Show Iceland Alfh g Fist First t o of World Parliaments i Iceland In June Tunc 1030 1930 ce ce c two great events the one hundred nineteenth birthday of ot Jon Sigurds- Sigurds son Its George Washington on who wrung home rule from Denmark In 1874 1879 the thc thousandth anniversary of or the thc oldest parliament In the world A century before the battle of ot Hastings Hastings Hast nast- ings 0 J years before our own government government government gov gov- was founded the tIle franklins free landowners of ot Ireland were JIIng living living liv liv- ing under a constitution the constitution constitution constitution tion of ot and a n regularly constituted constituted constituted lawmaking bo bocy y The met In midsummer and was Vue the occaSion occa occa- occasion sion for great feasts and merr merrymaking lInak- lInak ing as well weIl as numerous bruises lac lacerations lacerations and concussions What political life and law were like In the old days is recorded in Iceland sagas and law codes The did not function unction perfectly nor did the Judicial s system stem which was set up the thereal thereal thereal real governing being done by the varl ous chieftains nevertheless ne the al al- thing forms a magnificent tradition It iI looks down from Its hoary honry eminence with paternal paterno 1 solicitude for such youthful bodies as fiS the English house of ot commons and the United States State congress I |