Lögberg - 05.03.1942, Page 2

2
LÖGBERG. FIMTUDAGINN 5. MARZ, 1942
Divided
Loyalties
Speech delivered at convenliop
of the Icelandic National League
in Winnipeg, Monday, Feb. 23,
1942, by Valdimar Björnson of
Minneapolis.
It seemed obvious that the
theme for discussion on this oc-
casion be the one exemplified in
the very formation and in all the
work of the Junior Icelandic
League. That appears to me to
be tlhe matter of how best to pre-
serve valued features of our Ice-
landic heritage when the lan-
guage itself is gone. There inay
be those who argue that such a
course is neitlher wlse nor pos-
sible. The language is a dying
one on the lips of sons and
daughters of Iceland, now a
generation or two removed froin
the source of the culture we
discuss. Yet it is the confident
belief of those who maintain an
organization such as the one
under whose aiuspices we gather
that there are features of that
cultural heritage that both can
and should be maintained, what-
ever the fate of the language
that has conveyed it may be
aimong us.
No consideration of such an
effort is quite complete today,
however, without thought of the
ngtional and world backgruonds
against which it is set. These
are days when our loyalties are
being put to the test. These are
times vvhen you are not alone
daily but hourly reminded of
your obligations as Canadians.
And that same message of un-
divided devotion to the greal
cause whidh joins us is daily
fare for us residents of the
United States.
How then — the question
must be asked —- can we justify
a convention in Winnipeg this
week at which there is spoken
a language foreign to the home-
lands we love and seek to serve?
How, in a period when unity is
the continuaMy emphasized goal,
can we togically continue a
policy of divison — a policy that
coun'ts ,some of us Icelanders,
others Ukrainians, still others
Englislh and Scotdh? You must
have heard these questions asked
here in Winnipeg the last few
weeks. If you have, it is, of
course, not the first time that
such doubts have been raised.
There is a narrowness about this
questioning view w'hich makes
it easy to dismiss in normal
times. It is the view which
makes a virtue of igorance —
the attitude which takes pride
in a circumscribed rather than
a broadened knowledge.
But in meeting the ohallenge
which I tlhink all of us agree
is now, more than ever, asso-
ciated with sessions and activi-
ties of this kind, we cannot rely
Wholly upon the answers that
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might have been given in more
normail times. We must grant
validity to the argument that no
genuinely dividing influence be
now permitted. We must direct
a keener and more penetrating
criticism toward tihis and every
'similar activity. There can bv
no disturbing questioos in Can-
ada, or the United States, or
any other of our nations united
in t’he common battle for the
democratic way of life, about
divided loyaltids.
How do this week’s conven-
tion, the organization that called
us togebher, the very meeting wc
hold tonight, meet this sterner
test we must now apply? I be-
lieve they meet it in a manner
lihat not only requires no apology
or labored explanation, but in a
manner of wlhich we can be truly
proud. That is my concept of
tonigbt’s most appropriate
theme, and I’d like to examine
it wit’h you ifor a while.
Our primary concern here is
those attributes Whiöh we hope
may survive when the language
whidh our immigrant forebears
brought wibh them has, for all
practical purposes, died out
among us.
Forbunately, that day is not
ímmediately at hand, but for
many younger Icelanders on this
side bhe Atlantic the languagc
was never a fully acquired fea-
ture of bhe heritage. They are
not denied fellowship in the Ice-
landic National League — they
rightiy and insistently claim
their share. And, in evaluating
for ourselves What that share
really is, we must deal prin-
cipatly with the realm of the
spirit. We must place emphasis
upon th(^>e attributes which
rise above the narrow bonds of
nationalism itself — idteas,
ideals, a cultural background
that both illustrates and en-
riches a way of life.
On that point we find unity,
not diviísion. The British and
American troops that share pro-
tective occupation today in the
land from which our parents
and grandparents stem have'
come to what a British official
delegate to Iceland’s parliament-
ary millennium in 1930 described
as the veritable “grandmother of
parliaiments.”
(Here the speaker cited, ad
lib., major points in Iceland’s
early politioail record, with par-
ticular emphasis on her demo-
cratic traditions, and her par-
liament — the world’s oldest).
No, we need have no fears
about dangerously dividing our
ioyalties when we seek to pre-
serve traditions so firmly rooted
in the democracy that today
faces its greatest challenge.
The Icelandic heritage enriches
our iives, makes us better citi-
zens here both in times of perii
and safety, provides us both in-
spiration and refuge. We ouglit
to know more about such a
heritage — and the question
naturaily occurs: How can we
gain that knowledge when we
have lost the key most readilv
available, the language itself?
Mueh can be done, despite such
a loss.
It is seven years since it was
my privilege to attend and speak
at this yearly gathering. I had
then, just three months before,
returned from a fairly extensive
stay in Iceland. I still recail,
with direct application to the
topic now comsidered, what onc
of modern Iceland’s greatest
scholars told me in Reykjavik.
