The Prescott daily news., 1918-04-24
| he recently created republic
 of Finland, where bloody, civil
 warfare has ragged, lies in the

warfare has ragged, lies In the
 same latitude as Greenland and Alaska. It Is not small In size, for Finland is about as large as the whole of France. The Finlanders themselves speak of their land as Suomen-maa, or Soumi. It is region of lakes and granite rocks, much of 1t desolate and water-logged, where winter reigns supreme for from seven to nine months in the year. At least one-ninth of the surface Is covered with lakes and the greater part of the rest is forest. Less than one acre in thirty is arabic, but somewhat larger amount Is suited for grazing.
 We think of Greenland as a frozen and desolate land, fit only for the abode of the hardy Eskimos writes Nevin O. Winter in the Christian Her aid. And yet in Finland, in a severe northern climate. has grown up hardy and virile race. Perhaps it was because only the sturdiest could sur vive under such conditions, for isola- ton bred self-reliance and indus- try was necessary to existence. At any rate the fact remains that the Films have developed civil lization that is unique and of interest. It Is not surprising, to one familiar with the Films and their history, to know that a republic has been proclaimed. No people are more truly democratic. Under the autocratic rule of the cZars, Finland maintained her democratic institu- tions, and 1t was the only part of Rus sia where the traveller was free to move about without having a demand made almost daily for his passport The Russian calendar, which is thir- teen days behind our own, was ig- nored, and in every way the public and social customs differed from those of the Russians.
 The Films have always objected to being classed as Russians. Of Mon earliest of the Oriental races to cross the Urals and descend upon the fertile plains of Russia. They were gradu- ally driven to the inhospitable North by successive waves of immigration. They are first cousins to the Magyars of Hungary and distant cousins of the Turk, Like the Celts of Ireland, the Films were never able to establish an Independent state capable of resisting the external pressure of Teuton, Slav and Turk. In the twelfth century they were brought under the sway of the rowing Vikings. who organized a crusade to convert the heathen Films
 Annexed by Russia.
 Since then the country has been buff feted about between Sweden and Rus sia. Peter the Great conquered part of 1t, but the entire country was not annexed until one hundred and ten years ago. Then 1t was really q union and not an unconditional surrender. The Czar took the title of Grand Duke of Finland, and as such he continued to rule until the abdication of Nicholas II. The fundamental laws of the country were officially recognized and con firmed by each succeeding autocrat, although in recent years there had been much encroachment on the rights of the independent Films in the at- tempt at Classification. For this req son there has been great unrest for more than two decades.
 Until 1898 Finland had not been re- quired to furnish soldiers for the im- perial Russian army. In that year the czar informed the Diet (Congress) that the military service must be made to conform to that of the rest of the empire. Finnish susceptibilities were aroused, as this seemed but the open ing wedge for the destruction of all their liberties. The people entered up- on a campaign of passive resistance. Every man, woman and child dressed n mourning on the Sunday succeeding