Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-12-18
WANT FINLAND
TO RECOGNIZE
ENTENTE POWERS
Necessity of Such Recogni-
ton at Once Is Urged
by Mannerheim.

London, Nov. 21.-(Correspondence
OF the Associated Press. )-General
Mannerheim, the Finnish leader who
has consented to become regent of the
new coalition government of Finland.
and the other supporters of the gov
eminent sustained by the White
Guards, are extremely anxious to have
the Entente powers and the United
States recognize the new Finnish gov
eminent.
The necessity for such recognition
the peasants feel under great obliga-
tons to Germany for interfering and
establishing order in Finland and
cannot be induced t. transfer their
allegiance to the enemies Of Germany
unless 'steps are taken that will con-
vince them that the Entente powers
have a real interest in Finland's well
fare.
General Mannerheim has been in
London for several days comforting
with A. j. Balfour. British foreign
secretary. He intends to go to Paris
to discuss the Finnish situation with
Colonel E. M. House and French Of
f1cials. He desires also to meet Her.
bert c. Hoover, the American food
administrator, and talk over the pro-
= AAAoAl AAOSO OlSoO Sups
plies are about exhausted.
Sweden and Denmark have con-
sented to let Finland have a limited
amount OF grain. but this supply will
not reach Finland in time. to prevent
the suspension. of bread rations in the
larger cities Of Finland for some time.
According to dispatches received by
General Mannerheim virtually all the
German troops have now left Finland.
There were less than WI thousand
Germans there a week ago., and as
these nave been moving out whenever
ships were available. the general says
Finland is doubtless entirely free
from German soldiers.
The Russian Reds are threatening
the Finnish border and the political
situation in Finland is so troubled that
a recurrence of the war between reds
and whites which devastated the
country last winter is feared unless
the government is able to obtain ade-
quate food supplies to relieve the dis
tress which is now becoming wide-
spread.
Russian political refugees have
escaped into Finland in large num-
bers. 1t would be almost certain
death for many Of these if they were
forced to return to Russia. Conse-
4uSIlIly tJc lllIllSH government mas
permitted them to remain in spite of
the shortage of foodstuffs, thus i'm
posing an additional tax on its limited
supply of grain.
General Mahnerheim led the Fin
nish White Guards in their fight
against the Finnish Red Guards and
Russian Red Guards last winter, but
retired from the command. when the
White Guards accepted the support of
German troops. He was not in sym
pathy with Germany's movement to
entrench itself in Finland, and was
summoned back to Finland from
Sweden after it became clear that
Germany must withdraw as a result
of its defeat on the western front.
An election is to be held next Feb
ruary to select a new Finnish senate,
which will pass on the form of gov
eminent Finland is to have. At pres
ent it is a constitutional monarchy,
conforming to the laws under which
1t was governed when part Of Swe-
den, before it was annexed to Russia.
It is really q grand duchy, but as
there is no grand duke to approve its
legislation, and as it's laws require
such approval, General Mannerheim
will. il he becomes regent. as is now
proposed, act instead of a grand duke,
pending the establishment Of a legal
government to replace the constitu-
donal monarchy.