Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1918-01-07
DO|NlGs !. Of | !! !. !. The l
SCAND|NAv|ANS
Finland Adopts a New Constitution
Setting Forth That Country is
Now Republic Free
From Russia.
NORWAY LOST 5000 SAILORS
Union of scandinavian Countries
Suggested as United States Of
Scandinavia.

X =, N-t9fe y tfts WI tsttt 49, ~
The new constitution Of Finland
repeats the constitutions of 1772 and
1898 and all other laws and stipula-
tons opposed to the new constitu-
ton. The first four classes declare
that Finland is a republic, a special
constitution regulating its relations
with Russia, that the legislative
power belongs to the landtdag and
the president of the republic jointly,
that the president has the highest
legislative power, that he shall have
a cabinet and that the judicial power
must be exercised by Independent
tribunals. The constitution guaran-
tees to Finland citizens life, honor,
personal liberty, pursuit of happi-
ness and property rights. They are
given free choice of residence and
travelling within the country. Lib
,erty OF speech, Of the press and of
public meetings is stipulated in gem
eral terms. The secrecy of the mails
is declared inviolable, and a Finnish
citizen is to be judged only by the
court of his own district. Before
this tribunal he has right to speak
his Finnish or Swedish mother
tongue. AS to legislation, the right
of initiative belongs to the president
and the landtdag. The president
has veto power, though limited. A
bill may be passed over the presi-
dents veto by a tWo-thirds vote of
the landtdag. Amendments to the
constitution must be approved by a
two-thirds vote of two consecutive
sessions of the landtdag. The presi-
dent is elected for six years, and
every citizen has a vote. The presi-
dent has the power Of calling the
ordinary landtdag, and when neces-
sary, an extraordinary one. He shall
sonea. and close handbag, prescribe
new elections, dissolve the landtdag,
Issue administration statutes and,
by right of pardon. abolish or re-
duce punishment. In time of peace
the president is first in command OF
the army and navy, and appoints rep
resentatives to international confer
ences. All other administrative mat
tiers have to be decided by the cabi-
net and the president jointly. The
cabinet includes five members, a.
mong them a procurator whose func-
tion is to see that the officials do
their duty. He has to report VIOLA
lions of the laws to the president,
and, if the president does not pay
any attention to the same, to the
landtdag. AS to Finland's relations
to Russia, the new constitution stipu-
lates that Finland shall be repre-
scented in the Russian government by
a ministerial state secretary, for
transmitting propositions and COM
munications between the govern
nents. OF the countries. Military
service is made compulsory by the
constitution. The constitution ac-
cepts the Evangelical Lutheran
church as the general church of
the Finnish people. The election to
the Finnish landtdag resulted in the
choice of 80 social democrats, 81
representatives of the "civic party"
rs representatives of the agricultural
party and 81 representatives of the
Swedish party The most important
change from the former elections is
the reduction of the social demo-
Gratis from 400 to 80. The partici-
pations in the elections was general
among both men and women. 1t is
reported, for instance, that widow
one hundred and four years of age
walked nearly mile to get an OPP
portunity to vote. 80.
DR.. Earl Ignatius, representative
OF the Finnish government, row in
Washington to obtain supplies of
wheat and -four for his country,
probably will deliver series of
patriotic lectures at Finnish settle
ments in Minnesota.
Norway.
Christiana is one of the many
Norwegian cities having too few
houses in proportion to the popula-
ton. There is a regular stampede
for the Office of the local newspaper
when it gets out of the press show
ing what rooms there might be for
rent. 1t is proposed to prevent
foreigners from stopping in the
+ city for any length of time.
70 ot