Scandinavian American. [volume], January 01, 1948, Page 9, Image 9

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

Image provided by: Washington State Library; Olympia, WA

                
THE SCANDINAVIAN AMERICAN
Norway Housing
Makes Progress
OSLO—Building news from
southern and central Norway indi
cates that construction has come
far despite shortages of various
materials and of skilled labor in
certain fields.
In Oslo, the capital. a total of
577 new apartments begun in 1945
and 1946 were ready for occu
pancy during October. An addi
tional 2.100 apartments, now under
construction. are to be completed
before year's end or during the
first half of 1948, and another
1,689 units are new building in the
adjoining Aker section. Here, ma
terial has been allotted for an
other 350 units and according to
latest reports 350 pre-fabricated
two-family dwellings are now on
order in Sweden for erection in
the Oslo area.
Over 300 new homes have risen
in the heavily damaged west-coast
city of Kristiansund since 1940.
79 have been built since libera
tion, and 119 more are now un
der construction. In addition, pub
lic structures now building include
a new post office, a Bankof Nor
way. branch. a nurses home, and
the Nordlandet School.
Reconstruction of Steinkjaer,
also heavily damaged, has now
progressed to such an extent that
city fathers have approved plans
for a new community center. This
will include a theater. meeting hall,
various smaller meeting locales,
public bath, library, and municipal
“Hundred Years
Of Swedes”
(From an editorial in the “Moline
Dispatchj’: Moline. Ill., Decem-
ber 9. 1947).
”Persons of Swedisn. descent
living in this’ area are cognizant
of the fact that the few years
preceding 1947 and the few years
to come are marking the centen
nial of Swedish settlements in the
Middle West. While others were
preparing for the vast gold rush to
the West Coast and preparing to
go down in history as '49ers. Swe
dish immigrants were settling in
the Middle River Valleys and get
ting ready for full production of
plows by John Deere. Swedes not
only have helped make the plows.
but have used them. They have
helped build not only the plow in
dustry, but they have founded a
rich agricultural empire by grow
ing food . . .
"In 1841 a group under the
leadership of Gustaf Unonius set
tled in Wisconsin. By 1845 Swedes
had settled in Iowa, and by 1846
Bishop Hill Colony in Henry Coun
ty was a real project. From these
settlements Swedes fanned out to
the northern lumber camps, to the
prairies of the Dakotas, Kansas.
and Nebraska. Everywhere they
went they have become known as
hardy. hard-working, self-reliant
people.
“Next summer we shall see
numerous celebrntlona of a Swe
dish centennial in such areas as
Detroit, Nebraska. Kansas, Min
neapolis end northwestern Illinois
Including. of course. the trl-citlos."
News In Brief:
The Swedish Club in Los An
gola some time ago observed it:
25th anniverury with n banquet at
the Biltmore Hotel in that city.
One 0! the sponkers wu Governor
Rickard Soldier, who was a mem
ber of the Swedish delegation to
the United Nation: General Ap
oeinbly at Luke Success, He will
deport tor Sweden direct from the
West Cout. Three Nobel Prize
winner: attended the dinner:
Mme. Gabriel. Mistral. Chilean
poet. who won the 1945 Literary
Iword; Prof. Carl 0. Anderson.
co-winner oi the 1936 prize in
Physics. and Prof Robert A. Mil
likhn, who received the Physics
oword in 1923. Prenident oi the
club. which inst year doubled its
membership, in Ted Love-on.
Consul General Goreoran Returns
After Twelve Years In Gothenburg
i The value of Swedish neutrality
during the war was stressed by
the retiring American Consul Gen
eral in Gothenburg. William W.
Corcoran, on his departure aboard
the Swedish American liner Drott
ningholm. which arrived in New
York recently. The war-time serv
ices of Mr. Corcoran in Sweden’s
largest seaport, where he spent
twelve years, won for him the
State Department’s ‘Medal of
Freedom'.
The citation from the State De
partment. presented by Louis G.
