Scandinavian American. [volume], January 01, 1946, Page 7, Image 7

About Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958

Image provided by: Washington State Library; Olympia, WA

                
THE SCANDINAVIAN AMERICAN
News from Sweden
Issued by the American Swedish News Exchange,
New York, N. Y. '
Swedish Industrial Profits Only
Slightly Increased During The War
STOCKHOLM. (In January)-—The Swedish Institute for
Industrial Research, affiliated to the Federation of Swedish
Industries, has recently investigated a representative selec
tion of annual reports of Swedish industrial companies.
The average profit of the companies investigated showed,
before appropriations for taxes, a rising curve during the
war years. It is at present about 50 per cent higher than the
average for the years 1937-1939. The increased profits have,
however, very largely been consumed by higher taxes, which
rose from 25 per cent in 1937 to about 45 per cent in 1944.
The absolute amount of taxes
paid increased by no less than
160 per cent. After allowing for
taxes profits were in 1943 on
about the saine level as for the
years 1937-1939, and slightly high
er for 1944.
Profits after allowing for taxes
amounted in 1944 to 7 per cent of
the investigated companies' own
capital, or the same as for the
last pre-war years. while their
share of the gross revenues fell
from 6 to 4.5 per cent during the
same period. The dividends paid
throughout the war period were
on the whole markedly stable, the
report says.
The situation has naturally var
ied in different branches of indus
try. While the metal and engi
neering industries have shown an
increase. above the average. an
unfavourable development has
been recorded for the forest in
dustries compared with the pre
war period. In these industries
profits after allowing for taxes
have declined by nearly 40 per
cent since 1937. and are at pres
ent only 4 per cent of the capital
as against an average of 69 per
cent for all branches of industry.
Dividends paid were 3 per cent
in 1944. compared with the gen
eral average of 4.4 per cent.
it it It
Trade Agreement
Between Sweden and Italy
STOCKHOLM in January—A.
trade and payment agreement was
recently concluded between Swe
den and Italy in Rome. The agree
ment aims at the resumption of
traditional trade relations be
tween the two countries and pro
vides for an exchange of goods
between 45 and 50 million kronor
($12,500,000) in both directions.
Swedish. exports will mainly com
prise rayon pulp. paper pulp, pa
per, iron, steel and engineering
products, while Italy will in the
first place deliver to Sweden. or
anges, lemons, wine. salt and cer
tain textile goods. All business
will be invoiced in' Swedish kronor.
In connection with the conclud
ing of the new trade agreement.
the Swedish Shipping (‘ompzmy
have resumed their [ire-war traf
fic between Swedish and Italian
ports.
Trade talks have also been gn
ing‘ on recently in Stockholm be
tween a Swedish and a French
Government delegation for the.
purpose of regulating various de
tails in the Swedish-French trade
exchange that is at present pro
ceeding in accordanvo with an
agreement convludcd last summer.
Sweden is also carrying on at
present trade negotiations with
Norway and Greece.
Europe’s Biggest Sulphite
Mill Built At Osfrand
STOCF HOLM in January.
There is at present a great de
mand {or Swvdish pulp. Thanks
to substantial stocks laid up dur
ing the war. the Swedish factories
have been .able to effect consid
erable deliveries. The production
is. however, hampered for the
moment by a shortage of fuel. and
deliveries have also ‘u-en delayed
to a certain extent by an unsuf
ficient supply of tonnage.
The Swedish forest products in
idustry has had a hard time'dur
iing the war. However, extensions
‘and modernizations of the plants
have not been stopped. Especially
in the last few years considerable
new building programmes have
been taken in hand at certain
plants. This has been the case at
the Ostrand Sulphate pulp mill,
owned by the Swedish Pulp Com
pany and one of the biggest pulp
mills in the. world. According to
recent reports in the Swedish
press, a new sulphate bleaching
plant was completed at this fac
tory some time ago. It has cost
about 6 million kr. 1$1.500,000i.
