The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-06-15
fiNl.,.,v ! =.
KAISER'S RULE.
Representative of Republic of Fin
land" Explains German Ascend
ency Among Firms.

SIR
Judging from recent articles and
editorials appearing in some papers
there seems to be considerable mis-
apprehension about the significance
of so-called "White Guard" and "Red
Guard" struggles in Finland and ]
hope you will grant me, as the repre-
sentative of the Government Of the
Peoples Republic of Finland, the
courtesy of your columns to make
clear certain asepects of the situa-
tion there. Our government has been
temporarily defeated by the Finnish
aristocracy in, conjunction with the
German army But the fight is not
yet ended. THE great majority Of the
Finnish people await the first oppor-
tunity to drive out the German in
vaders, and the day of reckoning will
come soon.
It's impossible to understand events
in Finland without considering the so
, cial and political background. Up to
p1905 there was no popular represent
ative in the Government. The great
mass of the people were totally with
out political rights. Under the old
feudal constitution most of the pro-
ducing population were in condi-
ton of virtual serfdom. Tenant
farmers were compelled to yield the
wealthy overlords payment in labor.
The inherited Swedish speaking aris-
tocracy, with feudal class privileges,
were able to continue under the old
constitution medieval forms Of op-
preston.
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 movement, along with
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 or
ganized force opposed to and seeking
to crush the feudal system of privil-
ege.
The revolution of 1905 established
a single chamber Diet in Finland,
based on universal male and female
suffrage, with proportional repre-
sentation. In the first Diet elected
under this Democratic franchise the
Socialists secured forty per cent of
the members. by far the largest block
among the various parties. This
strength was increased in successive
elections, and in 1916, the last legal
election, the labor party secured
clear majority in the Diet. Most Of
the laws designed to relieve the feud-
al expressions under which the great
mass of the people suffered were We
toed by the Car, through the influ-
ence of the aristocracy, which was in
close contact with the Russian bu-
reaucracy. Finland was a grand
duchy Of Russia. The Czar mean
while was attempting the Russifica-
ton Of Finland through a system Of
military terrorism, which was being
opposed by the strong Socialist or
ganization.
There was clause in the Finnish
Constitution providing for the inde-
pendence of the country when the
Government Of the Gear ceased to
rule. In accordance with this, after
the downfall of Czarism, the Diet de-
clared Finland independent. The ar
istocracy, seeing in this the end of
their privileges, managed to persuade
the then Russian Government to dis
solve the Diet This wholly illegal
action was carried out by the sending
of Cossack troops to Helsingfors to
crush the representatives of the Fin
nish people. New illegal elections
were held, which for one reason or
the other large numbers of electors
did not take part in. and so-called
Government" was formed, precursor
of the "White Guard Government" of
today. Recent dispatches from Fin
land show that immense election
frauds were perpetrated in that
election in order to defeat the labor
party. It has been maintained by
the supporters of the "White Guards
that it only recently became pro-Ger-
man and then merely because they
were faced by the necessity Of SAY
ing their little farms and factories"
from anarchy at home. The fact is
that the junker elements in Finland
forming the "White Guard" leader
ship were covertly plotting for Ger
man 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 Ger
] Continued on Last Pase)