Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-24
ALAND ISLAND DISPUTE
INVOLVES FIVE POINTS
Sweden's Principal Arguments and
Finland's Attitude Are
Revealed.
BY HAL O'FLAHERTY.
By Cable to The Star and Chicago
Daily News. Copyright. 1870.

STOCKHOLM. Sweden. July 10
The principal points in Sweden's case
in the dispute with Finland over pos
session of the Aland Islands before
the council Of the league of nations
in London are five in number. ~.
They will be presented by Hjalmar
Branting. the Swedish premier. and
are:
First. The Alanders expressed de-
sire to be incorporated in the Swedish
nation because of their Swedish blood,
speech and traditions.
Second. The Alandfrs right Of self
determination under zone Of President
Wilson's fourteen points
Third. The historical isolation Of
the Alands from Finland as observed
in old treaties.
Fourth. The Finnish governments
support of Karelia's claim to the right
of self-determination.
Fifth. The independence of Fin
land itself is in consequence of the
exercise of the right of self-determi-
nation.
Represent Sweden's Case.
These five points. according to off,
cial information, briefly state Sweden's
case, but each point involves an enor-
nous amount of statistic and histori-
cial and documentary evidence of
every description. designed to prove
Should Premier Branting, through
his vast persuasive powers. succeed in
winning the case for Sweden. il will
increase the chances for his Socialistic
government to. remain in power
Should he lose. the chances for MAIN
tanning his party supremacy would be
nullified. There is. therefore. a great
deal more depending on the decision
of this debate over the Aland Islands
than appears on the surface.
Finland's answers to Sweden'S five
points, the writer has learned from a
official source, are:
Finland's Reply.
First. The Firms will deny that
the Alanders have ardently desired
through the past century to be united
with Sweden, and will offer proof that
this desire has sprung up since 1917.
They will declare that President Will
sons fourteen points have never been
clearly defined and have not even been
accepted by the powers. They will
point to the recently enacted Finnish
law giving the Alands an autonomous
third point, the Firms will attempt to
prove that the Alands were considered
to be closely related to part of Fin
land even when the two formed a
part of Sweden. In regard to the
fourth point they will declare that it
Is W d parallel between
the Aland Islands and Karelia, since
Karelia was subjected to frightful
bolsheviki terrorism and the country
was swept by fire and the sword.
In answer to Sweden's fifth point
the Firms will emphasize the fact that
their independence was declared in
1917 after their connection with Rus
STA had degenerated into an unbear-
able political oppression, upheld by a
power in a state of dissolution and
anarchy. The Firms will claim that
Sweden wants the Aland Islands for
purely strategic reasons and as a key
to the Baltic, but after much personal
observation one is sure that the aver
age Swede looks upon the matter en-
tirely from a humanitarian point of
view and desires only a fair hearing
of the legitimate aspirations Of the
Alandera 1t is doubtful il any de-
cision of the league can assuage the
bitterness that has been aroused over
the Alands. and this bitterness may
lead to another military upheaval.