It was Sigurður Norddl, profes-
sor at the University in Reykja-
vik, intcllectual heir of the late
great Finnur Jónsson, guest
lecturer for a season at Harvard
some years ago. Prof. Nordal
said: “We Icelanders don’t ac-
quaint ourselves sufficiently
with the fine English works
written about our history and
our literature. We are not fullly
enough aware of the monu-
mental scholarship in Icelandic
fields carried on by those out-
side our own national group.”
What the Reykjavik scholar
said was obviouSly true. Whether
we understand Icelandic or nol,
there is much to be gained from
the fine works that have ap-
peared in English about this
very Icelandic heritage we are
wont to regard with such pride.
As a matter of fact, it must
shame us just a bit to encounter
the thorotigh knowledge, the
warm-hearted apreciation, thc
intelligent interpretation, of
things Iceiandic coming from
those who 'have lesS reason than
we do to understand the legacy
involved. It is true that an out-
sider gains much in perspective.
So, often, we wail to see the
trees for the forest that sur-
rounds us.
Let us resoJve not to neglect
works of scholarship in other
languages about Iceland and
things Icelandic. It represents
not only an opportumity, but
actual'ly an obligation. Why
should we surrender whoMy to
ot'hers \Vho do not share our ties
of kinship and sentiment the
scholarly approadh to the field
with which we deal here? l’bere
are undoubtedly students at the
University of Manitoba here to-
night, students in a broad wa\
too, both in and outside the
classroom. Why should they not
seize the opportunity which is
theirs to study features of a
heritage that can only enrich
their llives and make them better
citizens of our western world?
For those who have retained
something of the language apti-
tude, there is a challenging field
for eindeavor in the assembling
and the preservation of local
history. That is a fieldi to which
our Icelandic National League
has now turned its intere^ts. The
unique imanner in which Ice-
tandiic colonists began their
Manitoba settlements in the Lake
Winnipeg area must be a tempt-
ing subject for those of soholar-
ly bent among the first settlers'
descentants.
(Here the speaker cited, ad
lib., features of local history in
the Minnesota settlement and
others, that might be similarlv
employed as subject matter for
profitable study).
There are other fields to
which students here of Icelandic
parentage might profitably turn.
Why not choose for your term
paper, your year’s thesis, your
Master’s or your Doctor’s dis-
sertion, a subject such as Ice-
land’s early political institutions,
or some phase of her inspiring
early literature? The stimulating
field is ailike oi>en to those who
have long since left school years
behindl them. And there is no
’lack of English works that may
serve as guideposts on the way.
Viscout Bryce’s “Studies in His-
tory and Jurisprudence” will
make of you a prouder and a
better informed Icelander. It
will make you a better citizen of
our own democracy at the same
time. Do not ignore such slen-
der, quickly read volumes as Sir
William Craigie’s “Thp Icelandic
Sagas,” Bertha Philpotts’ “Edda
and Saga,” Margaret Schlauch’s
“Romance in Iceland,” or the
American Scandinavian Founda-
tion’s translated edition of
Hjalmar Lindoth’s Swedish work,
“Iceland — Land of Contrasts.”
Turn, in the field of early gov-
ernment, to thé work of one of
our own so-called “western
Icelanders” — that volume by
Sveinbjorn Johnson of the North
Dakota settlement, now at the
University of Ulinois, “Pioneers
of Freedom,” published on the
one thousandth anniversary of
Iceiand’s parliament, in 1930.
This is not a bibligraphical
review, however, tempting though
it may be to make the effort a
mere recital of book titles. When
one really needs bibligraphy, it
is so easy to turn to that annual,
“Islandica,” by Halldor Her-
mannsson, curator of the Wil-
lard Fiske collection of Icelandic
books at Cornell University in
Ithaca, New7 York. I glanced
over some of the volumes that
have been issued since the first
oame out in 1907, just tlhe other
day. Volume II, for 1908, held
one’s interest easily. It is en-
titled, “Northmen in America,”
and is exclusively a recital of
book titles dealing with that
theme. I didn’t count the total,
but I did check the number of
English language listings. Back
in 1908, 34 years ago, there were
no less than 275! Don’t t'hink
for a nioment that topics linked
with our Icelandic heritage can-
not be profitably pursued even
in t'he English language alone!
In 1935, Halldor Hermannsson
made of this remarkable annua'
still another storehouse of biblio-
graphic citations. In 1933, he
had properly urged more of
historic studies of Iceland in
Iceland itself. The systematic
issuance of the new saga editions
in Reykjavik is an answer to
just such pleas. Back to our
1908 theme of the “Northmen
in America” Hermannsson turn-
ed in 1936 to “The Problein of
Vinland,” producing one of the
best treatments of that subject
ever given within comparatively
brief limits. One dioes not speak
in this general vein without in-
stinctive thought of the untiring
work done by our own National
League’s president, Dr. Richard
Beck of t'he University of North
Dakota, in all ihis speeches and
his prolific writings. In the very
direction of his scholarsihip, he
has given us an example worth
emulatimg. There are thoughts
of others too — of Stefan Einars-
son and his leadership as student
of Icelandic philology and litera-
ture at Jolhns Hopkins University
in Baltimore, of Skuli Johnson
at your own University f Mani-
toba, of Tryggvi Oleson, Julli’s
son, from Glenboro 1— and of
what is coming to be a veritable
host of others. We should swelJ
those ranks, and it is from
younger members of a group
such as this one that the re-
cruits must come.
