Evening star., 1909-03-06
DR.. HULTIN UPHOLDS
HEBREWS OF FINLAND

A representative of the Jewish Chron-
icle of London has interviewed Dr. Thekla
Hultin, the lady member Of the Finnish
diet. in London recently. DR.. Hultin was
the first Finnish lady doctor Of philosophy
to take her degree at the University of
Helsingfors. She holds the office Of secre-
tary Of the statistical bureau OF Finland
She has been an active member of the
Young Finnish party, and has been elect
ed to a seat on the grand committee OF
the diet; she also sits on the law commit
tee, which is I'm close personal touch with
the tsar. and the adjusting committee, the
duty of which is to revise all petitions
presented by the diet TO the crown. Dr.
Hultin thus speaks with authority on all
questions relating to Finland. On the
question Of the recent expulsion of Jews
from the grand duchy she was most en-
phatic. They were. she remarked, great
ly to be condemned. and indeed, had been
strongly condemned by the Finnish press.
DR.. Hultin was under the impression,
however that those who had been ex-
PEELED were recent arrivals in the country
and not settlers of long duration
She went on to point out that during
the time that Finland belonged to Sweden
Jews were allowed to live only in three
Swedish towns. hundred years ago
when Finland was united to Russia the
constitution it possessed under Sweden
was confirmed by Russia, and this did not
allow the Jews to live In Finland. In the
Russian army there were many Jewish
soldiers. and 1t happened that some OF
these, quartered in the grand duchy. re-
mained there with their families after
their discharge. though only with the spe-
cial permission OF the government.
I'm the diet last autumn" continued DR..
Hultn. "a petition was presented asking
fl,.,t t1,a Tnxx- el.n 1A ,y1
main in the country and become Finnish
citizens The diet. however. had no time
to discuss it. But the petition will be
brought up again next month. All the
socialists. said DR.. Hultin, and many OF
the liberals. will vote for it. So. also.
will the Swedish party and the Young
Finnish party. The petition will. In fact,
receive the favor of a large majority OF
the diet. Finland. as a whole, was SYM
pathetic 10 the Jews and were the
ma iority of the diet. But DIR. Hultin felt
bound TO warn the newspaper representa-
tive that there was a great reaction in
Russia against Finland. All legislation OF
the Finnish diet must be sanctioned by
the tsar and his majesty might not sane
ton any laws favoring the Jews. In
deed. the diet itself might be dissolved.
Short of that. DR. Hultin was confident
that early relief would be granted to the
Jewish population The Jews. who had
been settled in the grand duchy for some
time were. she remarked, of unexcep-
other towns some of the Jews were shop
keepers One of the chief singers In Fin
land was a Jewess, married TO Fin
lander The Jewish Settlers she said
Twill get Finnish citizenship. | believe
very strongly that the Jewish lot will i'm
prove shortly in Finland.
At the same time DR.. Hutin admitted
that there were unfavorable clements IN
the present situation. The old Finnish
party for example, feared the Invasion OF
the country by the poverty stricken Jew
ish masses in Russia.