Scandinavian American. [volume], January 01, 1948, Page 6, Image 6

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

Image provided by: Washington State Library; Olympia, WA

                
6
Use Of Finnish Debt Is Urged
To Train Students In U. S. A.
A resolution supported by 10
leading Senators of both parties
to reward Finland. the little na
tion which never defaulted on its
debt. was introduced in Congress
recently.
Its effect is to provide that all
further payments by the Republic
of Finland on its 1919 debt be set
aside in a special fund to be used
for the education of Finnish youth
in the United States to fit them to
help rebuild their country. ‘
The legislation has impressive
bi-partisan backing. Introduced
by Senator H. Alexander Smith
(R) of New Jersey. second rank
ing Republican member of the
Committee on Foreign Relations.
it is supported by Senators Lever
ett Saltonstall (R) of Massachu
setts; John W. Bricker (R) of
Ohio; William F. Knowland (R)
of California; Carl A. Hatch (D)
of New Mexico; Henry Cabot
Lodge. Jr. (R) of Massachusetts:
Elbert D. Thomas (D) of Utah:
Joseph C. O'Mahoney (D) of Wy
oming, and Lister Hill (D) of Ala
bama.
As a reason for making this
proposal. Senator Smith pointed
out that Finland alone, of all the
countries who owed money to the
United States after World War I,
had never defaulted in the pay
ment of its obligation. The origin
al debt of Finland to the United
States was $8,251,926.17. This ob
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ligation was incurred for the relief
of Finland in the period immedi
ately following World War I.
‘ Only bne to Pay
“Since that time. 28 years ago,
when other nations. great and
small. rich and poor, have de
faulted on their debt payments,
the heroic people of little Finland
have repeatedly demonstrated that
they place integrity above comfort
or convenience," Senator Smith de
clared. “They ha ve constantly
made payments on their indebted
ness to the United States as those
payments fell due.
“These remarkable people, whol
contend with adverse destinies igl
a severe climate and who strug
gle for a living in a land which
nature has treated with so little
generosity. appear determined in
a world of forgotten principles to
make their country an example of
integrity.
“A distinguished American who
traveled over Finland during this
past year has expressed the belief
that if the people of that country'
were free to go to the country of
their choosing. 19 out of every 20
1would emigrate to the United
{States immediately. Circumstan
;ces. of course, make it impossible
{for Finland to send them here in
iany large numbers and, of course.|
Eobviously the suggestion is im
ipractical.
l “But there is something We can
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do to aid them in their grim strug
gle against disease, destruction‘
and want. We can extend to them
the hand of friendship in their?
desperate need by offering to help‘
them train a new generation of
technical experts to replace their
war-lost generation. On the basis
of population. Finland’s war losses
were ten times greater than those
of the United States.”
Cites SeveQéilr Vlgu-edents
Senator Smith noted that there‘
is an important and historical
precedent for the proposed action.‘
He called attention to the turn
ing over of the Boxer Indemnity
some years ago to China to be
used for the education of young
Chinese in the United States. He
also pointed out a similar prece
dent in the case of turning over
to the so-called Belgian-American
Educational Foundation the funds
that were remaining in the hands
of the Commission for the relief
of Belgium after World War I.
“These two acts of friendship
with China and Belgium. respec
tively. are outstanding landmarks
in our history which have closely
cemented the cordial relations, and
the affections of the people of the
United Sattes for the Chinese and
for the Belgians." Senator Smith
said.
"In the light of these experi-l
enqes. in the light of Finland's}
need, and following our own gov
ernment‘s goodwill actions with
China. I am introducing a joint
resolution on behalf of myself and
my colleagues to authorize the
President of the United States to
hold in a special fund the payment
made on Dec. 15. and any subse
quent payments, which the Gov
ernment of Finland in the future
makes in the discharge of its
World War I indebtedness to our
Government.
“This fund shall be used to fi
nance the studies. instruction,
technical training and other educa.
tional activities of citizens of Fin
land in our American institutions."
Temporary Halt in
Building Activity
Stockholm. —— (By airmaillflA
temporary stop in building opera
tions in Sweden has been declar
ed. This does not concern houses
in the process of being put up. but
no new building permits will be
granted for the present. The rea
son for the edict is that the author
ities want to try to establish a
balance between building opera
tions and the supply of materials.
At present there is such a short
age of certain materials that some
thing must be done to keep sup
ply and demand more in step. The
Government Building Loan Bureau
'points out there is nothing in the
new measure to cause alarm, since
it is primarily aimed at allowing
the many large construction jobs
now in work to be finished with
out too many obstacles.
ASTORIA
ABSTRACT CO.
E. V. McNEELEY
120 11th Phone 149
Astoria
Asi'oria Foundry
IRON AND BRASS
CASTINGS
18th and Franklin - Phone 257
Astoria, Oregon
BAY VIEW
COTTAGES
South End of Astoria
Modern Units Accommodating
Up to Six People
783 Taylor Phone 872
Relations Between
Sweden and Russia
Are Discussed
Stockholm.——(B‘y airmail)—
Since the end of the war Sweden
has been confronted with then del
icate problem of how to maintain
an equipoise between East and
West, Mr. Dingle Foot, during the
1war Parliamentary Secretary in
‘the British Ministry of Economic
Warfare. writes in an article in
the October 17, 1947, issue of The
Spectator of London.
“When a year ago the Swedish
Government signed the trade a
greement with Russia, despite a
strong protest from Washington.
some observers in this country in
ferred that Sweden, like Czechoslo
vakia, was being drawn into the
Russian orbit. They were there
fore agreeably surprised when the
Swedes accepted the invitation to
take part in the Paris Conference
on the Marshall Plan. Both the in
