Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-03-23
.AALAND ISLANDERS ASK
SWEDISH GUARDIANSHIP
Seek To Return to Rule OF Mother
land After Century of
bondage.
Firms ARE OPPOSING MOVE
Land Which Proclaimed Freedom
When Russia Revoltcd and Over
threw Nicholas Would Keep Race
tx Part OF Nation.
u, i.J>I.MAR OLSEN.

STotk llol.... March 22.-Nailnd Is
iandcvS have recently asked tho peace
conference TO rcuniie them with their
mother country. Sweden. The Swedish
Minister for Foreign Affairs last week
issued the following official statement:
Tine population of the Aaland Is
lands having. through the intermediary
81 dclesateS. made representations TO
ihc President OF the United states and
France and Italy with a view TO Sccur-
ing settlement OF the question OF the
future status OF the archipelago, in
conformity with tho express desire OF
the inhabitants. the Swedish govern
ment. hasinS its action on these rep
reSehtaiionS. has expressed 20 the Fin
niSh sovernmeai, through the swedish
Minister at Heising fcrs. its desire 10
see the population OF the Aaland Is
lands summoned Ii decide on the flu
,ure status Of the archipelago by a
vote which shall be supported by sat
isfactory guarantees. and which shall
be binding for Sweden and Finland
The swedish government is perseverins
in its efforts 10 reach solution OF
the question. paying duo consideration
TO the sentiments OF the population
OF Aaiand and the interests Of Swc-
The islands number nearly 2oo. The
majority OF them arc very small and
land, Aaiand Itself is ffairISy iares.
hareors. They form an archipela Ia. o
stretching from just north of Stock :
holm on the swedish east coast. across
the southern end of the Gulf Of
BothNa TO the Finnish coast
SEPARATES =. 1909
FROM MOTHER LAND
The majority OF the :.,nabi,anis live
on the island OF Aaland itself and in
their principal schools and churches.
They are entirely Swedish. and their
is lam ,ns is swelish III fac; they
and have been so from time inmemu
rial AS far back as history goes.
Aa!and has belonged TO sweden. and
erikShamn in 1909 that tho Aalnd
archipelago was separated from the
m mo rr, sou gI:i;s Tha, treaty ended
. land was lost 20 Russia For tho
Aaland Islands. the Swedish peace me-
sotiators made a lons and brave fight.
. the Gulf OF Bo;hniu and the Aaiands
were lost.
Years afterward. Russias Intentions
IN securing the Aalands became appar:
began, and Great Britain. quick TO see
the possibilities OF danger in thus cork :
ING Ing, up the Northern Baltic. protested
assurances that the reports OF fOrti-
hc c, had been grossly exaggerated
and that nothing was under way cX-
cept harbor Improvement.
RUIN GREAT FORTRESS
! IN ATTACK BY NAPIER,
w men the Cr!Inean was opened, tho
I great Russian fortress Of Bomarsund
was completed on Aaland. Napicrs cx-
petition into the Baltic succeeded in de-
I stroying it, however. and tho Treaty
I of Paris in 1856 contained clause tc
( which Great Britain and France. or
one side. and Russia, on the other. were
: sisnatories. wherein Russia agreed
never to fortify the islands again or &c
use them as naval or military base.
In 1908, when 1.-The entente was crys
tallizing into Dermanence. Russis
preached Great Britain and Franc,
with request to abrogate the Anlant
| clause of the treaty OF 1856, claus,
which Russia considered out Of. dat
She also approached Berlin. az Ger
many had an interest in the prcserva
ton OF the status quo In the Baltic
Germany, while notifying Stock no In
that in the interests of Sweden tn,
Kaiser had strong objections TO III,
fertilization Of Aaland. secretly noti
.ed Russia that she had nothing what
ever against Eussias desires in tn
matter Of the reconstruction Of Bomar
sund
Great Britain and France. however
stood by the 1856 treaty. and when al