The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1918-03-23

If there has been any doubt in the
minds of Americans where the Firms
stand on this war, that doubt can
now be removed. Duluth Films, at
least, have learned this early in the
game what Prussian greed means.
Finland is now getting a taste Of what
will happen to the whole world
should Germany win this war.
At mass meeting of Finnish peo-
pie held under the auspices of the
Finnish local of the Socialist party
at Tarmo hall, Lake avenue and First
street. Sunday, the following state
ment, signed by John Nummivuore,
chairman, was prepared and ordered
published in the daily and weekly
press Of Duluth:
Recently the news dispatches in
the daily papers have related how
civil war is raging in Finland. The
news dispatches have not stated why
a civil war is raging there. The same
dispatches have also related how the
so-called red guards had practiced
horrible cruelties.
1T is true that an open struggle is
going on in Finland between the pro-
German bourgeoisie and the industrial
workers and small farmers who de-
fend democracy, but it is absolutely
untrue that the red guard, organized
by labor government, is practicing
! cruelties. These news dispatches are
sent from Stockholm, Sweden, and
they are all purpOsely made up; they
are all infamous falsehoods. AS
Sweden has always had a yearning
for the Aland island and for a portion
of Finland, reports were sent out to
the world that anarchy was reigning in
Finland SO that Sweden could get a
pretext for Selling the Aland islands.
Are Pro- German.
"The Finnish bourgeoisie have al
ways been pro-German. When the
present war broke out, they sent a
! large number of the members of their
! class into the German army to fight
against Russia, although Finland
tor% Fht ad Raf5 IF kesTIa 3afK Es95
and imperialism, and against democ-
racy. These Films were carefully
| trained in the German army so that
| they would be, able to fight against
the democratic elements Or Finland
for German junkerisn. !, :
! "Then came, the reVoluti on in Rus
; sia; the government of the car was
have always hoped for the independ-
| ence Of their country, saw that the
time had come when they could real
| ize their fondest, a desire to be al
! lowed to sway their own destinies.
They took courage to demand indie
pendence and more so for the reason
| that the allies and President Wilson
had assured the world that the allies
! were fighting for democracy and for
| the rights of the small nations. But
the Finnish bourgeoise even went as
far as to- oppose this, by ,schemine
with Germany and Sweden against
the independence of Finland. But due
to the. resolute action of the people
they did not succeed in this.
1.-The working; class of Finland and
the larger portion of the farmers, the
! small farmers, demanded that power
shall be centralized in the diet, the
representative body elected by the
people. The. & bourgeoisie =; demnded
that the powerp shal II be vested out
side the diet, to a council Of three
not selected by the people. Their
final intention was to form a king
dom, of Finland and to- set up some
German princesas~ a: king. (The latest
news dispatches report that the Fin
nish bourgeoise desire the German
kaiser's fifth son, Oscar, to be kline
of Finland.) In this attempt they die
not succeed, however. for the. people
vigorously demanded a democratic
form Of government.
Called ''Butcher Guards"
"When the reactionary and pro
German bourgeoise saw that the will
of the people could not be opposed
unless especially radical methods bt