The Oslo Powers In a world of economic and political
nationalism the Oslo Powers—Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Luxembourg, Finland, Holland and Belgium—whose conference at the Hague ended on Saturday, seem to form a small but encouraging enclave of sanity ; especially as an essential part of their programme is to merge themselves in a large "freer trade" group containing some of the Great Powers, especially Great Britain, France and the United States. At the opening of the conference last week Dr. Colijn, the Dutch Prime Minister, pointed out that the growth of economic nationalism had contributed largely to the political tension in Europe today ; it was reasonable to expect that a reduction in barriers to trade might equally contribute to relax that tension. There are few who will disagree with him. He said that the trade with each other of various members of the group might be small but that if each of them worked for a basis of freer trade with other nations they might hope to have a considerable effect. As the experts' committees were able to report that agree- ment is possible on trade restrictions and quota systems, it is to be hoped that their Governments, to whom their reports have been submitted, will be able to use them as a basis for further action.
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