Le Nord : revue internationale des Pays de Nord - 01.06.1938, Qupperneq 35

WHEN KINGS AND FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET 27
1920 the Socialists came to power with Branting; and every
Foreign Minister emphasized the importance of these meetings.
In 1920 when Denmark called the last meeting in the first series,
that country had a Liberal government; the Norwegian Govern-
ment was Conservative.
In 1932 when the first meeting in the second series took place,
Denmark had a Socialist cabinet supported by the Radicals; Nor-
way had a government of the Farmers’ Party, Sweden a Liberal
government. In 1934 when the Foreign Minister of Finland met
his colleagues in this way for the first time that country had a
coalition cabinet (without the Socialists), Denmark a Socialist,
Norway a cabinet of the Left and Sweden a Socialist government.
But the communiqués issued tell a continuous story of discus-
sions and decisions always directed by the same principles.
When the four Foreign Ministers met in Oslo in April of this
year they were welcomed by Dr. Koht, the Foreign Minister of
Norway, in a speech that was broadcasted in all the four countries
and Iceland. In this speech he well expressed what might be
called the ideological background for the collaboration of the
five countries — and for Le Nord. He mentioned the fact that
since the meeting in August 1935 the political questions have come
very much to the fore in the deliberations, simply for the reason
that during these last years international politics have been filled
more and more with conflicts, dissensions and danger. And then
he went on:
»It is not against a horizon of happy world conditions we
meet. In 1920 when the last meeting in the first series of these
conferences took place, those that met might believe that inter-
national life should now be built on law and justice and friendly
co-operation. To-day we have a feeling that Right and the belief
in Right is collapsing in every quarter. One state after another
declares that only on Might and Arms can they build their trust
in Peace and Right.
»At this moment we are glad to know that the four Northern
Countries, at any rate, are united to support the idea of inter-
national right and justice. ¥e have no intention of putting might
behind our wishes and demands from others or reciprocally. As
far as we are concerned we only want to observe law and justice
in all international relations. And we wish to be outside of any
military conflict. In this we are united; with our utmost ability
helping each other mutually as far as need be, we are going to pro-