Evening star., 1926-05-24
FINLAND ON GUARD,
AFRAID OF RUSSIA
Seeks Greater Armament
Against Communism De-
spite Neighbors.
BY +. A. MACKENZIE.
Correspondence of The Star and the Cbt"HEo
Daily News.

next-door neiShbor. The shadow of
the Communist republic falls deeply
into Finland
For over 100 Years Finland was part
of the Russian empire, ever lighting
to maintain her own language. Gus
toms and life. One emperor, Alexan-
der the Great. was loved. and his
statue still stands unframed in the
heart of this city. But for the rest of
the Russian rulers F'inland's own de
sire is 10 forget them. 1t has raZed
every memorial that might recall
them.
Then came Communism. II is only
eight wears since the civil war when
the reds. backed by Moscow. tried tn
over throw and capture the govern
ment. That civil war was one of the
most hideous of even those hdeous
days.
Danger Is Ever Present.
famous politician expressed the
general sentiment conServatively.
The position of Finland" he said.
obviously presents certain special
dangers. We are on the borders Of
Communist Russia and less than eight
years ago we defeated Communist at
tempt TO capture our government.
While at the present moment the So
Wet government is processing non
aggressive policy, there is no saying
when some fresh decision Of the Com
munist party might change its entire
purpose.
FINLAND. you must remember. has
no guaranty of independence from
any Of the great powers. Whatever
they might do If We were attacked
remains to he seen. We have to de
pend primarily ON ourselves. l do not
talk about any possibility of A Baltic
league. for it is easy To see how any
Russian adventure, against Esthonis
for example. might drag MS in. In
such q; campaign the Gulf of Fin.
land immediately south of us would
become an active center of war. en-
dangerinS our neutrality.
Russia Not Trusted.
Russia is growing stronger from a
military point of view. There have
been big improvements in her army
and navy. In gas warfare. in particu-
lar, great advances have been made.
A hundred years of experience has
taught us that we cannot trust Rus
sia and cannot trust her word.
"It is this that makes us SO uneasy
over the disarmament campaign now
proceeding in Norway. Sweden and
Denmark. The danger to us is that
this campaign then may influence
section of our working classes To op-
pose national defense. The last gov
ernment was overthrown on the de
mand for a $50. 900 .000.niark naval
program. IT is expected at the gen
eral election of 1927 that the electors
will support the remaining necessary
expenditure for the navy
More Naval Armament Sought.
Prof. Alexander Leonard Helm
man. the minister for defense. describ
. ing To me the present military situa
ton. said: "Our immediate naval pro
gram is for two arInored cruisers OF
| 4 600 IOns displacement, the largest
that can maneuver in our territoria
waters; three 450-ton submarines. one
l00-ton submarine and a number OF
small coastal defense boats.
Our regular forces consist of the
army, the coast defense and the air
forces. The president of the republic
is the chief commander of the armed
forces. and besides the minister of de-
tense there is a commander of the
military forces directly under the
president. We have nine regiments
seven independent battalionS and nine
companies of infantry. two regiments
OF cavalry. four regiments of field ar
tiliery. one of heavy artillery. pioneer.
railway. telegraph, radio and motor
hattaiions. For coast defense We
have. besides the navy, three and
half regiments. There are cadet
schools, schools for reserve officers
and military high school
But behind this regular army with
its reserves lies nation in arms. a
voluntary civil guard. a national safe
1 e
These safeguards. whose comma nder
Is directly under the president. sprang
out OF the necessity of defending our
national existence during the civil
war. Their aim is to promote the
military efficiency of the people and t.
maintain our national existence and
legal order. The civil guards. who are
volunteers. recruited and trained in
their leisure time in territorial groups.
have regular military organization.
Their members cultivate gymnastics.
athletics and sports. besides military
drill. and are supervised by a body of
fully trained military officers AT a
word their entire organic alton would
swing into line TO defend the country.
Even Women Ready to Fight.
AT the side of the mems civil
guards stand the women's organiza.
tion. the Lotta Svard. They take
their name from Runeberg's famous
poem and it's ideal of being ready TO
undertake any sacrifice the father.
land needs. They prepare them
selves for first aid. for dressing the
wounded. for manufacturing material
needed in hospitals, for operating field
Kitchens and for attending to the
many branches of work behind the
line
'-And l suppose" / interposed,
that If need be they would step into
the front line. too
The minister smiled. IL was un.
necessary to answer the question.
THE I.otta Svard in their f1eld-gray
uniforms do not wait for war to he
of real service TO the country. When
there came an epidemic of sleeping
sickness they acted as nurses. When
refugees from Karelia t1ocked into
Finland after the struggle against the
Communists there i'm 1922 they cared
for them They looked after the chill
dren of the refugees. When the civil
guards go for their summer maneu-
vers the Lolita Svard attend to the
field kitchens.
"All that Finland asks. Prof.
Hjelmman continued, lis that her In
dependence shall be maintained. We
have no aggressive aims. The nature
OF Finnish territory. with its large
number of lakes. its forests and its
marshes gives us special advantages
for defensive war. We all hope that
such war may never come.
tCopyright, 1898, by Chicago Daily News Coz