Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-25
Women Are Fortunate.

FROM an educational point or view
the women in Finland have been
very fortunate, as there are many
excellent schools for girls and q num-
Der of co-educational schools through
out the country which prepare stu
dents for the university examina-
tions. Girls were admitted to the
university in 1878. and until the war
interviewed. they not only attended
lectures. but took part in all branch
es of university life; they particle
pated in all the celebrations and fes-
tivities. and were members of the
various clubs and student organiza-
tions, in which they. were on a foot
ing Of perfect equality with the men
and frequently were elected to vari-
GUS official positions After they were
graduated from one of the severa
nlgh schools or from the university
there were many branches of work
open to them.
They became teachers even in the
state schools for boys, cashiers or
oookkeepers in banks, clerks in the
state archives and in many branches
OF the civic administration. There are
really not enough educated men to
meet the requirements of the country,
and consequently the cooperation of
the women Is matter of vital i'm
portance. 1t not infrequently hap
pened, in normal times, that even mar
ried women in comparatively good
circumstances sought employment
outside their homes.
Having thus such an excellent
foundation to build upon. it is small
wonder that the .womans movement
soon found many active supporters. In
~ 1859 the diet had accorded the mu-
nlclpal vote to woman taxpayers liv-
ing In the country. and In 1872 to
women living in the towns, all of
Wnom were also given the right to be
elected members of certain local self
governing bodies. In 1900 the woman
social democrats included the suffrage
IN their program, but the special ac-
tiVity for the suffrage began only In
the year 1904, although in 1897 a Pc
titlon mad been officially presented to
the diet at the request of the Finnish
Woman's Association
me reason why so little was done
In direct furtherance of the cause of
woman suffrage between the years
lSS! and 1904 is that just at that time
Flniand was passing through severe
political crisis.
Help Curb Strike.
After the outbreak of the October
revolution in Russia (1905) a sympa--
s snd strike was declared in Finland
tral committee elected by mass
meeting to manage the details Of the
strike were women
Ihe 1lrst action taken by the COM
mlttee was to close all the liquor shops.
saloons and barrooms and to organize
volunteer police force to keep order.
after the second day the markets were
reopened and the strikers were not al
lowed 70 cut of the water supply. In
short; the strike was managed In a most
crderiy and systematic way and no out
RACES OF any sort were committed
During the course of the strike
numerous Populations were sent with
petitions to the governor general, and
In each deputation there were woman
members Thus, even in moments of
grave political danger and, at times
when the utmost moderation and fore
sight were needed the Films were not
afraid to trust their women.
The very great interest that the
women took in the elections may be
gathered from the fact that in Helsing-
fors. the capital, at the time of the sec
ond elections Din 1s0S) there were 1s, $40
woman voters and 1886 man voters
registered. 1t is true that the majority
OF the women voted for men, as there
were only 26 women elected in a house
OF 200. but one woman received a larger
number OF votes than was given to any
OF the man Candidates Of her party