THE WOMEN of SCANDINAVIA and THEIR WORK

Ladies' Mirror, Volume 2, Issue 8, 1 February 1924, Page 23

THE WOMEN of SCANDINAVIA and THEIR WORK

by MARGUERITE W. CROOKES, M.A.

|r J' , HE very great measure of power that Scandinavian women wield in the polities of their own country and the international influence they have in questions of social reform is a matter of considerable surprise to those unfamiliar with their racial qualities and their ancient history. It is a fact that from a position of political subjection and dependence they have suddenly attained a unique degree of political freedom and privilege, with a splendid record of social and political reforms to their credit. But. their present position of authority and independence is hardly surprising to one familiar with their standing in the far-off days of the early Vikings. These fearless and picturesque barbarians who counted no adventure too heroic and no peril too great for a brave man to dare, who sent their long ships sailing to the coast of Africa and to America itself, who tilled the North with the tales of their mighty deeds and fierce wars, were in no way more worthy of respect than in the treatment they accorded their women. The viking maidens were highly honoured and chivalrously protected. After a maiden married she became the companion and not the vassal of her husband. Her counsels were listened to with deference, her desires and opinions were not lightly to be put aside, and her rights both before and after marriage were carefully protected by law. She possessed in her own right whatever she received by marriage or inheritance, and her husband could not interfere with it without her consent. Divorce laws were surprisingly liberal for that stage of the world’s .history. Moreover, if a separation took place, in which neither party was guilty of criminality, the woman took the property that she would have inherited at the death of her husband. The women on their part were strong, self-reliant, capable and brave, showing courage and calmness in the face of violence and bloodshed. Indeed, some of the fierce viking maidens actually went forth and fought in battle with the men, but this was rather exceptional. On the other hand, they frequently took an active part in the defence when their own homes were besieged or attacked. With the passing of the Viking age the position of the Scandinavian women gradually altered for the worse. Many changes passed over the peninsulas, the coming of Christianity, the Renaissance, the Reformation and national and social vicissitudes innumerable. By the nineteenth century the position of Scandinavian women had sunk very low. Then the French Revolution, with its inspiring call to national and political freedom, influenced Norway, Sweden and Denmark as it influenced all the other nations in Europe. For some time the struggle for freedom expressed itself on national lines, and Norway, Sweden and Denmark were too busy settling their differences with outsiders and each other to have much time for domestic reform. The vote for women was not secured in Norway till 1913, in Denmark in 1915, in Sweden in 1921. But during the comparatively few years that the women of Scandinavia have occupied themselves with political and social matters they have an astonishing number of really tangible results to show for their efforts. Norway, Sweden and Denmark differ widely from each other as regards national characteristics, hence it is not surprising that the reforms instituted by women should have taken different directions in the different countries. In Norway the women have aimed at benefiting their sisters in purely domestic ways. It is no exaggeration to say that at present Norway probably has the best marriage, illegitimacy and divorce laws in the world. Swedish women, on the other hand, have worked to secure the fullest rights as regards property, and Sweden now possesses the world’s most advanced property laws. Danish women have concentrated on quite another aspect of their national life, the industrial side. They have helped to evolve a magnificent system of protective laws for women and children. Women play an extremely active part in the political life of the country, and are well received both in the political and municipal world. Denmark is noted for the efficiency and progressiveness of its municipal administration. On the other hand, though each country has started improvements on different lines, they are committed to a common policy of all-round social progress. A few years ago a Scandinavian conference was held, at which the three countries decided on a comprehensive scheme of social reform. Each country set to work to carry out the plan according to its national ideas, but it seems certain that none of them will rest satisfied till they have carried out the full scheme. Norway, for instance, having improved her marriage laws, is now striving to bring her property laws up to the standard of those of Sweden. A Royal Commission is now engaged in working out property laws which will do greater justice to the wife. These will shortly he laid before Parliament. A prominent member of this commission is Miss Elise Sem. This able lawyer is at present the only woman licensed to practise before the Supreme Court.

She has also been sent as Technical Expert to the League of Nations Committee on the Traffic in Women and Children. But it is when one leaves the sphere of national for that of international reform that the position of Scandinavian women is most striking. Denmark, Sweden and Norway were the first three countries to send women on their delegations to the Assembly of the League of Nations. One of the most celebrated of the Norwegian women delegates is Dr. Kristine Bonnevie, Professor of Biology at the. University of Christiania. This year Dr. Bonnevie was made a member of the Committee of Intellectual Co-operation of the League, and also enjoys the high honour of being’ President of the Social Commission. Another prominent member of the League is Mrs. Anna Bugge Wicksell, who went as an alternate in the Swedish delegation, and is also a member of the Mandates Committee. Mrs. Wicksell showed her moral courage and her devotion to justice when she opposed the claim of Sweden to the Aaland Islands, which the League verdict eventually gave to Finland. Mrs. Bettzy Kjelsberg is another distinguished Norwegian, who has the honour of being the first woman factory inspector in Norway. The service she has rendered to her country has been such that she was chosen by the Government as their delegate to a conference of the International Labour Organisation. Her work gained so much admiration that, this year she was sent as president of the whole Norwegian Delegation. Denmark also has ' provided the League with women of fine character and intellect. Mrs. Marie Hjelmer, M.P., and Mrs. Estr. Brock have attended the Labour Conferences as technical advisers. Denmark has also sent three delegates to the Union Interparliamentiare, one from the Upper House and two from the Lower. One of the most striking figures Denmark has sent to the League is Miss Henni Forchanimcr, who is perhaps the world’s greatest authority on the Traffic in Women and Children, and she has been a splendid and powerful influence for the last three years on the committee that is striving to combat this hideous disgrace to our civilisation. It is, perhaps, hardly necessary to say that all these public-spirited women are working earnestly for the world’s peace. Marta Larsen, a delegate to the Women’s Peace Conference in Vienna, voiced her opinion that such countries as her own (Norway) would do well to set the example in world disarmament. T\ e may well say that the women of Scandinavia deserve the gratitude of women in all parts of the world, not only for the splendid work they have already done, but also for their inspiring example of courage, common sense, energy and self-sacrifice.