The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-05
FINLAND QUESTION
BECOMES CRITICAL
Russian Publicist Says Impe-
rial Patience Is Almost
Exhausted.
HISTORICAL SUMMARY

The testing OF the nations and races
Of Europe by the great war has brought
to- light and emphasized the peculiar po-
litical relation existing between Russia
and Finland. For Russia the "ques-
ton OF Finland Is not less delicate and
urgent than that Of Poland and has in
recent years. at any rate, been agitafed
in Finland and abroad with even more
tragic nstquences
This comment on Russo Finnish mat
tiers was made for THE SuN yesterday
BY Sergius ~ Syromlatnikoff. a Russian
publicist and former editor in Petrograd.
now at the Hotel Van Rensselaer,. Mr..
Syromiatnkoff. being requested To- FUR
nish a brief explanation of recent dcs-
patches from Germany repeating rumors
that Sweden may join arms with Ger
many and that the Swedes are giving
every possible encouragement to the
landing of German soldiers In Finland.
furnished the following historical state
men,. which he supported with docu-
ments at hand:
Swedes by Peter the Great and Alex
ander l., who concluded treaties with
Swedish monarchs by which the whole
OF Finland was acknowledged to be AN
integral part of the Russian Empire.
From the year of the final conquest.
1909, until the present day. Finland has
been allowed more local autonomy, more
Independence and administrative free
dom than has been accorded by Russia
TO any other of her dependencies
Throughout the whole OF Finnish his
tory, however. the Svecoman, or Swedish
party in Finland has been the linz
placable enemy of Russia. Great re-
gions of Finnish land We're acquired by
swedish barons and held in "A state of
feudalism. and In many instances are
so held still. These swedish landholdcrs
In Finland. with the support of party
in sweden and by means of one of the
most skillful and subtle campaigns of
revolutionary conspiracy ever organ
ICED. have created the sore enbarrass-
ments existing between Russia and Fin
land Present runlurs of Swedish agi-
tatiun Tor German military agrees on
against Russia TO be conducted in Fin
land Indicate the most recent phase OF
the age long efforts of the swedish oil
garchy in Finland to win European sup
port tthey have never had the courage
W tame up arms llpl'l Tor their I'pu-
sltion TO Russian state authority i'm Fin
land.
Eugene Fcodoroff. in published col
lection OF secret documents translated by
q pobson Of the London Times, states
that King Oscar Of sweden In AN inter-
view with the noted Finnish statesman
sven Paine, in 1900. condemned Rus
sia's policy in Finland as Injurious "a
swedish interests and announced his
support OF a plan to form a guadruple
alliance with Norway. Denmark and
I Finland. He labelled as traitors an
, who worked against this programmes
There are Indications now that Rus
sian patience mas been almost exhausted
with these ceaseless couspracies against
, kussiGs rule in Finland Many I'm Ru,-
Sla few years ago would have boon
I glad 10 sse general rising among the
! Firms ana their Sw.dish-F Finn Leader.
| IN order that tho whole country might
, have been reconquered and subjected "a
! that legal and administrative unity with
the Russian Empire which is warranted
( by Firlands geographical propiuguity o.
7 Russia and which alOre IL seems can
bring political rest and guarantee eco.
monte pr gross
TN" entire question Of the Legal no.
s!t.on ~ the Grand puchy OF Finland IL
the Russian Empire has been subjected