We started out here with a dis-
cussion of imeans toward an end
—< of how . best we may pre-
serve features of a national
heritage while contributing our-
selves to the moulding of new
nations. Perhaps we ought to
approach a conclusion with more
detailed consideration of the
ideals that make up our heritage.
That phase of the topic is al-
most an inexhaustible one. It
can be treated only brieflv here.
Some of its aspects are best pre-
sented in a volume that simply
cannot be translated — “fslend-
ingar” by Guðmundur Finniboga-
son, chief librarian now of Ice-
land’s national library.
When one drops from consid-
eration here such chapters in Dr.
Finnbogason’s work as deal with
topics where the language link
must be retained, there is one
Whieh remains entirely pertinenl
to our approach — “Liifsskoðun
og trú” — the philosophy of life
and the fundamentals of faith
among the Icelanders.
Dr. Finnhogason goes back to
early origins, and one gains a
better understanding of the rich
philosophical backgrounds which
are ours, in tracing in the re-
cord with t'his Icelandic scholar.
Hávamál, in the Poetic Edda,
was a generous contributor to
exposition of the early Ice'landic
frame of mind. It reveals the
scale of values our Viking fore-
bears followed in their thinking.
Here are some of the things
ithey placed first — sjélfræði,
vit, háttprýði og hóflæti, þrá
eftir orðstir, náið samband við
aðra, viðskifti þar sem heimtað
var að jafnt yrði á báðar hliðar,
“glík skulu gjöld gjöfum” —
íþróttamannahugsjónin. I cite
points alinost at random as the
words appear in Dr. Finnboga-
son’s text. They deserve greater
elaboration than can be given
them here. With all the early
emphasis on “sjálfræði” and
“vit” — on seilf-reliance and
intelleclual judgment — it is
interesting to note that Ihe
philosophy expounded in that
great early feature of our legacy,
the Poetic Edda, was not an
“isolationist” view. I use that
word without the connotation
given it in some of our fairly
recent arguments in the States.
These m.en who dtefined early
thought among us and gave it
such form as to invite the ad-
miration and the close scrutiny
of scholars throughout the cen-
turies were proud men. Some-
times tlhey seem harsh in the
high standards they set. as to
personal responsibility, as to re-
liance upon self in meeting the
most difficult situations. But
they were socially minded just
the same. “Maður er manns
gaman” was not a random ob-
servation in Hávamál. Men were
not alone one another’s joy —
they responded to bhe need for
dlose association. The forming
of their early governmental in-
stitutions, the holding of their
Althing’s sessions, the gathering
of strong and able men about
Kings in ancient Norway and
chieftains in early Iceland, attcst
that fact. In our own way, we
honor that tradition as meetings
such as this week’s in Winnipeg
are Iheld, enlisting the interest of
t'hose who share a common
heritage in widely scattered com-
munities.
The “íþróttamannahugsjón”
mentioned a moment ago de-
serves fuliler consideration. The
athlete’s highest standards were
a consistent guide. Poetry itself
amounted almost to an “athletic”
competition, and the highly de-
veloped skill of 'lyricists in early
centuries is just one among a
numfoer of such developinents
tlhat tempt one to speculation
upon a posslble decline in learn-
ing over the years. Back to that
set of standards in “Hávamál”—
t'here rnust foe “háttprýði” and
“hóif'Iæti.” There was a stern
and Wholly mamly contempt fot
those who offended against thc
code, for those who failed to be-
have like ladies and gentlemen-
Extremism was frowned upon-
The golden mean in all things
was the objective.
The consideration of Icolandic
faith is a major topic all by it*
self. It has unquestionably been
dealt with on a good many oc-
casions by qualified authorities
numfoered among our own group
here to night. I mean not alonc
the Christian faith and its in-
terpretation among us. Viewing
the entire heritage back over thc
centuries, there are intersting
applications of th pagan philo-
sophy too. The evolution of »
newer outlook as thte pagan
actually merged with and colored
the Ghristian is a unique featurc
of the record of just about 3
thousand years ago. There was
superstition, coinplete fatalism>
a more worldly, every-day con'
cept of the gods, in those eariy
centuries. “Ekki kemur ófeigun1
li hel og ekki má feigum forða
was a typical expression of tha*
fotalism which, with a good
many, survives even today.
flótta er fall verst” — the id«a
that oue’s fall in retreat is nios^
inglorious — was a concep1
whose challenge to rugged coUr'
age and determination still bas
timely application. Resistance
Hitler in the heroic manner std*
evidenced even in the occupicJ
countries that have fallen undc®
the Nazi juggernaut certainiy
epitomizes the Eddic lines'
“Betra er að deyja með sæm1*
en llifa með slkömm.”
An early coloring of Christiab
thought by time and enviroU'