The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1918-05-03


% Finland. where bloody. civil
warfare has ragged, lies In the
same latitude as Greenland
and Alaska. II Il not small IN size,
for Finland IL about ns large as the
whole Of France. The Finlnndcrs
themselves speak OF their land as
S-uomen-maa. or Souml. II IA n region
Of lakes and granite rocks. much % II
desOlate and water-loggcd. where
winter relgns supreme Tor from seven
20 nine months IN the year. AZ least
one-nlnth OF the surface Is covered
with LIKES and the greater part Of the
rest II forest. Less than one acre In
thirty IA arabic. but n somewhat larger
amount IL suited for grazing.
We think ~ Greenland M a frozen
and dcsolnte land, NJ only Tor the
abode Of the hardy Esklmos writes
Nevin O. Winter In the Christian Her
aid. And yet In Finland. In n severe
northern climate. Inns grown up n
hardy and virile race Perhaps Il was
because only the s%turdlest could sur
vive under such conditions, for isoln.
ton bred sclf.relinnce and indus
try was necessary TO existence. AZ
any rate the fact remains That
the Films have developed n clvi.
likation That Il unique and ~
Interest. II Il not surprising. 60
nj familiar with the Films and
their history. 20 know that n republic
has been proclaimed. No people are
more truly democratic. Under the
autocrntic rule Of the czars, Finland
maintained her democratic instltu-
tons. and Il was the only part Of Rus.
STA where the traveller wa, free to
move about without having n DEMAND
made almost daily for his passpur'.
The Russian calendar, which II thu,
teen days behind our own, was II
.Nred. and In every way the public and
social customs differed from those Of
1e Russians.
The Firms have always objected TO
being classed as Russians. OF Mon
golian descent. they were among the
eariies, OF the Oriental races 10 cross
the Urnls and descend upon the fertile
plains Of Russia. They were gradu-
ally driven 10 the inhospitable North
by successive waves Of immigration.
They are first cousins % the Magyars
u Hungary and distant cousins Of the
Turk. Like the Cel;s Of Ireland, the
Films were never able 10 establish an
independent state capable OF resisting
the external pressure Of Teuton, slav
and Turk. In the twelfth century
they were brought under the sway Of
the rowing vikings. who organized a
crusade 20 convert the heather Films.
Annexed BY Russia.
Since then the country has been buf-
feted about between Sweden and Rus
STA. Peter the Great conquered a part
Of II, but the entire country was not
annexed until one hundred and ten
a ago. Then II was really n union
and not an unconditional surrender.
The Car took the title Of Grand Duke
Of Finland. and as such he continued 90
rule until the abdlcntion OF Nicholas ii.
The fundamental laws OF the country
we're officially recognized and con-
Armed by each succeeding %autoc-at.
although In recent years there had
been much encrOachment on the rights
OF the independent Firms In the at
tempt at classification. For this rea-
son there has been great unrest for
more than two decades.
Until 1893 Finland had not been re-
qulred 10 furnish soldiers for the I'M
perial Russian army. In that year the
czar Informed the Diet (Congress)
that the military service must be made
20 conform 10 that Of the rest Of the
empire. Finnish suscepubillties were
aroused, a. this seemed but the open
ing wedge for the destruction Of all
their liberties. The people entered up
on a campaign OF passive resistance.
Every man, woman and child dressed
IN mourning on the Sunday succeeding
the manifesto. Bells were tolled In
the churches. and places Of muse
ment we're closed. Many thousands
emlgrated 10 the United States.
Long Summer Days
During the long winters daylight
lasts only three or four hours. On
the shortest days II is eve less. Then
Il "a indeed. as most people think, a
land OF snow and ice. For three
mOnths Il Is 20 hot that the wealthy
residents seek summer resorts for
comfort. During that time II Is praes
Ideally one long day. Not a star Il 20
bo seen. and the appearance Of time Of
lutumn frosts has arrived.