Dreyfus, American Minister to
Sweden. is the highest U. S. Civil
ian award. Given because of the
”best one-man intelligence job of
the war," Consul General Corcoran
said that the results were due to
Yale Undergraduate
Wins Scholarship to
Study in Sweden
NEW YORK — Announcement
has been made by “The Boston
Globe" that two Yale seniors are
winners of the “Boston Globe
World War II Memorial Fellow
ships." which give to each winner
$1,000 for a year's travel and
study outside the United States.
One is David S. McClelland. and
the other is Ernest G, Ekman. Mr.
Ekman will use his Globe Fellow
ship year for study at the Univer.
sities of Gothenburg and Helsinki
and travel through Scandinavia to
gather material for an M. A. thes
is, which he will write on return
to this country. At Yale he has
concentrated on International Re
lationship and hopes ultimately to
enter the diplomatic service of the
United States. He visited Sweden
a year ago. and speaks and reads
Swedish. in addition to other lan
guages. He is a native of the Un
ited States.
First Ambassador to
Sweden Arrives
STOCKHOLM—(By airmail)—
H. Freeman Matthews. new United
States envoy to Sweden, arrived in
Stockholm with Mrs. Matthews on
November 29, having made the
Atlantic crossing on a Swedish
freighter.
“This is the first time I visit
Sweden," he told newspapermen in
his office, “and it in also the first
time I settle in any foreign cap
ital an an Ambauador. I regard it
my main duty to maintain and
further improve the friendly rela
tions existing between my country
and Sweden.”
Mr. Matthews, whose last for
eign post wu Lhnt of Minister-
Counulor At the United Stntes
Embassy at the Court of St.
Jamu. in an ardent alpinist and
expressed his delight 1t soon be
ing able to make the acquaintance
of the Swedish Lapland moun
ulna.
There were 627 infantile paraly
lia cues registered in Sweden lut
summer, spin-t 2‘8 during the
same period 01 1946.
the cooperation and aid of the
Swedish people.
Consul General Corcoran is cred
ited with having produced the tip
which uncovered the German V
weapon and “heavy water" experi
mental laboratories at Pleene
munde which were destroyed by
British bombers on August 17.
1943, and in many circles hailed
as the turning point of the war.
Mr. Corcoran's part in the cap
ture of von Ribbentrop also was
stressed as well as the aid he
furnished more than 5,000 Jewish
refugees on arrival in Sweden.
Consul General and Mrs. Cor—
coran made themselves extremely
popular in Gothenburg during the
twelve years he served as Ameri
ca's diplomatic representative.
News In Brief:
An agreement for an exchange
between Sweden and the United
States of theatrical plays suitable
for children has been reached by
Mrs. Elsa Olenius, Swedish librar
ian, who has charge of a children‘s
theatre that was started in the
Stockholm Civic Institute five
years ago. While studying this
subject during a recent visit to the
United States. Mrs. Olenius be
came especially impressed with
the work done at the children‘s
playhouse at Palo Alto. Calif.
The popularity of boating in
Sweden is reflected in a set of fig
ures. just released. In Stockholm
alone there are more than 50
yacht clubs and motor boats asso
ciations with in all 12,000 mem
bers and about 6,800 boats. (Stock
holm’s population is only' a little
over 700,000.)
Dr. Amandus Johnson of Phila
delphia, American historian and
author of Swedish birth, has re
cently observed his seventieth an
niversary. He attended Gustavus
Adolphus College. St. Peter, Minn.
the University of Colorado. Yale
University. and the University of
Pennsylvania from which he re
ceived his Ph. D. degree in 1908.
He was one of the founders of the
American Swedish Historical Mu
sium in Philadelphia and served
as its Curator until 1946. when he
retired. He has also been active
in the Swedish Colonial Society
and is the founder of the New
Sweden Historical Association. In
1921 he received an honorary doc
tor's degree from the University
of Gothenburg and in 1938 was
similarly honored by Upsala Uni
versity. Among his , books are
“The Swedish Settlements on the
lDelaware," “The Swedes in Amer
ica." and “Contributions of Swedes
to American Progress."
