Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-27
PLEADS CAUSE or
OWN finn FOLKS
Envoy to America Tells Privations En-.
dured by the People In War
Must Have Flour.

New York-Speedy death from hun
ger threatens the greater part Of the
population unless they can obtain
-four from the United States. asserts
DR., Kaarlo Ignatius, commissioner Of
the Finnish government for negotiat-
ing the release of fo0dstuffs by the
United States government, in state
ment to the Associated Press. The
threat to Finland is not priyation or
even chronic starvation, he declares.
Concerning Finland's needs and its
causes, Dr.. Ignatius said
I'm regard to food supply Finland
is worse off than any Of the European
states whose suffesings have been
brought before the American public.
FOR months past our people have been
eating bread made out Of -four mixed
with pinebark ana Hchens: but even
with this expedient we cannot hold
out, as the flour reserve virtually is
exhausted, and even our hardy popuIa-
ton cannot eat unmiXed bark.
The suiferings endured in the sum
mer were terrible; and since / left
/ Finland in September they have be
come much worse. Nothing can save
us except the prompt release by the
( American government OF the flour
which we have already ordered and
/ paid for in the United States
Z Finland has never been seli-sUp-
porting as regards food, Her three
and a half millions OF people scattered
/ pzrrr F-H OEN rrr4r-a Lgf1yv,a#e~e If
ritOry. have depended largely upon
/ foreign supplies OF grain, in exchange
/ for which they exported forestry prod
ucts. Before the war. We imported
annually about 100000 tons Of bread
stuffs; and OF these about 80 600 tons
came from the United States The rest
came from Russia With war the i'm
port from America ceased and as Rus
sias own food troubles grew and her
railroad service became disorgsnized,
the import from Russia ceased also.
Then starvation began.
'All ! want is the release Of enough
-four TO save US from death and hun
ger Privation We have stood and are
willing to stand We ask for this con-
cession and We base our demand upon
justice as regards the past and upon
policy as regards the future.
AS regards the past, we are only
asking for payment for services al
ready rendered to the allies. These
/ services have been Of great value. Fin
land Loyalty helped Russia as long as
Russia was fighting and she is willing
to help in future il Russia resumes
fighting
During the war, Finland has been
absolutely loyal. This in the face II
great provocation by the now-extinct
autocracy. In September, 1914, in re-
turn for Finnish expressions Of 10y
atty, Nicholas II, issued decree fur
tne- suppressing the Finnish language
and abolishing what little was left Of
! our constitution. Yet We remained
loyal We modified our industries or
war basis with a thorOughness anG
efficiency which have been acknOwl
g edged repeatedly by the PeTogrsG
government
} "All our cities, in particular Helsing
} fcrs, Tammerfors and Abo at once be
came munitions workshops. They
supplied Russia with uniforms, boots
leather goods, shells, cartridges ans
machine guns. Iii our ports we bull
destroyers and torpedo boats, Thu
o former minister Of war. General Poll
Q vanof2. informed a newspaper cor
g respondent that Finland's war indus
i tries were fiourishing and were
e model to Russia.
d Justice demands that we should no
: be punished for our past sacrifices
q Policy demands that We should be in
y sured against starvation in future. Gu
il war industries are still mobilized the
q are highly efficient; and if Russia con
r. tinues the war we can give her create
T help than she can expect from her ow
! inefficient and anarchials industrie;
j. But this will be possible only if "
e have the necessary food. The allie
II cannot expect hungry artisans who's
II wives and children are perishing
Is keen to munitions work,
% Our population is not pro-Germal
. Il was. admit. Russian, or rattle
le anti-autocracy. II has always bee
. devoted TO America, England an
m France from which countries in on
30 darkest hour we received sympath
IL ard moral support / have myself a
A WAYS ehampioned the allies cause {
m he me: and do not desire to see m
"a hungry fellow-countrymen THROWN
T. til ,msclves i'm despair into Germany
4 hands In order 10 gain Scandinavia
suppors. Germany month ago ostel
ia tatiously sold 5readstufIs to Swedel
'rrohabiy she would CO the same