Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-11
SOVIET NORTHLAND
BEING DEVELOPED
KareIia, White Sea Republic,
Watches New SaWmillo
and Highways Arise.

By the Associated Press
sawraills ara replacing sagas in Ka-
relia, the romantic land Of waterfalls,
Lakes, forests and mystic folklore.
This autonomous Soviet republic, ex-
tending from the White Sea almost TO
the Baltic, now rings with industry.
waterfalls have been harnessed.
Paper mills. cellulose plants and furn!-
ture factories have sprung up unoer
Moscov's direction. highways nave
been constructed through forests winch
were formerly lmpenet-aole. Arp!anes
have also helped overcome the former
isolation.
Timber Output Trebled.
Already the timber output Of Karel1a
Is three times what it was IN pre-War
DAYS, according to the Soviet Union
Review. The woodland republic Is
about the size of New York state, out
seouently the Moscow government must
increase the population before further
DEVELOPMENT of the wood and hshlng
Industries can be effected.
The Murmansk Railway, hastily con-
etrlcted by the Czarist government
during the Great War to connect the
tce-free arctic port Of Kola with Pet
IOSIaos SI1OOh SAo4S-~| Wv ~
medieval slumber.
The Murransk Railway admtnistra-
ton now has been given the task OF
providing more population to develop
the great forests. About 100000 acres
have been set aside for new settlers,
and by slow process settlement is be-
ing effected on plans similar to those
utilized in colonizing the American
Northwest.
Factories in Wilderness.
American machinery shipped to Rus.
eia IN Winter to be exchanged Tor wood
products finds its way to kola ana
moves southwark by rail through ka-
relia to Russian industrial centers which
cannot get Winter freight from Ba!tlc
ports because Of Ice.
From this artery Of commerce high
ways have been developed into ell the
remote forest lands, and development
of water power is now taking place
which was originally planned by Peter
the Great. That far-seeing monarch
appreciated the power possibilities Of
nected by swift streams. He built an
iron works at Petrozavodsk, on Lake
omega. Savr.ills were also developed
In his time.
But it remained for the Soviet govern
trent to construct factories which
manufacture wood products for export
In finished form. Under the Cars
chiefly sawlogs we're exported.
The fishing industry Is also being
developed. and one large cannery Is
under construction. Iron ore and other
minerals are also being mined there.
Quarries which supplied Karelian mar
bic for the tomb Of Napoleon the First
IN Paris are again active.
Literacy Drive Started
The Soviet government has 11augu-
rated an intense educational campaign
and IS abolish1ng illiteracy among the
Karelians who we're intensely superstt-
tious and lived In an atmosphere OF
medieval mysticism.
Longteuow and the English-speak1ng
world are under deep obligation to this
backward country whose legends pro-
vided much Of the material for "FIia-
watha" The American poet found the
meter and plan for this work in ''Kale-
vala," a volume by the Finnish writer,
Lenroot, based upon the ancient runes
OF Karelia which he discovered while
visiting there in 1885.
Until 1928 Karena's long common
border with Finland was subject to
military activities and conditions were
so unsettled that 1t became a political
as well as en- economic necessity to
develop this state which IS traversed
by the Murrnarsk Railway, so vital to
Russta's commerce especially II Winter.