Sweden scored a victory in the
international pantsthlon contests
which have just ended in Stock
holm. with representatives from
is e v e n .countries participating
‘First individual prize was won by
Lieutenant Wilie Grut. with an
Hungarian named Karacson as
isecond. Third to 13th places were
itaken by Swedes. The best Am
?erican athlete, F. Weber. came
120th. Sweden was the best na
ition, followed by Hungary. Fin
‘land. Switlerland, U.S.A.. France.
I and Great Britain.
:t l( ' «ii-IN R"
Recently Published:
“Sweden's Labor Program“ by
Tage Lindbom. League for in
dustrial Domocrm-y Pamphlet Se
ries. 112 East 19th Street, New
York 3, N. Y. 62 pages. Prive 35
cents. Illustrated with photo
graphs. Mr. Lindhom is also an
thor of “The Origin and Early
History of Swedish Trade Union
ism” and heads the archives of
the Swedish Labor Organization.
The eleven 0 h a p t e rs cover:
“Growth of Swedish Trade Unions“
“Employers and Workers Agree to
Negotiate," “The New Position of
the Labor Federation." “The Un
ions and the Second World War,"
“Swedish Labor Legislation," "La—
bor in Politics." "The Social Dem
ocrats and the Depression,” “The
Labor Opposition." "Labor and In
ternational Relations," “The Post
war Labor Program," “Education
al Progress." The pamphlet can
also be purchased from The Am
erican-Swedish News Exchange,
Inc., 630 Fifth Avenue, New York
20, New York.
“New Swedish Designs in Air
craft," by Pelle Lofstrom. “The
American Swedish Monthly." 45
Rockefeller Plaza, New York 20.
N. Y. Pages 8-9. ff. Illustrated.
(“International reputation is be
ing established by the Swedish
Aircraft Company"u. January.
1948, Price 25 cents. Also: “King
Gustaf's 40-Year Reign Celebrated
in Sweden." Pages 6-7, ff. With
photographs. “His Fame Grew
with His Flowers." by David R.
Bowers. Page 10, ff. (The story
of Ivar Ringdahl. Swedish Ameri
can horticulturist of Rome. N. Y..
noted for his varieties of roses).
"International figures assemble
for twenty-fifth anniversary din
ner of the Swedish Club of Los An
geles," by Ivan Benson. Pages 13-
14, ff. “Haven for Merchant Sea
men." Page 11. ff, (Description of
the new recreation room for Swe
dish merchant marine sailors at
the Seaman's Church Institute in
New York.) “Record Size Whaling
Ship Is a Floating Factory." Page
;12 ff. (The new floating whaling
’factory, “Kosmos II,“ delivered by
JGotaverken yard in Gothenburg to
(Norwegian ownersJ Also camera
reporting of King Gustaf's 40th
anniversary jubilee and the Nobel
Prize awards. ,
“Sweden-The Middle Vi'ay." By
Marquis Childs, will be brought
out in a pocket edition January 20.
and will be available through co
operative associations at 35 cents
per copy. It includes the new
chapter added in the Third Edi
tion. Cooperative League of the
U. S. A.. 525 West 76th Street,
Chicago, Ill,
“Can Science Save Us?" By
George A. Lundberg. New York,
Longman‘s Green and Co., 1947.
122 pages. Price $1.75.
“The Wonderful Adventures of
Nils." By Selma Lagerlof. Trans
lated from the Swedish by Velma
Swanston Howard. A new issue.
with 200 illustrations in black and
white by Hans Baumhauer. New
York, Pantheon Books. Inc.. 1947.
539 pages. Price $5.00.
“Swedish Food." Gothenburg.
Esseltes Goteborgsindustrier A. B.
1947. 150 pages. Illustrated with
black and white and color plates.
Bonniers Bookstore, 665 Lexing
ton Avenue, New York 22. N. Y.
Price 83.50.
"The Neon Wilderness." Short
stories by Nelson Algren. New
York. Doubleday & Co., Inc.. 1947.
286 pages. Price 82.50.
