GUSTAV OF SWEDEN

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 28, 3 February 1938, Page 4

GUSTAV OF SWEDEN

THIRTY YEARS A KING

WORK FOR SCANDINAVIA

His Majesty King Gustav* V of Sweden has celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of his accession to the throne, says a friend of the King in an article in the "Manchester Guardian." His parents »were Oscar, II and Sophia Princess of Nassau. His father was a highly cultured person, deeply interested in literature and art, besides being a poet of note himself. He arranged that his son received a careful education, both military and civil, and also sent him to study at one of the universities. Gustav prepared," himself further for his high office by extensive travels and by taking part in public activities of various kinds. A Union between Sweden and Norway was then still in force, . and on his father's accession tip j the throne he therefore became Crown Prince of Sweden and Norway. As such he repeatedly acted as Regent. • On account of the delicate health o£ his father he took an active part inthe Government of the realm, particu-la'i-ly during the critical year . 1905, when Norway broke away from the union. The noble and self ; sacrificing conduct of the King and the Crown Prince on this occasion contributed strongly to the peaceful settlement ■of the conflict, and to the fact that the final dissolution of the union was carried out in •a' way that has led to lasting friendship and increased confidence between the two peoples. NO CORONATION CEREMONY. Immediately on his succession in 1907 King Gustav showed that he had mastered the problems of the day and understood the change in the position, of the monarchy which had taken, place as a result of the -. advance of • democracy. The ten years preceding his accession to the throne had witnessed far-reaching. changes- in the political life of the country. The extension of the franchise and the ascen* dancy of the Left parties were the external signs of increasing political maturity and of the growing political and economic demands by the working classes. A new era was in fact being established. In accordance with the growing opinic 1 of the vanity of outward pomp and of the need ' for equalising power in the community the King decided to' dispense with the Coronation ceremony, which had formerly been the occasion of a1 .display; of pomp and ceremony which had in-: sufficient foundation in the modern community. For similar reasons he also reduced the pageantry displayed, for instance, at the opening of the Riksdag and other .important , occa-" sions, and introduced, by,way of setting a good example, greater simplicity; in daily life. HIS WORK IN THE WAR. During the Great War, when from the very first—and later on in spite of all difficulties—Sweden maintained a strict neutrality, King Gustav played, an important part, especially in safeguarding the three Northern kingdoms, Denmark, Norway, and. Sweden* at various stages of the war. It will be remembered .that after the dissolution of the union with. Sweden a, Danish Prince (Prince Karl of, Denmark) married- to a daughter of King1 Edward VII- of England," had been; elected King ,of Norway. "Relations between . Sweden and Norway had! generally improved in the course of years, and were even beginning to develop into friendship, but no rapprochement had taken place between, the two Royal houses. ,In view of great dangers that might threaten1 in the event of the three Northern kingdoms following diverging courses inN their policies under .the pressure of the numerous political and • economic' complications, temptations, and more or less covert threats of the war, King1 Gustav seized the opportunity to re-* move the last remaining traces of the! constitutional conflict with Norway, which had cost him the crown of thati country. In December, 1914, he' invited the Kings of Denmark and Norway to a meeting in Malmo, the capital of the southernmost province of Sweden. MEETING OF THREE KINGS. This was the celebrated meeting of the three Scandinavian } Kings., in which the. Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers of the respective countries took part. At' this meeting a common policy of neutrality ' and'mutual economic assistance was agreed upon, a co-operation which was continued and 'strengthened as the: strain caused by the War increased. Thus during the latter stage"^of the ■ war, under the pressure of economic war with its attendant lack of com-' modities, the three northern kingdoms^ formed almost a single area of production with free mutual exchange of cpm» modities. The meeting of the three kings at Malmo was followed: by other at Oslo in 1917, at which King Gustav recalled that the disruption of, the union in 1905 had dealt a severe blow to the idea of Scandinavian, unity, and made an appeal.for a new kind of unity and concord between the ; three countries. "Let us form.a new union," he said, "not one- of the old kind, but a union based on mutual understanding and good will, the vitality, of, which I trust will be of a more per-, manent character." Thereupon he grasped the hands of the other two kings, and thus by a silent promise his appeal was confirmed before th« nations. VALVE OF ,THE POLICY. It'is impossible fully.to estimate the importance during the/critical times of the war of the co-operation thus begun between the three countries. It is quite certain, however, that they have • all benefited from it during the years after the war, and that the beneficial effect of these northern royal meetings' .will continue in the future. : King Gustav has with great acumen judged political conditions and claims 1 for political rights demanded by' modern tendencies, with the result that' the foundations of constitutional moh- - archy in Sweden stand firm. The pro-; gress of democracy during the present generation has inevitably to some extent circumscribed the Royal prerogative, but no essential alterations have been effected. Influenced by the.traditions and experiences of centuries, the new developments have been carried " through without serious disturbances. After the war Socialist Governments have alternated with Conservative and Moderate Governments without any change in their relation to the monarchy, i King Gustav, though sevenly-nina years of age. has reached the thirtyfirst year of his reign in perfect mental and bodily health. He has al- •'- ---ways been a lover of open-air games and is a keen sportsman, which is ■ mainly why he still retains full vigour. As everyone knows, lie is a good tennis player and can ever now • enter the field against, and defeat, younger, prominent opponents.