The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-01-01
films ASK THAT.
They GIVEN
RECOGNITION AS
FREE REPUBLIC
Delegations Leaving For Scandi-
navian Capitals and For Lon
4 don, Paris and Washington,
To Present Cause
SWEDEN'S KING TELLS
OF HIS SYMPATHY
Republic Probably WIN Include
Russian Lapland and win Pro-
vide Buffer State Between Age
Long Rivals
OPENHAGEN, December
~ 80 ASSOCIATED Press) ~

- OPENHAGEN, December
~ 80 ASSOCIATED Press) ~
Announcing that they have sue
ceeded in establishing the Re
public Of Finland and have or
gained a settled government for
their country, within its old boun-
diaries, the Firms are now calling
upon the governments Of the En-
tente allies to recognize Finnish
independence. l re-.
From Helsingfors, which has
been reestablished as the capital
Of free Finland, the provisional
government is now despatching
delegationiof leading Firms to the
capitals Of the Scandinavian coun-
tries and to London, Paris and
Washington to ask for the recog-
milton Of their new government.
4
While it has not yet been so
definitely stated, it is regarded as
probable that Il wilkbe announc-
ed in the various capitals visited
that Finland desires to include
within its jurisdiction the terri
tory embraced Within- the bonn-
darissaof aalaed na,a alrsydg ius
cluded within the borders Of Swe-
den and Norway Such 4 move,
if successful, will separate Rus
sia from Scandinavia and provide
a buffer state. Is, H.. IN I
NEIGHBoRs SYMPATHETIC
The national aspirations of Fin
land have already been informal
~ approved Of by the Scandina-
vians, the press of Sweden, Nor
way and Denmark uniting in en-
dorsement of the Finnish plea for
recognition and urging that such
recognition be given at the earl
lest possible date by their respec-
tive governments.
Yesterday, in addressing a dele
cation Of Finnish publicists, who
were received by him in Stock
holm, King Gustav OF Sweden ex-
pressed his sympathy with them
and their desire for a renewed ma
tional autonomy. His speech has
been enthusiastically endorsed by
the Swedes.
The conquest of Finland by Rus
STA was begun by Peter the Great,
who wrested large portion of the
country from Sweden in l72l,
Twenty years later, by the Peace
of Abo, the, Princess Elizabeth ex-
tended Russian Finland to the
Kyneme and in 1909 the entire
principally was conquered by
Alexander /, who, however, per-
rnitted Finland to retain its Swed'
ish constitution, with himself as
its Grand Duke ..
" II was not until 1899 that the
classification or Finland was seri-
ously attempted, since which time,
up to the recent revolution in Pc
trograd, the conditions in Finland
have been onerous. The Firms
have opposed to the limit of their
strength the asserted right of RUS
STA to legislate for Finland as it
saw fit and without consultation
with the Finnish diet. Russian was
made the official language, In 1905
a degree of freedom was restored
to the former principality, but in
1909 a repressive policy was rein
augurated and the partition of Fin
land was commenced. r. 49,. .
Finland has population Of few
er than three and half million
but, until the outbreak Of the war,
its financial condition was -four
ishing AT the present time there
Is widespread suffering and much
actual starvation among the Firms,