Le Nord : revue internationale des Pays de Nord - 01.06.1938, Blaðsíða 401

CHRONIQUE TRIMESTRIELLE
391
out. On the following day the
Government decided not to lay the
preparations which had been made
ad acta but to take a general survey
at once, making note of the defects
which had now been detected in the
course of this experience.
At the critical stage preparations
had been made, in keeping with de-
cisions taken at conferences at Ge-
neva, to issue simultaneous and
analogous declarations of neutrality
in the four Northern countries im-
mediately after the outbreak of a
war between the Great Powers of
Europe and to bring the Northern
neutrality rules into force.
In a series of lectures on “Nor-
thern Community” arranged by the
“Norden” Society and “Arbetarnes
bildningsförbund”, the large Swe-
dish organisation for popular en-
lightenment, Mr. Hansson, the
Prime Minister, gave an introduc-
tory discourse on “Northern Unity
— outwards and inwards”. Among
other things he said:
The word “community” should
perhaps have been used in the
heading for my remarks instead of
“unity” — Northern Community
— outwards and inwards. It would
have said a little less. The word
“unity” in this connection is apt to
give the impression that actual
Northern endeavours have a wider
range than is really the case. All
the more so as there are some tak-
ing part in these Northern discus-
sions who are in favour of far-
reaching alliances in the defensive-
political as well as the economic
spheres, the realisation of which
would necessitate more binding and
stricter forms for this unity than
those which Northern affinity now
adopts.
It is not my intention to carry
on a controversy with, or condemn,
these opinions. They are readily ar-
rived at when attempting to solve
the idea of Northern Community,
when openly considering what is
the best way of effectively organis-
ing Northern Community. We are
also apt to think that if we com-
bine relatively small forces we shall
get a larger force, and that if the
combined resources are placed at
the disposal of the larger unit they
can be more rationally utilized. We
cannot tell what part such opinions
may play in future deliberations.
In their most extreme aims they
cannot be considered at present.
Our endeavour is instead to extend
Northern Community on lines
which will not interfere with the
right to self-determination and li-
berty of action of the individual
countries.
In order to obtain a true picture
of what the Northern unit in its
multiplicity, or its multiplex unity,
consists, it is necessary to bear in
mind historical developments in
broad outline. The linguistic and, if
we so wish, the cultural affinity of
the countries on the Scandinavian