ference and the surprise were un
justified, The Swedes are a stiff
necked people who do not readily
yield either to threats or to more
subtle forms of pressure. For ex
ample, they are at the present
time incurring Russian displeasure
by affording sanctuary to a steady
trickle of refugees from the Baltic
states who escape across the sea
to avoid deportation to Siberia.
“There has indeed during the
past twelve months been a steady
hardening of opinion vis-a-vis the
Soviet Union," Mr. Dingle Foot
continues.
“The trade agreement is widely
criticized. Its effects have not as
yet been very great. since the Rus
sians have still to place the bulk
of their orders. When they do.
however. the strain on Swedish
economy may be considerable. The
agreement is for a credit of 200
million kronor a year for five
years. If this maximum figure is
reached, as may possibly happen
‘in the fourth and fifth years. and
if at the same time there is a
continuing shortage of labor, the
consequence must be a serioua in
crease in inflationary pressure.
Moreover. it is unlikely to bring
any long-term benefit to Swedish
industry. Russian demands so far
have been for particular articles
(9. g.. special locomotives) which
do not fit into the ordinary pat
tern of production and for which
there will probably be no repeat
orders. So the agreement is de
finitely unpopular. The opposition
parties do not quarrel with it in
principle. But they criticize the
manner in which the Government
agreed.
"In an address in Stockholm Octo
ber 30. the Swedish Prime Mini
ster, Tage Erlander, said that the
Swedish-Russian credit agreement
is so constructed that the size of
the credits will depend on the
Swedish industry's ability to de—
liver goods.
"This. however. is not the main
reason for the present state 0!
Swedish opinion. Undoubtedly the
chief cause is the behavior of the
Soviet delegates at the Security
Council... The persistent use or
the veto by the U. S. S. R. has
shocked the Swedish- public more
than anything else that has hap—
pened in world affairs since the
end of the war..."
Experiments initiated by the
Swedish Defense Research _Insti
tute during the war and later con
tlnued by the Government-owned
Cea Works. at Strltngnlta, have re
sulted in a hlghly successful meth
od of printing color photographs.
A ao-called three-color camera
simultaneously exposes three films
through one lens. After the rum
have been developed in the ordi
nary way, they are printed on ape
clally colored printing paper, one
for each of the three basic colors.
These are then placed one on top
of the other, and the result is a
picture of surprisingly natural
color. The experlments have been
led by Dr. G. destedt and the
Stockholm photographer, Benno
Movln-Hermea. who recently ex
hibited a number of color photo
graphs of this kind at The Archi
tectural League in New York.
THE SCANDINAVIAN AMERICAN
Power Shortage
Hitting Norway
OSLO—Electricity rationing in
Oslo made necessary by the dry
summer and the depleted water re
serves has struck at both domestic
heating and communications in the
Norwegian capital. Street car
transport has been halted from
two to three hours each day while
suburban lines have been forced to
limit their service. Many factories
depending heavily upon electric
‘power have also been hard hit by
the shortage.
Though recent rainfall has added
to water reserves, it is estimated
that it will still be some time be
fore electric service in the Oslo
districts can be restored to nor
mal. In Trondelag, however, water
supplies have improved to such an
extent that rationing has been dis
continued in many districts and
the outlook for the winter months
is considerably brighter.
‘Confidence Returning
To Sweden’nErlander‘
STOCKHOLM—(By airmail) -
“The year just past was in some
ways one of disappointment."
writes Prime Minister Tage Er
lander in “Dagens Nyheter" re
cently. “The peaceful reconstruc
tion work met new obstacles, and
the tension between the Great
Powers seems to have increased
rather than the opposite. Com
merce has been forced to accept
new restrictions. and the dearth
of dollars. caused by a. general
penury, has shaken nation after
nation. The situation has been
further worsened in many coun
tries by a catastrophic draught.
Our own country has not escaped
the effects of these conditions.
“Such a development could not
have been foreseen. Everybody
regarded the situation optimistic
ally, and that made us. as well as
others, over-estimate our resour
ces. Now we must adjust ourselves
to the present state of affairs.
This means that we must do with
out things we should like to have.
On the other hand, there is no
need for panic. We. intend to carry
on with all major reforms. so im
portant for the masses of the peo
ple, notably the increased old age
pensions and the grants to chil
dren. And we will try to keep our
housing production on a level
which somewhat corresponds to
our needs . . .
“We will hold steadfastly to our
resolution: We will surmount the
present difficulties. During the
last months of 1947 there could
perhaps be perceived certain signs
which might be interpreted as
promises of better material 'con
ditions for Europe in 1948 than
we dared to hope for last summer.
It seems as if the prodmtion pow
er is on the increase -—v our most
recent trade agreements are re
flections thereof. Like the British
we do not quite dune to say that
we have passed the turning point
of the cr‘sis, but it is evident that
confidence is returning."
3 Considerable quantities of tex
jtiles will be assured Sweden
‘thanks to a number of recently
signed trade treaties. Larger ship
‘ments than probably ever before
will come from Great Britain,
while consignments will also be
sent from France. the Netherlwds
and Czechoslovakia.
An institute of international
law, which will give special at
tentlon to matters of double tax
ation and the regulations govern
ing foreign stocks and sham. has
been established by the Swedish
General Export Associetlon. In le
gal matter: it will assist Swedish
business houses abroad. Head of
the new institute is K. G. A, Sand
strom. formerly head of the GOV
ernment Tax Bureau.
There will be no more hot water
in any oil heated house in Sweden.
according to a ruling by the chair
man of the Fuel Commiaston, and
the unount of oil allocated for
the beating of houses will be I'C‘
duoed.