Rockingham post-dispatch., 1918-12-26

IHlS people u pOHtcdl eSlSlenCe
TEM so that they may not feel them
selves conquered by Russia, but
united to her for their clear
advantage; therefore not only
ineir civil but their political laws must be
maintained" Today, century after those
words were written, there seems at last
good hope that Alexander rs intention may
be permanently fulfilled, writes Rosand =
Travers Hyndman in New York Sum-
race of Mongolian origin and language the
"Suomilaiset' or people of the fens-were Chris
tianized very early in the thirteenth century
by the Swedes, who treated them on the
whole with equality and justice, and intermarried
with them freely not, however allowing the Fin
fish language to be written or spoken to any ex'
tent. The result was that in 1908 Russia con-
quered people who spoke Swedish and regarded
themselves as Independent Swedes; and although
the Firms have passed through enormous national
changes In the course Of the century, Russians Of
the ruling classes could never get 1t our of their
heads that Finland desired to belong to Sweden
again.
The governors of Russia having much vaster
affairs in hand, did not realize that the remark
able development of Finnish natiOnalism was di-
rected, first and last against the Swedish Ian
guage and Finno- Swedish domination. The Finnish
language spoken only by the remote peas
antry and Finnish names even were not legally
recognized. Yet, meanwhile, great movement
was steadily growing up for the revival of Fin
lands own singuarly rich and beautiful tongue.
The Finnish people began to think Of their
country as Suomi" something utterly distinct
from Sweden or Russia, having language and
literature of its own. From 1S49 onward, when
LOnnrot published the second edition of the "kale-
vala," Finlands national epic, educated Films were
beginning to give up Swedish a means of COM
muncation and learning to use the strange diff
cult, sonorOus language which was their birth
right.
Naturally this development soon cleft the coun-
try In two Many Firms urged not unreasonably,
that 1t was hardly practicable for so small peo-
pie to cut themselves off from Scandinavia, from
Russia, from the rest of Europe in fact, "by
climbing on to a language island" in this way. But
nationalism triumphed. In 1868 the nice little
constitution, granted by Alexander II left the
Films free to govern themselves In all internal
matters in a fairly representative manner, and
from this time the study of Finnish became an
integral part of the general education
The use of the revived language of Finland
grew SO fast that Swedish-speaking Firms began
to find themselves in q minority and In 1894 after
a very hot debate the Finnish language was placed
on an equality with Swedish in the Finland SEN
ate "Svekoman" (Swede-Finn) and "Fennoman"
(Finnish-Finn) became cries of warfare, and the
language conflict fell roughly into line with the
DIVISIONS OF class. Inc progressive ana pfOle-
tartan elements in the country were Fennoman,
while the middle class, conservative and aristo.
cratic forces were for a long while by speech and
traditions Swede.
All this time the Firms as people and as q
nation kept strictly to that policy of detachment
and independence which has always marked them.
They took no part at all in Russian affairs and
showed little interest in those of Scandinavia;
they appeared to Europe generally as sef-cen-
tered as Chinese colony In the West might be-
Finland meant to work out her salvation alone.
In literature and art indeed the country was open
to European Influences for the Films have always
been great Travellers wandering about the conti-
nent with cold, appraising eyes, selecting and TAX
ing back with them such ideas as they considered
likely to be of use. They took political ideas also
from Scandinavia and from Germany, but they
had no desire to make propaganda for their own
ideas or their own race.
Yet Inevitably they were bound to be growing
trouble to the Russian government and STUN
bling block to Pan-Slav policy. Obviously demo-
cratic and almost selfgoverning province was out
of place among the folds of the vast autocratic
rule which covered all the RuSsias then.
But far more important objection was this:
The duchy of Finland, alien In language character
and administration, was complete break In that
scheme Of one vast homogeneous Russia, stretch
ing from the Norwegian coast to the Pacific, one
in language laws, reilSOn ana gOVernment-th0t
dream of giant unity and monotony which seems
to have filled the minds of the directors of Russia
for 80 years and more. There seems little doubt
that the deposed dynasty cherished this design
as the Hohenzollerns did that of ''MittelEuropa"
1t was a similar huge, dull, magnificent mischiev-
ous idea, ,trampling, even more widely over the
rights of other nations and intended to produce
an even more dismal uniformity of rule.
So. dispassionately viewed-and the Finn, even
when considering his own misfortunes, Is emil
nently Observation-Disclosures first attack upon
the liberties Of Finland In 1899 was inevitable,
catastrophe of nature. There Is little need to
recall "the bad years. from 1899 to 1905 when the
Finnish constitution was suspended. and the coun-
try was placed under the rule. of military ictaS
tor, General Bobrikoff. They form monotonous
record of press censorship, dismissals Of native
officials, Illegal arrests and exile.
The great strike Of 1905-19O6, however unsuc-
cessful in Its main Objects achieved two things: