish sick aid funds have paid out $27,000,000 as sick aid during dur-ing the past 25 years. During that period the number of local organizations organiza-tions increased from 200 to 2.000, and their total membership from 24.733 to 7.0,00. The annual receipts and expenditures ex-penditures now balance at about $2,700,000. It is claimed that Swedish captives in Germany are underfed, and the aid committee of the Red Cross of Ssveden has taken steps to send food fo these unfortunate men. |