This extension has been found
necessary as the demand for
bleached sulphate pulp is steadily
increasing“. inter aha tor we pro
duction of food paekings. At the
Ostrand mills there is also being
created at present a chloralkali
works. which is expected to be
ready next summer. This plant
will cost about 7 million kr. ($1.-
800.000). It will supply the bulk
of the chlorine and alkali required
by the. Swedish Pulp Company's
bleaching plants at Ostrand.
Svartvik. Ortviken and Essvik.
Previously the requirements of
chlorine, about 9.000 to 12,000 tons
a year, were mainly covered by
imports from Germany. More
over. the plant for regeneration
of soda at the Ostrand Mills is
being rebuilt at an estimated cost
of about 3 million ki'. ($800,000).
These new constructions consti
tute the second big extension car
ried through at Ostrand since the
factory was built in 1930-31. 'The
first extension took place in 1936.
and now. ten years later. another
considerable expansiOn ins been
effected.
In this connection it may also
be mentioned that a new research
laboratory of considerable size be.-
longing to the Swedish Pulp Com
pany is now practically completed
at Kubikenborg. outside Sunds~
vall. This laboratory which is
thoroughly up to date and in
which comprehensive research ac
tivities will be carried on. has
cost about 2.5 million kr. ($600.-
000), about half of whivh repre
sents building i'osts.
Sweden’s Exports 0t
Wood And Cellulose De
pendent On Coal Imports
STOCKHOLM. "In November
Sweden's exports of wood prod
ucts were rvstrictvd to the rela
tivoly small mntx'acts required tn
make up any minor residual por
tions of certain quotas, tag. thosv
for “Ulland and South Africa."
the Swedish Tlmhor .lnurnal writes
in its latest issun.
Most importers in the various
European markets have now com
pleted their charters for the still
unshippod portions of the consign
ments bought in Sweden. Even
Holland. 11 large portion of whosv
annual quota was Still union-heal
two months ago. is now reported
to have chartered sufficient ton-
nagc to take home its vntln- quota
before the 0nd at the season. TunJ
nago for the goods sold to Great
Britain for shipment this year
will also have been chartered by
now. The shipments have. how
ever. been delayed by the British
dock strike and will therefore
have to be extended into next year.
The prospects of increasing next
year's output of sawn wood are
not very bright at the moment.
In recent statement the Swedish
Minister of Commerce said that
Sweden cannot decide to what ex
tent saw—logs or fuel wood should
be given preference in the coun
try's lumbering program until it
is knowu liow Sweden’s contract
ed coal imports will tum out. The
past years have clearly shown
that Sweden cannot return to the
pre-war volume of saw-log produc
tion so long as the cutting of fuel
wood absorbs as much labour and
transport as it does at present.
In order therefore to secure
anything like normal production
of saWn wood next year. it is of
the greatest importance that
countries requiring large quanti
ties of wood in their trade with
Sweden should give guarantees in
the near future that they will
supply Sweden with sufficient coal
to make possible a corresponding
reduction in the cutting of fuel
wood in favour of saw-logs. the
paper writes.
The total Swedish cellulose ship—
ments 'in 1945 are expected to
reach between 1.400,000 and 1,-
450,000 tons, including the quan
tities of fodder cellulose sold out
of surplus government stocks. the
journal further says in its survey.
Of all shipments to abroad about
half have gone to America and
the remainder to other markets.
especially Great Britain, France.
Belgium, Norway, Holland, Brazil,
Argentina, Spain, Portugal and
Switzerland, while minor quanti
ties have gone to some other coun
tries. Considering that practi
cally the whole of these exports
have been shipped within 21 pe
riod of six months. this must be
regarded as a record achievement
compared with pro-war years. the
journal points out. The result is
all the more remarkable as the
shipments have been complicated
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‘7‘. L' #55“ Fleisfifiitév' ‘ “1;? .. m N‘»
Mg,“ ‘3 g, .. , . . .
Oh, I admit it, there was a time when you
could send cold shivers down my back . . .
a few times when I literally didn't eat!
But you can‘t scare me now, wolfy! And
here‘s why . . . .
Ever since I got my war job, I've been
buying \Var Bonds—and holding them.
