Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-08
FAMINE NEyACIyC FINLAND
Pinch Of Poverty Follows in the Wake of
Russian Occupation.
CHARACTERISTICS OF The COUNTRY
Habits and PecuIisritie. OF the People
Publicity OF Incomes-The
Family Bath-ImniGra-
tion to AM rice.

Reports Of terrible famine in Sweden
and Finland. says the New York Tribune.
have brought that part OF Europe into gen
eral notice. The grand duchy Of Finland
recently claimed the sympathy Of the world
because Of the efforts on the part Of Rus
STA TO wipe out cherished institutions and
10 destroy its Individuality. Nov IL IL once
more the recipient Of much sympathy on
account OF the suferings OF its people from
hunger.
Bordered by the CULTS Of Finland and
Bothnia on the south and west and
bounded By Russia and Laplsnd on the
east and north. Finland IL away from the
beaten path Of the tourist, and conse-
quently it's features and the characteristics
OF It's people are not well known.
Finland is larger than England. ireland.
Scotland and the Netherlands combined.
IL has its own constitution. which was
framed in 17T2. This instrument vas modi-
fed and changed when. in 1909. the grand
duchy vas eeded to the emperor Of Russia.
but IL still provides for q national pariia-
ment, in which the four estates-the mobiles.
the clergy, the burghers and the peasants
are represented. and names as the head Of
the state the grand duke OF Finland. ="
who is the car. The patriotic F1nlander
speaks OF the car as the grand duke. just
as the Hungarian does OF Emperor Franz
Joseph as his king
A visitor to the capital. Helsingfors. IN
speaking Of the place said that the first
thing hat attracted his attention in the
place was the great number Of bicycles
The streets are paved with cobblestones."
he said, and far from good from the wheel
mans point Of view, but the 10000 inhabi-
tants own more than 5000 wheels. This
Is the more remarkable from the fact that
seven months In the year the ground is
covered with Ice and snow. leaving only
Eve wheeling months"
The inhabitants Of Finland are q serious
people. They know nothing about humor.
and a joke told TO them must be explained.
All classes are educated, and. according 70
the version OF a careful observer, they
have fixed ideas as to the equality Of men
and women. co-edueation Is practieed in
its broadest form. and the people are reared
to disregard the imaginary line which So
| eiety draws between men and women; yet
in all social gatherings an sntithesis &c
this freedom is found in the form Of IN
usual restraint"
women on school Boards.
Since 1893 women have been eligible a,
members OF the school boards, but amoni
the working classes equality with men hAi
long been established. as may be seen b.
the number OF women Who follow vocstionI
which are usually ~moaopolized by men
Thus. there are among the trades wome:
IA bO0kbinders. liz hatters, IL dyers. i
carpenters. 10 paperhAngers. IL watehmAk
ers. 20 goldsmiths. SIS bakers. Is slaugh
t~erers. $50 hotel and restaurant keepers
T65 ship leaders. 1ss printers and $50 brick
layers in the grand duchy. There are ais
$50 women in the employ Of the state IL
various capacities.
For hundreds Of years Finland belonge,
to Sweden. and. although II is nearly 10
years since Russia came across the horde
and gObbled up the country. the upper elias
people still speak Swedish. These uppe
class people are called Finlanders. Will
the peasants. who speak only Finnish. ar
spoken Of as Films.
Mr.. shoddy cannot live and Be eomfortAbl
in Finland. He cannot pretend to be a MAJ
Of large income. when. In fact, he is o.
the ragged edge. because one Of the Gus
toms OF the land is TO publish in the DAHL
papers at a certain time every year the in
come Of every citizen. Incomes Of less tina
$1,000 are exempt. With a full knoEledg
OF a mans financial resources his friend
know when he is overstspping the bound
Of prudence in his expenditures and whe1
he does or fails to do his share OF charity
This willingness TO ALLOW others to know
their business Is not more remarkable thsi
the custom which prevails throughout tn
country Of entering q house or a roon
without knocking. People never think o
making their presence known before enter
ing. never say or act by your leave" bu
walk right In, and they feel justified in DO
ing 30. because many doors have neithe
bolts nor locks. The people are generou
and hospitabie, they love peace and respee
Law and order. and. although they are slo'
TO anger. they are equally slow TO forgive
The FinlAnder rivals the Chfinaman In hi
habit Of asking personal questions. He ask
his guest questions about his age, his bus
ness. income or family without reserve, bu
when questions are put 20 him he neve
gives a direct answer. seldom saying al
rectly yes" or MOI
But don't think" said the nan fror
Finland. tina because the mean tempera
ture % northern FINLAND Is - degrees, an
near H~slsingfors - degrees Fahrenheit
that We have no summer The summer 1
short. but We have warmer weather Their
than they have in England. and we hav
better wild strawberries between June !
and July IS. and more Of them, than I
any place I know Of"
A Family I~nstftutIOn.
A popularity Of Finland Il the bath house
Every house in the country. no matter ho'
small il may b.. has its sauna" OF bat
house. This stands away from the othe
buildings, and Is always easily recognize
BY the blackened vail against which tn
stove stands. Every Saturday the whoI
family takes q bath-nOt singiy; that is cor
sidered unnecessary. II "a a joint hath
men. women and children. The farmer. b
wife. brother. sister. laborers. friends vi
happen TO be with them at the time. sRd
there be a dog on the place he usually take
his share Of the family hath. BY this Gus
tom the population o. Finland become
clean once every week, although few
the country people know what daily Ebll
tion means The bath Is Of a kind peculiar
the country. but II resembles the Russia
hath in some respects. The room In Viii,
the function takes place Is filled With h
vapor. which Is replenished by the attsn.
ant. vac throws water on the heated stonI
and the stove The hsthsrs are lsthsr'