Fight! Fight?

Most wars have been fought for less cause than the Arctic crisis which last week vexed Norwegians and infuriated Danes.

Norway has never recognized the claim of Denmark that all Greenland is Danish. Norwegians have quietly thought and quietly said for years that Eastern Greenland north of Scoresby Sound is Norwegian. Last week this Arctic crisis, forgotten for years and quiescent as a cake of ice, suddenly thawed and melted wrathfully, boiled up hot.

Heat was applied by Norway's new, little-known Arctic Council, constituted last January to advise the Norwegian Government about Arctic affairs. This council, composed of peppery Arctic experts, suddenly released to the Norwegian press a handout with two main points: first, the Norwegian public was warned that a Danish expedition will soon set out to explore East Greenland; second, the Council urged that the Government "draw part of East Greenland under Norwegian sovereignty," presumably by sending out a Norwegian expedition. Norway's claim to East Greenland, the Arctic Council declared, is justly based on the fact that "East Greenland was colonized by Norwegian hunters."

In Copenhagen last week the Danish press acted as though the Arctic Council were the Norwegian Government, treated its recommendations as at least semiofficial. This was natural. The Arctic Council enjoys Norwegian Government support. Danes were entitled to think that Norway was about to move upon East Greenland in some way. Danes, the ebullient "Frenchmen of Scandinavia," were thus entitled to auger.

Denmark has reduced her army and navy to minimums. Norway has done the same. Two such nations cannot very well fight. When excited Copenhagen reporters rushed to excited Danish Premier Theodore Stauning, demanding what he was going to do, the most terrifying threat he could utter was this: "If Norway attacks Danish suzerainty over Eastern Greenland, gentlemen,--if Norway attacks!--then gentlemen, Denmark will complain to the League of Nations!"

In Norway, where Peace perches upon every altar of a pensive people, the action of the Arctic Council embarrassed everyone exceedingly, led to no end of tut-tutting. In the Storting (Parliament) Speaker Hambro declared: "It is important that the country and the government be not further compromised by the Arctic Council. ... Its action has called forth comment by no means flattering to Norway!"

When calm Norwegian reporters cornered calm Premier Peder Ludvig Kolstad he put the Arctic crisis back on ice thus:

"Neither my Government nor the Foreign Office had any part in the decision taken by the Arctic Council. Its uncalled for interference in Norway's foreign politics has made difficult the Government's efforts to watch over Norway's interest in East Greenland. I have requested the Arctic Council to issue no more statements to the press, except upon the request of the Government."

Greenland, cause of this happily averted quarrel, is Denmark's only colony and three times as large as Denmark. Eskimos are still almost the only inhabitants of Greenland, not because there are no opportunities for Danes and others there, but because Denmark shuts out all foreign immigration and permits only a handful of Danes to reside in Greenland, half of them workers in the cryolite mines. This curious policy, which costs Denmark about $150,000 per year in Colonial outlay (Greenland could easily be "made to pay"), is based on a philanthropic concept: Greenland for the Eskimos.

After visiting Greenland last year (TIME, Oct. 27) Danish Premier Stauning said:

"Great changes are taking place in Greenland, not only economically but also in the mode of life of the inhabitants. Igloos are gradually disappearing as the Eskimos build neat wooden houses to take their place. Flowers are being cultivated-- think of that in Greenland! Some of the Eskimo women are becoming interested in window boxes. During the summer, I can tell you, they make a brave, bright show!"

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