Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-07-02
The Actual Condition In Finland.

The Actual Condition In Finland.
Editor Democrat:
From recent articles and editorials ap
poarIng in the papers there seems to 0'
considerable misrepresentation about tn!
Significance Of so-called "White Guard
and "Red Guard struggles in Finlant
and I hope you will grant me % tn
representative Of the Government OF tn
Peoples Republic OF Finland, th'
courtesy of your columns to make clea
certain aspects of the situation there
Our government has been temporarily
defeated by the Finnish aristocracy II
conjunction with the German army
But the fight is not ended. The grea
majority Of the Finnish people await
the first opportunity to drive ont the
German invaders, and the day OF reckon
Ing will come soon.
It is impossible to understand events
In Finland without considering the s0cia
and political background. Up to 1907
there was no popular representative ir
the Government. The great mass ol
people were totally without political
rights. Under the old feudal constitu.
tion most of the producing population
were in condition OF virtual serfdom.
Tenant farmers were compelled to yield
the wealthy overlords payment In labor.
The inherited Swedish-speaking aristoc.
racy, with feudal class privileges, were
able to continue under the old constitu-
ton medieval forr,s of oppression.
In spite of this the Finnish people are
probably the most literate in the world.
Ninety eight per cent of the population
can read and write. A popular culture
has grown up as part Of the labor move.
ment, along with q strong cooperative
organization which is vital in the life of
the people. In Finland, as In most OF
the Russian border provinces, the labor
movement has come to the fore as the
only organized force opposed to the
crushing of feudal system Of privilege.
The revolution of 1905 established 9
single Chamber Diet in Finland, based
on universal male and female suffrage,
with proportional representation. In
the first Diet elected under this demo-
cratic franchise the socialists secured
forty per cent of the members, by far
the largest bloc among the various
parties. This strength was increased in
successive elections, and In 1915, the
last legal election, the labor party Sc
cured q clear majority In the Diet. Most
of the laws designed to relieve the feudal
oppressions under which the great mass
of the people suffered were vetoed by
the Gear. through the influence of the
aristocracy, which was in class contact
with the Russian bureaucracy. Finland
was grand duchy of Russia. The Gear
meanwhile was attempting the Russifica.
tion of Finland through a system of
military terrorism, which was being op.
posed by the strong Socialist organiza-
tion.
There was clause In the Finnish con-
stitution providing for the independence
of the country when the Government OF
the Gear ceased to rule. In accordance
with this, after the downfall of Czarism,
the Diet declared Finland independent.
The sristocracy, seeing in this the end
of their privileges, managed to persuade
the Russian Government to dissolve the
Diet. This wholly illegal action was
carried out by the sending of Cossack
troops to Helsingfors to crush the
representatives of the Finnish people.
New illegal elections were held, in which
for one reason or another large numbers
of electors did not take part, and 80
called "Government' was formed, pre-.
cursor of the "White Guard Govern
ment" OF today. Recent dispatches from
Finland show that immense election
frauds were perpetrated in that election
to the detriment of the labor party. 1t
has been maintained by the supporters
of the "White Guard that it only re-
Gently became pro-German and then
merely because they were faced by the
necessity of "saving their little farms
and faotories' from anarchy at home.
The fact is that the junker elements In
Finland, forming the "White Guard"
leadership, were covertly plotting for
German Intervention In Finland from
the early days of the war and actually
sent thousands of Finnish young men to
Germany to be trained In the German
army. To-day the "White Guard" lead.
ers are openly boasting of this. In the
issue of "Kalsva" the official "White
Guard" newspaper, of March 2 last, now
on my table, appears copy OF a
laudstory telegram sent to the German
Chancellor BY the "White Guard" Prime Q
minister. It begins:
ION this day, when the Finnish
'Cbausseurs', who have been drilled In
Germany, are returning to their Father
land to fight on Finland's soil for the
freedom and independence of their
country, the Government of Finland is
sincerely impelled to express to His
Majesty the German Emperor and to the
Imperial Government not only its ad.
miration of the glorious deeds of the
German people and their illustrious
leader, but also the gratitude, yelling
from the bottom of the heart OF the Fin
nish people because OF all which Ger
many has done for our country and for
the Finnish 'Chausseurs' who today
three years ago voluntarily entered the
military service in Germany"
The coup whereby the Democratic
Diet was dissolved angered the Finnish
people. As time went on they saw that
reaction was in the saddle. Revolution
was In the air, and late In January OF
this year great uprising of the people
took place, beginning In general strike.
The "White Guard Government" fled to
the sparsely settled northern part OF
Finland, leaving the capital and all the
agencies OF government, and all the
popular manufacturing districts In the
hands of the peoples forces. A Peoples
Republic was declared, and Provision
al Government formed, which has ap-
pojnted me Its representative In the
United States. This Government was
Immediately recognized by the Soviet
Government Of Russia.
At the time of this revolution the
"White Guard" was formed, composed
mostly OF hired thugs and strike. break.
ers, armed with German weapons and
Differed by the "Finnish cbausseurs''
above referred to, trained In the army OF
the Kaiser. The "Butcher Guard, az
the Firms call them, would have bad nc
chance to impose It's will against the
desires of the great mass Of the Finnish
people. Fighting alone, It was doomed
But the German Government, spurred by
the desire of making Finland an outpost
of German imperialism and securing
road to the Russian Arctic ports of Kols
and Archsngel, which would give Ger.
many control over the Scandinavia
shipping, needed the call of the Finnish
iunkers and sent 10000 men. The forcel
of the Provisional Government, hasti y
raised voluntary army Of upwards o.
100, 900 men, poorly armed and more
poorly fed, Was no match for the German
war machine. Finland has fallen. To
day the "White Guard" ID giving the