June 16.
Immediately on his succession in 1907, King] Gustaf, whose birthday is being celebrated by Swedes today, showed that he had mastered the problems of the times and understood the change in the position of the Swedish monarchy which had actually taken place in consequence of the advance of democracy. The ten years preceding his accession to the throne had witnessed far reaching alterations in the political life of the country. The extension of the franchise and. the onward movement of the Left parties! were the external signs of increasing political] maturity and of the growing political and) economic claims of the mass of the people.
Reafly, a new era was being inaugurated. In accordance with the increasing prevalence of opinion as regards the vanity of outward pomp and of the need for equalizing power in the community the King decided to dispense with the coronation ceremony, which formerly had been the occasion of a display of great pomp and ceremony. For! similar reasons he also diminished _the pageant, for instance, at the opening of the Riksdag and other important occasions, and introduced, by way of setting a good example, greater simplicity in daily life.' 'The King was not, however, spared great diMfculties during' the internal political contests which naturally occur during such times of transition as a result of fresh' political and economic ideas spreading among, the people. But the conflicts which several times seemed threatening were gradually smoothed out by constitutional means, thanks to wisdom and concessions based on the dependable experiences and firm organiza~' tion of an old, well-established culture.
During the world war, when Sweden from the very first, and later on in spite! of all difficulties, maintained a strict neutral~ ity whatever else may have been imputed by any of the belligerent parties, King, Gustaf played an important part especially {in regard to the position of the three north~ ern kingdoms Denmark, Norway and Sweden the various stages of the war. Relations between Sweden and Norway had in the course of years generally improved and had. even begun to develop into friendship, but between the two Royal Houses no rapprochement had taken place. In view of the great dangers that might threaten in case the three northern kingdoms—in accordance with certain predilections among the peoples and certain old connections, traditions and Separate interests—should follow diverging courses in their policies under the pressure of the manifold political and economic complications, temptations, or more or less covert threats of the war, King Gustaf grasped the opportunity to remove the last, remaining traces of the constitutional con ict with Norway, which had cost him the crown of that country. In December of 1914) he invited the Kings of Denmark and Norway to a meeting in Malmo, the capital of the southernmost province of Sweden, This was the celebrated Scandinavian Triple Royal meeting, in which the Prime Ministers! and Foreign Ministers of the respective countries took part, and where during the years of war was inaugurated what was Practically a common policy of neutrality and mutual economic assistance. This cooperation was continued and strengthened as the stress was increased through increasingly more vigorous warfare. During the later stages this policy called for still further development through bringing about a lack of commodities, and thereupon the three northern kingdoms were formed into tone single area of production with a free and mutual exchange of commodities.
The Triple Royal meeting at Malmo was followed by another one at Oslo in 1917, where King Gustaf, publicly calling to mind that the disruption of the Union in 1905 had dealt a severe blow to the idea of Scandinavian unity, made an appeal for a new form of unity, and agreement between the countries. "Let us form a fresh union, said in a public speech, "not of the old kind, but a union of mutual understanding. and of hearts, the vitality of which I (rust will be more lasting than that of the former kind." With that he grasped the hands of the other two Kings, and his appeal was! sealed before the nations by a silent promise. It is impossible fully to estimate the importance during the difficult times of the! war-crisis of the ce-operation thus initiated between the three countries. It is a cortainty however, that it has reacted favourably to them all during the years after the war, and that the beneficent effect of these northern royal meetings will continue in the future. King Gustaf has with great acumen judged the political conditions of his country and the claims for political expression modern developments, with the consequence that the foundations of constituial monarchy in Sweden stand firm. The advance of democracy during this generation has certainly to some extent, and inevitably, circumscribed the royal prerogative, but no essential alterations have occurred.
The new developments, influenced by the traditions and experience of centuries, have) taken place without serious disturbances. After the war Socialist Governments have alternated with Conservative and Moderate Governments without any change in relation to the Monarchy: King Gustaf has reached his advanced years in perfect mental and bodily health. He has always been a lover: of open-air games and is a yood sportsman, which is mainly why he still retains his full vigour. As everybody knows, he is still a good tennis player, able to enter the field against younger, prominent opponents, and even defeat them. This is something to be proud of at 80 years of age, even for a king. To the local Swedes who today will be celebrating their King's birthday this journal offers the congratulations of its readers expressing the hope that His Majesty will have many more years in which to continue those fine services which he has unstintingly: rendered his country.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.