The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-06-20

tained in the document were incapa- ble of setting up a permanent peace New wars between Sweden and Rus sia soon began and the land of the KareIians was trampled under foot by the contending foreign armies. When a new peace was made at Stolbova in 1917 the boundary moved to the line later regarded as the boundary between Russia and Fin land, so that West Kareia was in cIuded in the province. of Finland, controlled by Sweden, and East Kare- lia remained under Russian rule, and the people were again separated from their brothers in Finland proper. A hundred years later, Russia, conquer ed the government of Viborg, which was annexed to Russia. In 1909, when Czar Alexander l. conquered the whole of Finland and as an au- tonomous grand duchy made a part of the empire, the government of Vii borg was returned to Finland, but , East Karelia still remained under di- rect Russian rule.
 For centuries Russia has endeavor- ed to Russianize the people of East Karelia by obliterating their lan- guage and nationality. Russian col onies have been established and the
 
 all possible means. In spite of all this the karelians have preserved | their Finnish language, their nation ality, and their original Finnish civili- Zation, upon which the present civili- zation and culture of Finland have been created. The Finnish folk Runes | of which Kalevala is composed, were preserved among Karelians. Even | today, the population of Karelia is | principally Finnish, although the ! Russians are in the majority in the | cities and fishing villages along Lake | Omega and on the coast of the White | Sea. The language boundary is very l plain even today. This line com mences on the east shore of Lake La dogs, south of Lake Ladoga Olonetz and runs to Lake Omega, taking in the shore exclusive of the cities From Lake Omega the line proceeds to the White Sea and then to the Arctic Ocean. Population statistics of the three judicial districts of Eas1 Karelia show show very clearly the | Finnish predominence in this terri tory. Thus in the Olonetz distric there are 10,794 Russians and 29,12t Films, in the Ueventsa district, 13,- 036 Russians and 13,036 Films in the Kemi district 15,92S Russians anC 1 19, 406 Films. In the same way ths sparsely settled Murman is peoplet 1 principally by Films and Lapps ant the Russians have come later to en gage in trade and the fisheries. Thu! in the region of Kolafjord 12.9 pei | cent, and in the West Murman 12.- per cent. of the population is Rus sian. The most of the inhabitants ar, Films and Lapps, and also some Nor | wegians. The above statistics ar, | Russian, and a large number of Finn are included as Russians.
 The historical development of Eas Karelia and the ethnic conditions ex plain why Finland now expects tha East Karelia and the Murnan be an nexed to Finland, so that the Films o these regions may be liberated iron foreign rule, and allowed to deveIoI under the protection of their ow1 Finnish government. The Films O
 East Karelia have presented man, petitions asking that they be per mitted to unite with Finland on tn
 principle of self-d etermfnation an
 nounced by President Wilson. Tn
 Paris peace conference has been ad vised of these conditions, and FinIan 'expects a favorable decision.