Le Nord : revue internationale des Pays de Nord - 01.06.1938, Page 402

392
LE NORD
peninsula and Denmark and Ice-
land is as old as the very existence
of their peoples.
The increasing recognition of the
mutual interests of our Northern
countries is not a result of the wise
and deliberate policy of some far-
sighted men with the object of
gaining cultural and economic ad-
vantages. It is rather that the in-
nate unity of the Northern peoples,
based on a common culture, has
laid a foundation and given possi-
bilities for an expansion of co-
operation in different spheres, nay,
has called forth and still calls forth
such co-operation simply in conse-
quence of the inherent power of
that unity. That is the source of
our power. ¥e can utilize it at dif-
ferent phases in different ways and
with varying success. But we could
not manage without it. The histori-
cal bond between the peoples of the
North is indissoluble, and in this
much the North is a unit.
Developments which have led to-
wards greater political understand-
ing and co-operation in the indi-
vidual countries of the North have
also had a beneficial reaction upon
mutual Northern understanding.
It gives great satisfaction that so
much has been attained; the work
is progressing vigorously, the work
will continue to progress. And it
will grow on the foundation of de-
mocracy, in free co-operation be-
tween independent peoples, without
coercion and heavy bonds, on lines
which we find will best serve the
common good of the individual
State and the united North by
brotherly deliberations as occasion
demands. It is our hope that such
an example of happy communion
in peace and liberty will also serve
as an example to other peoples.
The municipal elections, the po-
litical importance of which were
mentioned in the previous issue,
were held on Sept. 18th, this time
in accordance with constitutional
changes reducing the voting age
limit from 27 to 23 years. As was
expected, the outcome of the elec-
tions was a substantial gain by the
social democratic party. They won
154 new seats on the provincial and
town councils, the communists won
9 and the peoples party or liberals
7. On the other hand the conserva-
tive party, who form the largest op-
position party, suffered the hea-
viest loss of seats, 104, but pre-
served their proportionate share of
the electorate in comparison with
the figures for the latest general
election to the second chamber in
1936. The peasant party, which
with the social democrats forms the
coalition government, lost 37 seats.
The exact composition of the
first chamber during the next few
years, which is based on the com-
position of the provincial and town
councils, cannot be foreseen because
the local election results often de-
pend on the co-operation by two