7 APRIL 1939, Page 2

Elections in Denmark The general election in Denmark has made

little change in the position of the parties ; and the Socialist Prime Minister, Herr Stauning, now in his tenth year of office, can proceed with his constitutional reforms. They involve the abolition of the Upper House, which like all Upper Houses is a check on progressive legislation, and the substitution of a council of experts chosen from the Lower House. Herr Stauning's reforms are approved by not only the Government parties, the Socialists and Radicals, but the Conservatives ; and so wide a measure of support for constitutional changes shows how successfully Herr Stauning has applied the type of evolutionary Socialism he represents. In Monday's elec- tions the Social Democrats, by far the largest party, have lost 30,000 votes ; the Conservatives have maintained their posi- tion; the Radicals, Farmers and Communists have made slight gains. So also have the Danish Nazis. This is not surpris- ing in view of the support they receive from Germany and the violent propaganda activities of the German Government. But the danger of the Nazis to Denmark is not to be measured by a gain of 10,000 Parliamentary votes ; it consists in the mere presence of a German minority and in the excuse thus given to Germany for interfering with so genuine and suc- cessful a democracy as Denmark.