Furthermore. as soon as my husband went
overseas, I started putting his allotment
into War Bonds, too! He doesn‘t know it
yet, but he‘s not going to be afraid of you.
either!
Oh sure, the gals make fun of me at times.
were” now. . . w «m up to wow!
by the tonnage stipulations and
restrictions issued by the UMA.
The journal writes in conclusion
that the future output capacity
of the Swedish cellulose industry
hwill largely depend on its ability
to obtain sufficient quantities of
Ipulp wood and fuel. .
'4= * ‘..
{Over Half A Million >
jPassengers Transported
1 By Swedish-American Line
' STOCKHOLM in December
IIn December this year it was 30
iyears since the Swedish-America
iLine opened her direct passenger
‘traffic between Sweden and Amer
’ica. The traffic was started with
the liner “Stockholm," bought
[from the Holland-America Line.
iThe “Stockholm” sailed between
Gothenburg and New York until
$1923. when she was sold to a Nor
‘wegian company and rebuilt .into
a whaling factory under the name
Inf “Solglimt.” In the meantime
the Line had acquired three more
Jmodern ships “Drottningholm,”
WGripsholm," and “Kungsholm.”
1 Between 1915 and 1940 533,000
1passengers were transported by
[the Line between Sweden and
{North America, and in addition
397,000 passengers were carried by
[its liners during cruises in the
iMediterranean, to the West In
idies. etc.
! The “Kungsholm” was sold to
lthe Americans during the war,
lwhile “Gripsholm” and “Brett
iningholm" have. been used for hu
gmanitarian exchange trips. They
ghave made 33 such exchange trips
;bctween 17 ports in Europe, North
[and South America, Africa and
rAsia. carrying 25,600 persons.
l“Gripsholm” and “Drottningholm”
’are still engaged in this traffic.
iThe Swedish-America. Line hopes.
ihowever. to be able to put at least
lone of them into traffic between
’Gothenburg and New York early
tin 1946.
II
m Ala/l6, um;
— YOU'RE mgr/#6
? rot/k 7015/ ”
Call me a tightwad when I won‘t lmn up
for expensive clothes, or trinkets, or parties.
But I don't care.
I like that “I've-got-money-back-of-me"
feeling!
So run along, wolfy, and sniff at. some—
body olse's door. 'cause we‘ve got one of the
very beat mat eggs :1 family can have—
War Bonds.
Yes lndlld, buying and holding series
“E" Victory Bonds is the easiest and safest
way there is to turn every $3 into $4 in 10
years!
7
The Swedish-America Line has
at present under construction a
combined passenger and cargo
liner of 11,000 tons, The ship,
which is being built by the G6:-
averken, is expected to be ready
in 1947 and will be able to carry
360 passengers and 3,000 tons r1"
cargo.
Two Grams Of Radium
Arrived In Sweden
From America
STOCKHOLM in December.--—
On the 2lst of November the
“Danahoim” of the Swedish-Amer
ica—Mexico Lines arrived in Goth.
enburg from New York with a
very precious cargo, viz. 2 grams
of radium. valued at 220,000 kr0~
nor ($55,000). This was the first
consignment of radium shipped to
Sweden since 1927.
Including these two grams. Swe
den is now in possession of 16—17
grams of radium. divided between
Sweden’s three main centres for
radium treatment. in Stockholm.
Gohhenburg and Lund. Further
imports from Belgium and Can
ada. are expected as many Swed
ish hospitals wish to vnlarge their
supplies, mainly for the tx'oatmen:
of cancer.
Already two years ago the in:-
porters tried to get the above
mentioned quantity tl‘unsporte-‘l
over the Atlantic by air, but the
pilots refused to take this cargo.
fearing that the radium woull
cause trouble with the instru
ments. Before being finally shipped
the two grams were carefully
packed. It was portioned out into
twenty glass tubes. each one cor,-
taining 100 milligrams. Thes»
Were enclosed in brass cylinders.
surrounded by lead plates. Packed
in this way the consignment of
2 grams weighed no less than 500
kilograms. For the extracting of
this quantity of radium no less
than 1,000 tons of Canadian me
Were needed.