The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-07-29
Esonan Nurses and Patients at Typhus Hospital in Narva

ot yPHuS hospital III NdTVd.
strenuous methods to gather the Esths
into the fold of their orthodox church.
The rugged endurance of this north
ern people, their vitality and spirit, is
sufficiently shown by their bearing up
under oppression that was both reli-
gious and political, and from the po-
litical standpoint, both Prussian and
! Russian. Perhaps their Mongolia de-
scent helps account for that.
Progressive in Agriculture.
Before the World war Esthonia had
become one of the most progressive
regions, agriculturally, in Russia.
Though situated in northern Europe,
the country is tempered by the far
faring Gulf stream Another thing of
| American origin - the potato = has
made its deep mark on Esthonia, and
it has even been called fippantly, ''the
Potato republic" AS a source of alcO-
hol the potato has been most impor-
tant economically to the country. Ev-
cry large estate has its own distillery,
and before the World war great guam
titles of the potent liquid were ex-
ported
Russia was reluctant to have Estho-
mia set up housekeeping on it's own
account. The country, about as large
as New Hampshire and Vermont com
bined, blocks a considerable section
Of western Russia, whereas it formed
before natural outlet for the larger
country The Esthonian railways
have already played an important part
in moving produce to and from Rus
in the latter country, Esthonia should
regularly collect a tidy sum as
transit agent.
Since the Esthonians are such low
ers Of liberty, yet had been so down
trodden by the "Balt barons" until
almost the end of the World war, vio-
lent establishments were inevitable.
First came the Russian revolution.
The Esthonians demanded and were
given home rule. Then followed the
Bolshevik coup; Bolshevik invasion,
which was fought back; German in
vasion; more fighting with the Bolshe-
viks; and finally the establishment,
with Finnish and British assistance,
of an independent state. Then the
new republic set about what its lead
ers described as 'righting the wrongs
of 700 years" The Esthonians, max
ing up 90 per cent of the population,
seized the great estates of the Balts
(who constitute III per cent of the
population) and parceled them out
among peasant proprietors. The coun-
try's agriculture was thus placed on
an entirely new footing, but the most
recent statistics seem to show that
production is holding its own.
RevaI the Chief City.
Reval, known to the Esthonians as
Tallin, is Esthonia's greatest port and
city. It has existed for 700 years.
With Helsingfors across the gulf, it
formed tsarist Russia's gateway and
first line of naval defense to Petro-
grad; but to Esthonia, its commercial
possibilities seem brightest.
AS first seen from shipboard, Re-
walls skyline Is an epitome of the
forces that have been at work upon
Esthonia. On hill which rises above
the town Is a citadel wall reminiscent
of the Germans who took the country
by the sword. On this height, too, are
the homes of many of the Bait mobiles
who have descended from the German
invaders. From the same hill clump
of Gothic steeples pierces the sky, re-
calling the Swedish invasion and the
Lutheran religion, which most of the
Esthonians profess. Within the circle
of sharp spires are the queerly shaped,
gilded domes Of an orthodox Russian
church, speaking of the efforts at Rus
sification which never bore much
fruit. In the lower town are the homes
of the Esthonians-the stratum from
which the people have literally risen
to take over the affairs of their couD.
try.
In addition to its agricultural actu-
alities, Esthonia has numerous indus
trial possibilities. Already some of its
waterpower is harnessed, and at Mar
va, on the Russian border, is one of
the largest cotton mills in the world.
Much of the land is still covered by
forests, and the timber and wood-pulp
industries are important. Millions OF
tons of oil shale exist In the country,