New-York tribune., 1918-11-14
Finland, Our Covert Enemy

Bolshevist Russia is the only armed
enemy left in the field. The Allies are
still at war with her She must be
crushed, as Germany has been crushed.
There is, however, another satellite of
Germany-also on the Eastern front
with whom we are not at war. That is
Finland. She has consorted with our
enemies-passively if not actively Her
political and military status leaves much
to be cleared up
Finland concluded close alliance with
Germany soon after the Brcst- Litovsk
and Bucharest treaties went into effect.
Those two treaties have been annulled
under the terms of Foch's armistce with
the new German government. But the
Flnnish-German compact has not been
annulled. Finland, so far as she has the
power to determine anything, is still
dependency of the German Empire. That
is her choice, and she has done nothing
to alter it. Only month ago the Fin
nish Parliament dispatched delegation
of it's members on the FOOLS errand of
announcing to Prince Charles of Hesse
his election to the Finnish throne.
To-day there is no reigning house in
Hesse. AL! the German %ings, grand
dukes and reigning princes, including
even Heinrich XVII of Reuss, have
been thrown into the discard. Is Finland
to remain the sole state in Europe willing
to tolerate German king? The idea is
preposterous. But that is Finland's
status on the record to date.
The Firms have not actually declared
war on any Allied nation. But they
abetted German plans for seizing the
railroad to kola, Russias ice-free port
on the Arctic Ocean, and driving the AL
lied forces away from that vital sea
base They accepted grant of Western
Carelia from the Bolshevists and in re-
turn agreed to support the Bolshevist
campaign against the Allies on the Koa
peninsula and in the province of Arch
angel That this assistance was not
given in any effective measure was due
to fear of Allied reprisals-a fear
forcements began to pour into Northern
Russia and the Czecho- Slovaks advanced
west of the Urals to the line Of the
Volga. Out of caution, and not from any
into the condition OF passive ally of
Germany and Of the Moscow Terrorists.
The relations of Berlin with the Firms
and with the Bolshevists were very
mixed. In Russia Germany backed the
Red cause. She meant to reduce Russia
to anarchy, and thus facilitate the work
Of despoiling her. In Finland, however,
she supported the White counter revolu-
ton. With her assistance the White
Guards defeated the Finnish Reds,
slaughtered them by the thousands. ex-
ecuted their leaders and suppressed them
rs ruthlessly as Lenine and Trotzky sup
pressed the Russian moderate parties and
massacred the bourgeoisie.
German policy aimed at establishing a
reactionary, militaristic monarchy in
Finland, with a German prince at it's
head. The Finnish army was to be turned
into German military asset The Teu-
tonizaton of Finland was to pave the
way for a similar Teutonization of Lth-
uania, Esthonia, Livonia, Courand Po-
land and the Ukraine.
Of all these ex-segments of Russia
Finland alone welcomed German over
lordship. Poland nourshed her strength
for the day on which she might hope to
revolt. Now she has revolted. The Lth-
uanians protested violently against being
saddled with a German king But Fin
land gladly accepted German control. Her
Parliament yielded to suggestions from
Berlin, gave up the idea OF creating a re-
public, elected Charles of Hesse as King
and started notification mission for
Darmstadt at the very moment when
Bulgaria was deserving the Teuton AL
lance. German armies we're being pushed
out of France and the military downfall
of Germany was clearly in sight.
The Firms have done nothing to help