“Moon Over the Back Fence."
By Esther Carlson. New York.
Doubleday a C0,, 1947. 191 pages.
Price 82.50.
“God's Fxrst Children." Bible
stories from the Old Testament.
By Esther Salmlnen. Illustrated
by Raj md Per Beckman. Trans
lited from the Swedish by Eu
gene Gay~Tifft. New York. Roy
Publishers. 25 w. 45 St. N. Y.
1946. 125 pages. Price $2.00.
Nenty Swedish reindeer have
arrived by ship at Buenm Aires.
They are destined for Tierra del
Fuego. oft Cape Horn, in the
Struts 0! Magellnn, where they
will become a part of the island
hum. The land-cup;- and climate
0! ‘I‘iem del Fuego Are similar to
thou.- ot Swedish LIplund.
9
Iron Masters
Observe 200th
Anniversary
“If all the gold in the world
disappeared, our civilization would
nevertheless be able to exist. But
if all the steel were removed. the
very foundations of our material
culture Would go to pieces" As the
Swedish Iron Masters Association
(Jernkontoretl, one of the most
famous Swedish institutions. cele
brated its 200th anniversary, its
president, Helge Silverstolpe.
opened his speech with these
words at the festival in the Stock
holm City Hall.
The Swedish Iron Masters As
sociation is a wholly private insti
tution. of which all Swedish enter
prises in the iron and steel indus
try are members. It was founded
in order to create better market—
ing conditions for Swedish steel
abroad. For many centuries Swe
den had been one of the world's
leading producers of iron. and in
the 18th century it was responsible
for up to 40 per cent of world pro
duction. Nevertheless, the Swedish
steel trade was not particularly
lucrative. Satisfactory prices were
not obtained. which was due part
ly to an inefficient sales organiza
tion. and partly to an inadequate
credit capacity. Through joint co
operation in the Iron Masters
‘Association and with the support
lot" the Riksbank. the steel pro
} ducers managed to overcome these
ldifficullties. When Sweden lost its
ipredominating position in the pro
! duction of iron. the foundation had
:been laid for a world-wide export
lof high-grade iron and steel.
The Iron Masters Assocxation
gradually let its commercial inter
ests go. and began instead to con
centrate on the promotion of aci—
entific and technical research in
the production and development of
iron and steel. The organization
established mining schools, and en
gaged experts who developed new
methods of operating blast furn
aces, etc.
When the 200th anniversary was
celebrated. the Association's silver
medal was awarded to SIX fore
men in the Swedish steel industry.
Instituted in 1822_ the medal has
only been given 31 times during
the past 125 years. All six are
veterans. who have been with their
companies for 40 or 50 years. They
belong to old “steel families," in
which for generations the trade
has been passed on from father to
son.
In connection with the jubilee.
the new Metallographic Institute
in Stockholm was inaugurated by
the Crown Prince. It is located
close to the Stockholm Institute of
Technology, where in recent yours
several modern research imfltuo
tions have sprung up. These have
been established by private mduu
trial companies in cooperation
with the government. 1 ‘
Sweden Visited by ’
44,000 Americans j
l STOCKHOLM—(By airmalll-A—
[According to Dr. Gustaf Munthe.‘
1 head of the Swedish Tourist Trif
lnc Assocnuon, um was ~th.
‘Nggest and the moat import-n:
tourist your that Sweden has ever
Eexperienced. Trlvolera from the
Inelghborlng Sundlxnvlm coun
‘ tries have staged a veritable inva
,slon into Sweden, 3nd tourists
§ from other pu'tn of the world will
lprobubly number 155.000 by the
land of this yenr, :3 compared tn
Ill7,000 In 1988 tnd 84000 last
i year.
0f the 155,000 visitors. t‘w lam.
out part. or “.000, wen Amen
lcuna, followed by some 40.0“)
Britishers. Dr. Munthe expects
that Sweden's income from m:
tour-lat traffic will mount to $50
million humor. The hlghest in“.
ever reached before the Sec“
World Wu- wu 80 million km.