By Bob Van Leer

  (COPENHAGEN, DENMARK, May 25, 1989) - Today our party took time for a tour of the city by bus, boat and feet. The weather has been perfect here. On a main street downtown the Danes have their own version of a weather vane, life size gilt statues of two girls on a turntable. When the weather is to be fair the girl on a bicycle is out, but when stormy weather is anticipated, the girl with an umbrella comes out.

  We toured Christianborg Castle, where royal receptions are held and then went to a church, relatively new, but built entirely of brick, ceilings and all.

  Boat rides are popular here as well as at home, but this is tidewater. There are no rapids to negotiate. Instead there is a system of canals. The boats, in appearance, are similar to the Agness boats, but hold about twice as many passengers. We toured through a system of canals and then into the harbor, which is quite busy. 

  The boat dropped us off at the end of one of a network of "walking streets", which are just what the name implies. Even bicyclists push their bikes. The "walking street" is lined with shops and the street is wall-to-wall pedestrians. Almost every store is busy.  Downtown Copenhagen is a bustling place.

  At 5 p.m. we went to the home of the U.S. Ambassador for a reception. This turned out to be a comedy of errors. We wound up at one gate where no one was expecting us and it took a half hour of sorting out to get to where we belonged. The ambassador was in Washington for consultation. We are here at a time when Pres. Reagan's appointees are being replaced by Pres. Bush's appointees, so embassy business is at a standstill.

  A number of Danish journalists were invited to visit with us. We can't read Danish, but can see the technology used and Danish newspapers are good. Betty and I talked with the manager of the Danish press association and found that, while they are good, they are missing the turn on the newest technological revolution now underway in the U.S., the change to laser typesetting, a change the Curry County Reporter made in December. The Reporter was not the first; others pioneered this technology, but it is sweeping the U.S. There is not much difference to the reader but internally, to newspapers, it makes a great deal of difference. By contrast, the Polish and Russian newspapers are using technology we abandoned in Gold Beach about 1965.

  I talked to this association manager about the differences in the Baltic States. Denmark, Sweden and Finland, which we visited on this tour, are all western-style democracies. They are long on social services and taxes, but their economies still respond to the marketplace.

  Russia and Poland, by contrast, have state planned economies and are doing poorly. I asked this man if there is any other reason besides government why Russia and Poland are doing so poorly - natural resources or any other reason. His response was that, no, there isn't any reason. Both are endowed with resources, so they should be doing as well.

  Denmark is a high cost, high tax and high wage state. The press association manager said an average wage in Denmark would be $15.00 per hour, which would be in line with prices, considering additional benefits such as state-paid medical care.

  A worry for the Danes is the European Community of which Denmark, alone among Scandinavian nations, is a member. The magic date is 1992. At that time, most tariffs disappear between nations and goods can be freely shipped as in the U.S.. The European Community will be larger than the U.S. market.

  Denmark will be competing against countries such as Spain and Greece. There is likely to be some economic wrenches when the EC is in place, but, in the end result, all members will probably live better. Unresolved is whether nations not starting as part of EC, which includes countries such as Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and others, can ever get in after 1992.

  Tomorrow we are to tour the countryside of Denmark, traveling to the North Sea. This will be our last full day in Europe. Saturday we are to leave for the U.S.