Le Nord : revue internationale des Pays de Nord - 01.06.1938, Qupperneq 393

CHRONIQUE TRIMESTRIELLE 383
“We were in consultation with
the other Northern Governments.
The question was to find a modus
which could help our industries and
business without leading us along
on a political road against our prin-
ciples. We could then in principle
follow the example set by England
and various other states and send
out an “agent” who might have
“sub-agents” working under him
and take care of our trade interest
and every other interest we might
have in Franco Spain — but who
should not be accredited in the
ordinary diplomatic way. There
must be no question of any re-
cognition of the Franco Govern-
ment according to international
law. The agreement was made
known on October 5th and it was
expressly stated in the notification
that the agreement did not involve
any recognition de jure or de facto.”
Speaking of the future both in
Spain and in general Dr. Koht said
we had never to lose hope or
courage even if prospects seem to be
dark; always direct your will again
and again to working for what you
think right. And discussing the Lea-
gue of Nations the Foreign Minister
said that he thought it possible
gradually to lift the League of
Nations to such an authority that it
could in truth set power behind the
work for universal peace. But this
can not be done rapidly. We have
a long way to go, but it would mean
giving up all our work for human
progress if we should now get out
of the League. He would not accept
any such idea.
It may safely be said that public
discussion in Norway after the
Munich Arrangement has been far
more open and more passionate
than in the other Northern coun-
tries. And this discussion was given
an additional zest because the
question of the Nobel Peace Prize
was brought into it. Certain news-
papers started a campaign for
giving the Nobel Peace Prize to Mr.
Neville Chamberlain; and other
newspapers answered by demanding
that the prize should be given to
Mr. Benes; and a number of public
meetings were held to create sympa-
thy for Czechoslovakia and protest
against the way in which the po-
pulation was being treated. Al-
though the newspapers advocating
the giving of the prize to Mr.
Chamberlain did not belong to the
Conservative Party, the Labour
papers, advocating the candidature
of Mr. Benes, seemed to look upon
this matter as a sort of party con-
flict. Mr. Hambro, on his return
from Geneva, in interviews, articles
and lectures stigmatized the Munich
Arrangement as a deadening blow
to the system of collective security
and inaugurating a new era of per-
manent danger to the liberty and
independance of any small state.
Similarly he protested against any
advance discussion of the distri-