ON THE WAY TO UTOPIA

Opunake Times, 12 August 1932, Page 4

ON THE WAY TO UTOPIA

PROGRESS IN DENMARK. A correspondent of the Christian Science Monitor, writing under the heading, "Half Way to Utopia," pays a tribute to Denmark's cultural and material progress. Denmark, he states, seems to be a remnant—a residue. It appears to consist of what has been salvaged. But this would be a superficial impression, for ' Denmark right now is in its prime. Never has it been truly as great as at present. Never has its fame been so far-flung, its name esteemed in so many circles, and its achievements so widely admired as to-day. Denmark has become an inspiration to millions of distant people who never heard of its ancient prowess; and that because Denmark has uncovered secrets which multitudes of distraught human beings have long been seeking, and has solved problems which trouble most nations. Among powerful factors in the advance of Denmark has been a revival of Danish history, of Danish sono-, Danish folk lore, the native Danish language. Valiant, gifted apostles, who, during the last century devoted all their energies to ieading Denmark forward, as in a crusade, were burning patriots. But they expressed their love for their nation in a long, self-sacrificing struggle to enable all the people to live better. Patriotism was a vital love for Danes, freed from enmity towards any other nation, and this warm love, wisely exercised, has wrought great improvements. The most remarkable of them is the manifold elevation of the present. About half the people in Denmark live on the land. Those people have learned to produce wealth, to live in peace and order, to rejoice in the beautiful. Denmark's peasants are certainly among the world's most advanced and even cultured tillers of the soil. And that is not because they have a rich land. In fact, the country contains no mines, no great natural forests or extensive sources of water power. It is flat and swainpv, with ihin soil; it is a cluster of islands md a peninsula just peeping up above the surface of the sea and often swept by waves of sterile sand. For centuries thousands of acres lay idle, and one could walk for miles over dunes, through bru?n land and across swamps, without seeing a house or field. But by drainage, afforestation, scientific farming and co-operation all this has been completely changed. And almost wholly by the peasants themselves. Denmark is nowa fruitful, verdant, well-till-ed, flower-covered land. Intelligent, experienced farmer now control politics; market their own produce even in distant ports, provide themselves with credit, supply themselves with whatever they need . from abroad, work even into finished products their own milk, cream, vegetables and meat, and maintain scores of professional and purely cultural schools. Their chief aim is decidedly not to raise better hogs, but through better hogs to live fuller, happier lives. They have established effective, far-sighted democracy. Tliev do not hesitate to undertake land-redeeming projects requiring 30 years for realisation. They are both tolerant and religious; progressive yet with a deep regard for order and for the past; markedly practical, yet given to attending adult cultural schools which teach abstract subjects and issue no diplomas; are very jealous for peasant riefhts, yet live at peace with the cities.