A COMMUNIST VICTORY

Southland Times, Issue 23001, 22 September 1936, Page 7

A COMMUNIST VICTORY

General Election In Sweden

FIRST TIME IN THE NATION’S HISTORY

120 OF 230 SEATS WON (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 12.15 a.m.) Stockholm, Sept. 21. For the first time in Sweden’s history the Socialist-Communists secured a majority in the Lower House, winning 123 of the 230 seats in the general election.

An earlier message stated that the results in 17 of the 28 constituencies give the Social Democrat Party eight gains. The Socialist Communist majority was expected.

The Government of Sweden is a constitutional monarchy, executive power being vested in the King, who is advised by a Council of State headed by the Prime Minister.

The result of the general election in September 1932, was:—

Per Albin Hanson, editor of a Socialist newspaper and leader of the Social Democratic Labour Party since 1925, as Prime Minister formed a Socialist Cabinet by combination with the Agrarians and Communists. Stringent economies were put into effect and taxation was increased.

Undisturbed in a Europe torn between Communism and Fascism, Sweden pursues the stolid Scandinavian middle way, says The Literary Digest of June 27. For the last four years Per Albin Hanson, the Socialist Prime Minister, has ruled the country by a happy compromise between Socialism and capitalism. Swedes owe him much. By raising death duties and property taxes, the Prime Minister inaugurated a bold programme of public works which reduced unemployment from 190,000 to 50,000 —fewer than 1 per cent, of the population. Under his regime the State, which had always claimed ownership of most of the waterfalls, operated power plants at a profit and supplied electricity to the public at Id a kilowatt hour. Private companies, forced to meet the Government’s price yardstick, sold so much cheap power that winter-darkened Sweden became one of the most electrified countries in the world. High Standard of Living.

Gradually, under Socialist leaders who preached evolution and reform rather than revolution, the country vanquished depression and made its standard of living one of the world’s highest. » For all this prosperity, the Swedes credited the simple Prime Minister who continued to go to work in a tramcar. But the Agrarians, who had given him the necessary votes in exchange for projects for rural aid, grew sick of the political barter they call “Kohandel”—cow trading. They found an excuse for trouble in the fear of vzar. Swedes; staring nervously across the grey Baltic towards the resurgent Reich, clamoured for greater expenditure on defence. Per Albin, a pacifist, offered to increase last year’s outlay of £5,850,000 to £6,400,000; the Centre parties wanted £6,200,000, but the Conservatives cried for £8,000,000.

Axel Pehrsson i Bramstorp, the Agrarian leader, saw his chance; he deserted the Prime Minister and swung his strength to the Centre. Rather than fail on the arms problem, Per Albin switched to a more popular question; he offered to provide £7,400,000 for defence if Parliament would vote £250,000 more for old age pensions. The legislators passed the arms increase, but baulked at raising the pensions. Per Albin . immediately resigned. King Gustav, on the eve of celebrating his 78th birthday, asked Pehrsson i Bramstorp to form a Cabinet. The 53-year-old farmer undertook the task enthusiastically, and succeeded in forming a Centre Coalition Ministry. Down on his fortified square farm he used to boast that there was only one job he could not do—a midwife’s.

Party Votes Seats Socialists 1,039,249 104 Communists 206,386 8 Agrarian 351,150 36 Conservatives 582,843 58 Peoples 250,379 20 Liberal 40,958 4 National Socialists 15,160