1939: Denmark

Government Reform.

At the beginning of 1939, Denmark's greatest political interest was its draft constitution, which had been in the process of development for two years. Its provisions included (1) lowering the voting age to 23 (from 35 for the Upper House and 25 for the Lower House of Parliament), (2) reducing the number of seats in Parliament from 225 to 210, and (3) creating a United Parliament similar to Norway's one-house legislature. In order to become law, the proposed constitution had to pass two successive parliaments, and then receive the people's sanction directly through a plebiscite. On March 11 the Rigsdag (Parliament) first passed the bill. A new Rigsdag, elected on April 3 and 12, approved the bill on May 10. The referendum of May 23, however, defeated the draft constitution; although a great majority of the votes favored its adoption, the aye votes represented slightly less than the required 45 per cent of the electorate. In view of the narrow margin of defeat, the Government of Premier Thorwald Stauning planned to resubmit the proposal to the people.

Relations with Germany.

Nazi activities during campaigns for the April 3 election intensified Danish-German misunderstanding, which had resulted from the arrest on Jan. 3 of six Danish Nazis and the conviction on Jan. 26 of 8 Nazis (including their German leader) previously arrested by Denmark for espionage. During the campaign in March, Dr. Fritz Clausen, Danish Nazi leader, threatened Denmark with a fate similar to that of Czechoslovakia 'if the Marxist Government did not understand' the lessons of current history. On March 22, Premier Stauning branded as 'traitors to their country' any Danish citizens who wished to join Clausen. On March 28 and 30 the Danish Ministry of Justice expelled five German Nazi propagandists who had come into North Schleswig with at least 130 compatriots from the German Fuhrer school at Plon in Holstein. Nazi efforts apparently succeeded in part, for the April 3 elections sent 3 new Danish Nazi members to the Lower House of Parliament, although simultaneously the Communists increased their representation from 2 to 3. The Government parties (Social Democrats and Radicals) lost four seats, but retained a majority of 78 to 71. In elections to the Upper House on April 12, the Government parties gained 2 seats.

Danish-German relations improved after April 22, when Denmark replied to a German inquiry by saying that it did not feel threatened by the Reich (see NORWAY). On May 2 it was announced that Germany had proposed a bilateral pact of non-aggression with Denmark, and — although Danish Foreign Minister Munch participated with the other Northern Foreign Ministers in the joint statement of May 9 (see SWEDEN) on May 17 the Danish Government informed the Reich that 'in order to confirm the existing friendly relations of neighborship' it was willing to negotiate for a pact. The treaty signed at Berlin on May 31 differs from previous non-aggression pacts concluded by Germany in that both countries are permitted 'a normal exchange and transit of goods' with third parties in time of war as in time of peace; hence, according to the treaty, Denmark may continue to supply England and France, as well as Germany, with food in pre-war proportions.

Internal Affairs.

Two important international conferences convened at Copenhagen in June. At the twenty-seventh Air Transport Congress, June 6-12, 27 countries were represented, while the tenth Congress of the International Chamber of Commerce, June 26-30, entertained 1,347 delegates from 41 countries. As a result of the war in September, the Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers of all the Northern Countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland) met in Copenhagen on Sept. 18-19, and, recalling the joint note of the three Scandinavian States to the belligerents in 1914, declared their determination to continue commercial relations with all states. Torpedoes and mines, however, have inflicted heavy losses on the shipping of all these predominantly commercial nations, with serious domestic repercussions. Following the German seizure of 3 Danish vessels destined for England on Sept. 30, all shipments of foodstuffs from Denmark were stopped, and killings in slaughterhouses ceased. On Oct. 12, however, an agreement was reached whereby Germany permitted Danish foodstuffs to go to England in pre-war proportions, and — as during the World War — continued to receive its own share of Danish foods.

As a result of the war by Sept. 6, Denmark had instituted rationing for essential textiles, gasoline, and deficient foodstuffs such as flour, sugar, and coffee. On Sept. 4, Denmark sought to prevent violations of its neutrality by mining its coastal waters, but its vulnerable position was clearly shown the same day when a British airplane, attacking the German air base on the island of Sylt, dropped four bombs on the Danish town of Esbjerg, killing one person, wounding 7, and destroying two houses. Other aerial violations of the country's neutrality, while without serious consequences, were frequent. Through a policy of intimate collaboration with the other Northern and Oslo Countries, Denmark sought to obtain respect for its neutral rights.