New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-24
THEY VOTE IN FINLAND
Women There Are Not Troubled
with a Cause.
MEN SEEK THEIR AID
Nine. Malmberg Gives Lecture
Before League for Political
Education.
oh Finland Happy land

Oh, Finland! Happy land!
Where the sufragettes do not scrap,
Neither do the males gobbe UP all the good jobs.
The same two sexes which are at war
in this harassed land may be seen work.
ing together in perfect peace and har-
mony In Finland, so In spite of the fact
that Gar clouds hang over the land and
Finnish patriots fear for their liberty, tho
people are happy. Their troubles have
brought them close together, just like our
friends In the novels
All this at least was the impression one
gained from hearing Nine. Aino Malm-
berg tell about her home land at the
Hudson Theatre yesterday morning in a
lecture given under the auspices OF the
League for Political Education. Nine
Malmberg was so happy! She positively
Elowed as she described the joys Of female
citizenship in Finland, and she waved the
green apron she wore over wonderful
red and green striped skirt which to-
gether with the black bodice and quaint
white Jumper and perky little red cap.
make up her national costume. The har-
assed and weary looking American suffra-
gists In the audience gaEed at her en-
viousy.
II know Just how you feel" Nine.
Malmberg assured them cheerfully. we
were just the same way in Finland IN the
SOS. 1t Ia 50 amusing to live in England
or America to-day and hear the very ar
guments used against suffrage there that
were dinned into our ears thirty years
ago. Shall ! tell you how those argu-
ments came to be forgotten in my coun-
try? It was when It was a matter Of life
or death with F1nland-when Russia was
, trying to crush us under Its heel. Then
we forgot all our little petty differences
and worked together, men and women.
Until then the Finnish men had been very
polite to us. They seemed TO think ooh,
yes, women! They're very kind and good
! creatures, but they don't really under
stand these great;Guestions.' So We bided
our time and presently the terrible days
came and the men cried Come and help
u.s.. Together We could save Finland.
Alone men nor women could do nothing
I'VE had no theories about women's
part. Life taught US. We found there
| were two things women could do better
than men, One was TO coaect money. No,
do not laugh; that is true. You know,
Finland is q very poor country. We can
not collect money in hundreds OF pounds
or even dollars. Ton cents is very big
sum In Finland. Now, you can't expect
men TO have the patience to collect little
bits like that The women did 1t. They
| got pennies Every three months every
woman collector WIS obliged to turn in
81 She might get more, OF course. but
that much was expected OF her, and the
| committee counted on II.
"Ons Of the Cars first moves was TO
suppress all our literature. The Gar g
| mon broke up our presses. They dis
per.sd our meetings. But there had to be
some way Of spreading news so We had
our papers printed in another country.
| The bringing over OF these papers was
left to women. 1t wss-well. not exactly
easy. II one was caught IL meant prison
Siberia. The women aid IT."
There was great applause for this and
! the lecturers voice, which had dropped a
| little during the recital OF her oountry's
woes, regatnsd It's eheerfulness.
80" she said, when Russia got fright
eneu IN lbp ana Wdb TedOy 10 give US
everything we wanted, there was not one
voice raised against votes for women.
And now there is no woman question in
Finland. There IN not even a womsn's
party to support women IN Parliament.
That would be impossible. We are facing
another great danger 20 our country.
Russia will try TO crush US again, but It
Is not hopeless now. The men and wom-
en- have learned how 10 work together for
| the salvation OF the country"
At the conclusion OF the lecture Nine
Malrnbsyg was bombsrded with questions,
| 10 all Of which she gave ready answers.
She said sometimes the men influenced
the vornen's vots-sometines 1t was the
other way around. YES; there was one
case OF a husband and wife both in Par
Earnsnt. Yes: women received equal pay
wherever Russia didn't prevent II. Well,
% for q second national strike 10 wiring
their freedom from Russia, she didn't
know-it would depend on circumstances