New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-06

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Conflicting stories and statements
have been sent TO this country as TO the atti-
tude of Finland to the new Russian reglrh"
and the war. While some of the information
convevs the idea that the Firms are strongly
opposed to any future Russian sovereignty
and that the svmpathes Of Finland stand
wholly on the side of the Germans, yet, on
the other hand, there are symptoms at the
same time showing that the present Sociaiis-
tic majority of the Finnish Diet is working IN
full harmony with the Russian Cabinet
However. the fact is that the large majority
of the Finnish population IS pro-German ana
for an absolutely independent republic OF It's
own. Just now an immense propaganda Is
being carried on in Finland, especiaily
among the Finnish Social Democratic major
ity in the Diet and the FinnshSwedish pop
ulation. for an Independent national govern
ment and for an immediate peace. Finnish
statesman made to me not very long ago the
startling statement that there were about
s 900 Finnish volunteers fighting in the Ger
man army, most of them excellent sharp
shooters and engineers. 1t is estimated that
5000 of them have been either wounded or
killed. while 5000 are still in active German
service facing the Allies.
4 Mongolian Race
How is it that Finland sided with the Ger
mans? The answer is a sad story illustrat-
ing the shortsightedncss Of Finnish political
leaders and the antagonism that the rims
have shown to the Russians Most OF inc
Americana imagine the Firms are related TO
the Scandinavians. yet the fact is they are
closer related to the Chinese and the Japan
csc than to the Swedes and the Norwegans.
The Firms are of Monaghan race, and came to
the territory they occupy now about the third
and fourth centuries. They are closely related
TO the Esthonians, inhabting the northern
part of the Russian Baltic provinces, and to
the Hungarian. and the Japanese. They have a
rather interesting music and art rich folk
lore and a nationalistic literature which
bears the stamp of Scandinavia and Germany.
Though the Firms have lived so close to the
Russians and compose part OF Russia, yet
they have remained absolutely strangers TO
Russian art and literary tendencies. for
can find more interest among the educated
Firms for studying the German Socialist
movement, the japanese language and the
Hungarian art than you find for anything
Russian.
thing Russian is to be explained by the pc
culiar sentimental and fanatic psychology
of the race and the tyrannic methods
of the Cars regime. With the rule of
Car Alexander III violent method OF
classification was started in Finland, and
the most reckless bureaucrats were sent
to manage the country in a Russian way,
which according TO its constitution, was
to have its independence. This naturally
made the Finnish people extremely opposed
TO the Russian government, and indirectly 10
Russian life and art Finland became
part of Russia under the rule Of Gar
Alexander / shortly before the campaign or
Napoleon to Moscow, with the condition that
the Russian cars should never interfere with
Finnish self-government locally as long rs
the Firms were loyal to the Car. Since tina,
time the Firms possessed their parliament,
their national self-government and even their
national monetary system, in way like Can
ada has remained under the British sover-
eighty Finland had its national army until
the rule Of Nicholas II, who abolished il and
sent Russian troops to Finland. However,
the Firms refused to serve in the Russian
army. and for that reason Russia was unable
TO force the Firms 10 any military service
during the present war
In the beginning of this century the Firms
were more or less sympathetic to the Rus
sian revoutionists. Mr. Shauman who shot
the Governor General, Bobrikoff, communi-
Gated with several Russian leaders about the
common cause. Mr.. Siliacus, the founder OF