Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-03

made alright by Sealcu-up windows.
until some one insists on breaking up
the game.
BEFORE WAR HAPARANDA
WAS But TINY VILLAGE
Before the war, Haparanda was a
tiny village, n frontier customs post.
The Russian frontier Eendarmes were
riSilant and those who slipped through
from Finland with struggled goods
were few and far between. and there
was less incentive TO smugglc for
Sweden imported freely from across
the scao. The war made Tornco the
rival OF Archangel and Nladivostoli
as a port OF entry into Russia. Hapa-
randa shared the gain. Business build
inss OF wood and "A large hotel tina,
looks like a typical American small
town hall sprang up almost overnight.
il is still growing.
The goose that lays tho golden egg
that buys the wine and keeps the poker
games going lives over in Finland,
which, although short OF food itself.
permits millions Of kroner worth TO
slip through every month.
year ago a Swedish preacher. on
an innocent mission. was shot by a
Russian frontier guard. The trouble
that resulted led to almost complete
laXity a, the frontier. and now. on any
dark night, scores OF slcishs slip across
tho river. unmolcstcd. anu deposit their
carGocs on the Swedish side. Some Of
the goods go through the Swedish Gus
toms houses. and the duty is paid.
Even with the Swedish duty. there is
tremendous profit TO the shipments.
Coffee that the Finnish agents Sc
81 l,r LII N
brings twenty across the frontier.
Small boys. mufllcd in great ovcrcoats
waddle across the river on skis with
rubber tires for automobiles wrapped
around their waists-and rubber is the
most difficult OF all commercial prod
ucts to obtain in Sweden. It's export
from Russia is forbidden.
ONLY PLACE WHERE All,
EUROPE; Is FREE: TO MEET
The smugGlcs are the richest but
Haparanda's gay white way"-thc
hotel. is filed always with other spend
CTS. There arc German agcnts-thc
German consul always has Il party"
at lis table. IIaparanda is the spot
where invalid prisoners are exchanged.
through the agency OF Swedish Rcd
Cross workers, and has for months been
free contact with Europe. Hence the
Germans.
Here is Il typical picture Of any night
in sIaparanda when business is good on
the Tornco. The coffee room is crowd
cd carly. a Serbian "kappclmcistcr"
:uncs up his violin. \ young Austrian
with base viol and three plump smil-
ing German girls. with mandolns. the
ho al,
ragtimc. Swedish bar maids hurry
about with champagne and other wine.
just as expensive.
y young. SwcGe with a, blank -ln,E:n-
face. who has Just made 10000 kroner
on coffee deal. is spending il. buy
ing for every ono who will accept At
corner table, tipsy, but dignfcd.
group of Swedish officers stiffIy reject
such familiarity. At the other tables
arc Russian officers, in civilian clothes.
who have slipped across from prohi-
bition Tornco to make a night Of it,
Finnish smuGgicrs, over for the same
purpose, and, perhaps, n dozen English
men, Americans or Frcnchmcn, Just
escaped from Russia's troubles and
stopping until the night train for
Stockholm, all glad for Il breath OF
gaycty in n neutral town. And, i'm a
TAR corner, quietly watching it all. is
an American woman. now n Russian
baroness. who is marooncd in lIapa-
randa while her oniccr-husband is held
in Tornco.
This is any niSht--but on punch
days" the three days each month when
1t is permitted to sell brandy and
other spirits, the line OF slcighs that
cross the rorneo is continuous. and
in the bedlam of noisc the kappcl-
meister and his players cannot make
themselves heard. SO they make it