The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-21
THE TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORMATION BUREAU
By FREDERIC j. HAsKIS. Director,
Washington, d. G.
THE CASE OF FINLAND.

THE CASE OF FINLAND.
Washington, D. c., Nov. 21.-Fin-
land is the latest country to step upon
the stage of the current world drama
This bit of Scandinavia on the edge
of the Arctic circle, which had been
struggling for a quarter of century
to maintain separate existence
against the expressions of imperial
Russia, seems to have taken advan-
tage of the revolution to assert its
complete independence. 1t Is reported
that the Russian governor has Deen
deposed and a sailor named Schleks
placed at the head of the state, whlle
the Finnish diet has convened without
the Russian members. Rumors tnat
Germany has taken Helsingfors, the
capital are denied At the same time
the case of Finland is brought home
to the American people by message
from a member of the diet that I'M
less help comes from the United states
the Finnish people will starve, as thel'
crops have failed.
II Finland should in fact succeed in
setting up an Independent government
it will be a triumph for one OF the
most stubborn struggles for liberty
that was ever made. 1t Will also De a
serious blow to Russia if all connec-
ton with their country is severed, for
with the northern Baltic.
Finland was once a part of Sweden,
but was taken by Russia in 1909. The
Firms fought stubbornly, and when
their army had been driven into the
northern part of their country, they
harassed the Russians with savage
guerilla warfare. Revolution in
Sweden, however, resulted in the ces-
sion of Finland to Russia and Gar
Alexander ] placated the Firms by
of their government. Their constitu-
ton was kept in force, and repre-
sentative diet passed upon ali laws for
the government of the country. Fin
land for ninety years remained a con-
tented and progressive part of Russia.
\ Long Continued Struggle.
All this time the reactionaries in
Russia had been working for a more
complete incorporation of Finland in
the Russian empire. and in 1899 they
succeeded. Bobrikoff. a panslavist of
brutal an tyrannical temper, was ap-
pointed governor and Immediately set
about the Russianization of the Fin
nish army. Then, in the same year,
manifesto was issued by the car,
which took almost all of the power
away from the Finnish diet and gave
it to the imperial government. The
Firms protested against this mea sure
in a petition signed by over half a
million people, which number includ-
ed a majority of all the adults in Fin
land. The petition was circulated by
runners on snowshoes, who penetrat-
ed even into the regions beyond the
Arctic circle. To this unified demand
of a whole people for their rights the
car refused to give a hearing.
Meantime Bobrikoff was instituting
| reign of espionage and bullying,
with view to breaking the temper of
] :
with his spies, some of whom trav-
eled among the people disguised as
peddlers, while others were servants
| in Finnish families. Men of intellect
and influence were prosecuted and ex-
! lied. Cossacks were domiciled upon
the people, and were allowed to COM
NIT crimes of violence unpublished.
One young Finn, Eugen Schauman.
| freed his country of this oppressor
unaided. He shot Bobrikof with a
revolver as the governor was enter
! ing the senate house, and then imme-
diately took his own life.
The new governor was more con-
e elnatoTy' and the Finnish people
! backed up Schauman's sacrifice by
declaring : general strike The car
was compelled to revoke the decree
| of 1899, and the diet was again CON
vened under new diet law, which
gave the vote to every man, woman
and child in the nation. Twenty-Five
women were elected to sit in the first
parliament under this law. Thus Fin
] land was the first country to ADOPT
woman suffrage, and the first to give
women place in it's law-making
body.
A Short Lived Freedom.
This era of freedom was short-lfved
| for the autocratic powers which DOM
| mated Russia, and brought on by
their excuses the present revolution
could not tolerate an autonomous
| government in Finland Reaction
aries in the duma demanded to know
whether or not Russian authority ex-
tended to Finland To this Stoiypir
replied in the characteristic Language
| OF the dlV1ne-right autocracies that
the autonomy of Finland was not a
right but a spontaneous gift of the
car, which could be withdrawn if il
was misused. He said that Russian
! interests must be made to prevail
! in Finland.
Milyukoff defended Finland's rieh
to an autonomous government. bur
without success. In 1908 the czal
again took all power away from the
Finnish diet by manifesto which
provided that all Finnish question.
ministerial council. This was a VIC
| Iauon of the Finnish constitution bu
when the speaker of the diet attacked
1t IN his opening speech. the diet wa.
dissolved.
Since that date until the revolution
broke out in Russia, the history O.
Finland has been that of a sulIen
passive resistance on the part of tn,
people to the process of Russianiza
ton. In 1910 the car issued anothe,
manifesto taking away from the die
the shreds of power that remained Il
it. The Firms protested in anothe
petition which got no more attention
than the first. The contributions o
Finland to the military expenses o
the Russian empire were more thai
doubled. The Finnish senate, which
was appointed by the car, became
mere tool of the Russian reactionaries
But no progress was made towart
breaking the spirit of the people. TIL
Firms have been waiting patiently al
the years since first their rights wer
taken away froro. them in 1895 for