Evening star., 1918-07-07
by LOUIS EDGAR BROWNE.

BY LOUIS EDGAR BROWNE.
One of the most serious factors OF
the Russian situation at the present
revolution of the Finnish socialists
which resulted in a protracted civil
war. the Finnish senate-during the
civil war known as the white guard
government-applied to Germany for
aid. Germany gave the requested aid,
but demanded in exchange mort
gage on Finland's future. That mort
gage appears about to fall due, II
press reports which tell of large
German reinforcements landing in
Finland can be credited.
The whole Finnish -German-a allied
question is one which has grown very
cause was hunger. the solution was
food. Last summer the government
of Finland begged the allies to send
food to Finland to prevent famine.
The allies found that request impos-
sible to meet. The Firms then said
they would be forced to turn to Ger
many. The Finnish senate did turn
to Germany. but the Finnish laborers.
the Finnish socialists. turned to soviet
Russia. Civil war resulted and Ger
many came with armed force to the
aid of her secret ally, the Finnish
diet.
Situation Viewed Generally.
This article does not go into detail
on the Finnish question, but simply
treats it in general way 80 that the
reader will have some idea of the re-
lationship of various elements in Fin
land and Russia toward each other.
and also the relationship of the soviet
power in Russia toward the allied
forces at Mourman.
On April the foreign offlce of the
soviet government received a iran.
tic telegram from the president OF
the Mourman soviet. This telegram
asked that the permission of the CEN
trail government be obtained for the
landing of British marines. then In
Mourman harbor, for the purposes of
protecting the Mourman railway from
the advancing Finnish-German troops.
There were great quantities of war
stores of various nature at Mourman
and the council of peoples commissars
in Moscow gave unanimous consent
to the landing of allied troops for the
protection of these.
On May 81 representatives of the
French and American governments
participated in a full meeting of the
Mourman soviet, each making state
ments as to the allied intentions re-
-
Martin of the American military mis-
sion in Russia made a statement in
which he said: II am glad to have a
chance to assure you, although 1 am
sure that Is not necessary, of the
friendly regard America has for the
Russian people. 1t is important not to
have any Misunderstanding at this
serious moment. You decided to ter
inmate the war. What were the re-
suits? During the negotiations even
Germany Cnnfjnnad fn
into Russia. What happened after
peace? Germany continued to occupy
Russian territories, humiliating Rus
sia before the whole world. The Rus
sian people must by now surely un-
derstand who are their friends and
who are their enemies. Russia know S
that she must fight again. We are
here among you. at the meeting of
your soviet. to assure you that the
allies are ready to help you. Be sure
that we are not going to leave you
alone In this serious moment.
Gave Pledge for America.
America has no land or naval forces
at Mourman at the present mo-
ment. II such forces come here, as
you request, l assure you in the name
of America that these forces will be
brought here only with the purpose
of helping Russia remove the German
menace.
The statement of the French mill
tary officer was of similar nature.
The Mourman soviet voted unani-
mousiy to cooperate with the allied
expeditionary forces in the Mourman
province and invited three allied Of
of the state soviet. The invitation
contemplated one Frenchman, one
Britain and one American. I heard
that the invitation had been accepted.
This plea for allied assistance was
made because of the threatening at
titude of the Finnish white guards.
who. although at that time they had
not crossed the frontier, were daily
threatening to do SO. Subsequently
the Firms made two raids into Rus
sian territory. the first on April 8, a
few days after British troops were
disembarked at Mourman, when a
railway bridge was destroyed and the
telegraph lines were cut at the 68Sth
verst of the Mourman railway line
The second conflict occurred at KEN,
was first captured by the Finnish
white guards and later recaptured by
the soviet red guards.
At this time the central Moscow
soviet feared general movement
of Finnish German troops toward
Mourman and perhaps Archangel as
we'll They repeated their invitation
to the allies to land troops at Mour-
man to oppose the Germans should
they advance in that general direc-
tion.
In the Kola peninsula, in the east
ern part of Lapland, and in the KEN
district. north of Lake Ladoga, there
are in all about $4,000 soviet red
guard troops. At Mourman City there
are perhaps 5000 soviet red guard
troops.
Declaration Of War Expected.
A Stockholm dispatch. dated July
8. says: "At editorial offices here a
declaration of war by Finland against