Tímarit Þjóðræknisfélags Íslendinga - 01.01.1944, Page 157

ÞINGTIÐINDI
135
S'dney, 3rd Nov. 1943
Professor Richard Beck,
The University of North Dakota, U.S.A.
I am very glad that you have given
me the opportunity to send a message to
the Icelandic National League, assembl-
ed on their 25th anniversary.
Would you kindly give them the fol-
lowing message.
I feel it a great privilege to be an hon-
orary fellow of the Icelandic National
League, and in this way to be associated
with others who value the heritage of
Iceland. I have always felt that men
and women of Icelandic descent make
their best contribution to the life of the
new world, when they retain the old as
well as absorbing the new. Any fellow-
ship which has for object the preserva-
tion of Iceland’s immortal legacy, lives
for a purpose which is immensely worth
while. I would add that it is my earnest
hope that when the war is over, Iceland
itself will be allowed to retain its own
complete autonomy, and so preserve its
unique individuality.
I send my warmest greetings to my
fellow members in the Icelandic Nation-
al League of America.
With all kindest regards, I remain,
Yours very sincerely,
C. Venn Pilcher
February 19, 1944.
Lr. Richard Beck,
President Icelandic National League,
Winnipeg, Man.
Dear Dr. Beck:
I had fully intended to attend the
twenty-fifth anniversary of the Icelandic
National League. In fact, I got as far as
Langdon when I was called from Bis-
uaarck to come there to preside at the
trial of two cases commencing next
Monday. I have never dodged a duty
and furthermore one of these cases ís
Very important as it involves how far a
Chiropraetor can go in the treatment of
disease without liability for disastrous
results, I must, therefore, forego my
Pleasure in attending the convention
and return to my duties.
May I then take this way to extend to
the League and to you my hearty con-
gratulations. In my opinion the League
has been a great force for good amongst
the Icelanders and has kept alive the
maintenance of the many good things
we have inherited from our ancestry. At
the same time it has encouraged us to
eontribute as much of that as we can to
the composite civilization in which we
find ourselves and perform our duty as
citizens of our adopted countries. It has
helped keep alive the ties between the
old country and the new. In doing that
it has kept us posted of the remarkable
progress in the old country and has
shown the Icelanders over there that we
here are trying to live as worthy de-
scendants of the Icelandic nationality. I
think the League has succeeded along
those lines very well indeed. I believe
it has even more important duties in
the future to these same matters upon
the younger generation.
I want to take this occasion to con-
gratulate you upon the splendid admini-
stration you have given the League dur-
ing the last four years. The Presidency
has been held by many worthy men in
the past and you have fully lived up to
the high standards they set.
I also wish to pay respects to the Rev.
Sigurgeir Sigurdsson, Bishop of Iceland,
who comes here for this occasion as a
representative of the Icelandic Govern-
ment. I think to send him was a won-
derful gesture on the part of the Govern-
ment and I know that his visit is bound
to have good results for the development
of the purposes of the League. I hope I
may have occasion to meet him and
personally assure him of my respect and
admiration.
Hoping you have a very successful
convention and best wishes, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Guðmundur Grímson
Herra prófessor Richard Beck,
forseti Þjóðræknisfélagsins.
I tilefni af tuttugu og fimm ára af-
mæli Þjóðræknisfélags íslendinga i
Vesturheimi sendi eg þvi hinar bestu