Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-15
RUSSIA'S ABSORPTION OF FINLAND

The question Of Finiands relations to
Russia occupies at this moment the most
prominent place in Rus
Proposition sian politics. a cable
p.s..+.a from Heisinsfors. Fin
lard. April 20 announced
that the constitutional committee OF the
diet. to which was referred the imperial
proposition to the duma and which pro-
posed the extension of the authority Of
the duna over Finland. had been report
ed upon adversely and returned to the
car without action.
Great was the excitement at Helsing-
fors when the contents of tie bill became
known. The manifesto of tie car pro-
posed to limit the Finnish diet tn con-
sultative role and that body was instruct
ed simply TO submit its views thereon to
the imperial parliament. The car alone
might determine any and all questions
relating to Finland'S relations with the
empire, the military service OF Finiand's
population. the right of Russians resid-
ing IN Finland. the arrangement of ques
tons which in the interest of the en-
pirc should not be submitted tn the COM
potency OF Finnish tribunals. regulations
concerning public reunions and the right
OF association. il ws concerning the Fin
nish press. the importation of foreign
printed matter. etc. In brief. the project
was to suppress entirely the regime OF
liberty i'll Finland and replace it by the
absolute will of the car. As to the rep
reservation of Finland in the council OF
the empire and Ia the duna the Finnish
diet may elect one delegate to the first
assembly and five to the second.
The imperial rescript accorded the de-
lay OF one month from March 50 for the
answer of the Finnish diet. and. as We
have seen. the constitutional committee
OF the diet to which il was referred re-
turned the bill without response.
The process of the absorption OF Fin
land $ freedom was inauSurated z year
ago by NJ. Stolypin. who
Commission caused a mixed commits
w., sion composed of Firms
"e"' and Russians i'm equal
numbers TO be appointed and presided
over by Councillor Kharitonof. which
was instructed to elaborate for the vote
on general laws affecting Finland and
Russia q legislative mechanism suit
able to the empire and to the grand
duchy.
Accord was impossible: the Films were
implacable. and proposed the admission
of the system actually practiced in Aus
tria Hungary: they asked that in order
to carry out the laws that there should
be instituted two delegations. Russian
and Finn, sitting separately at St Peters
burg and communicating with each other
by means of written reports in their
respective languages. Finland was re-
minded that she had never been SOW
ereien state like Hungary, and naturally
&c Russians refused this suggestion and
allied to the support of the combination
proposed by one Of their members, NJ.
DIETRICH. This combination consisted I'm
causing the laws of general order to be
voted. not by the Finland legislature. but
by the dunla and the council of the, en-
pire in which Finnish deputies would sit.
The idea was just. but the operation was
not. because Finland was represented in
the Guma by five votes only and in the
council of the empire by one. Never:he-
less the DIETRICH project was approved
by the. council of ministers and a rescript
developed the details. Thus the Finland
question assumed u new phase and the
battle began.
The return of the imperial proposition
to the car will doubtless lead to the
dissolution of the diet. Then will follow
q modification of the electoral law in
vico~ in the grand ducily, which recog-
nize> universal suffrage. including the
RIGHT. Of female suffrage and eligibility to
Office
Why is it that Europe. generally
quick To manifest its sympathy for the
weak and oppressed. has
European nothing TO say in behalf
Auathv of Finland? Europe
massacre of Armenians. the persecu-
ton of non-Mussulnnans in Turkey
against the persecution of the Jews in
Russia How is it that the appeal Of
Finland finds no echo in Europe? N.
Roland de Mares in the Independence
Beige, in discussing the subject, writes:
"rlie explanation is indeed strange and
there is shame in corfessins that the
civilized world is moved and indignant
only when a generous idea is confronted
by n gesture Of violence and when high
ideal is sustained by a purple tragedy
and torrents of blood
NJ Mares thinks the Finnish people
are the more worthy of sympathy and
Interest that they have remained to the
last respectful of the law and legality
in the struggle with Russian absolut-
ism In that they have given a re-
markahle proof OF the maturity Of their
political spirit: in that they attest in
the eyes the must tldt Inc
autonomous regime which is about to
be taken from them corresponds exactly
to the stage of their moral and politi-
cal development and that 1t would be
q crime without name to crush under
absoIuti,m nation which had arrived
at sufficient consciousness TO be the
mistress of its destiny.
NJ Mares condemns Russia action
against the grand duchy of Finland as
a crime against human dignity. The
absolute negation Of the principe o.
liberty: formal disregard OF acquired
tights. manifest violation OF an oath
solemnly taken: odious pressure arnl-
trary illegal use OF force and all the
reaction against ideas Of Justice and
nrogress are contained in Russia ac-
lion. For Russia the Finnish const'-
tutiou has ceased to exist and the
autonomy OF the grand duchy remains
q formula without meaning f.ussia
pretends that Finland constitutes an
integral part of the empire and that
the administrative franchises when
benefit her have been ma2nanlhlousiS
accorded by the Car of all the RusSlas.
Now that which has been - masnaiii
n,ously accorded is withdrawn because
the superior interests OF tn" 'iiii'S VI INC
empire require il.
That tie enormity OF RUSSIA oheiH0
NAV he more apparent we cite the leA1
o. the OCH by when
puss;o's Russia bound herself to
defend ard maintain Fin
Oath. lands constitution The
conetit;tion of Finland was sworn TO py
Aroxa.,har T ~ The dict OF