Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1939-10-19

erably restricted owing to climatic
conditions, Southern Finland re-
minds me very much of northern
Minnesota and I was informed that
northern Finland is even more like
the northern part of our own state.
A very large part of Finland is water
and forests. I was told that Finland
has $4,000 lakes, which is three times
the number in Minnesota.
War Declared.
1t had been my hope to visit Vii
borg, another large port city, stu
ated near the Russian border, but on
the day following our arrival at Hell
sinki I was told by American lega-
ton officials that they had that morn
ing been advised by London that war
was imminent. This news changed
our plans completely and within six
hours we were back aboard ship re-
turning to Stockholm. The follow
ing day we sailed from Goteborg for
England. War was declared on the
following day, while we were on the
North sea.
AS this letter is being written it
looks very much as though Finland
may be in for trouble with Russia
but we are all hoping and praying
that nothing will come of it. Any
attempt to conquer that country
would meet with stiff resistance, not
only from Finland but also from
Sweden and Norway as there is a
very close bond of friendship between
those three countries. War in Fin
land would not be a pink tea affair
because the terrain of the country
lends itself admirably to defensive
and guerrilla warfare. A mechanical
war, such as crushed poor Poland, is
out of the question in Finland. Neu-
trail military officers over there say
it would require an army of at least
100000 to conquer the country and
they expressed doubt as to whether
it could be done at all because of
the topography of the country and
the reinforcements in men and sup
plies that would come from Sweden
and Norway One thing is certain,
if war comes to Finland she will not
have any trouble in raising money
in this country as her credit rating
over here is Al.
England PrepareS DefenSeS.
Our trip home was without event.
We spent nearly a week in London.
The English have gone to great ex-
pense in preparing home defenses.
At night the larger cities are BACKED
out No lights are permitted and over
head are thousands of blimps from
which are suspended strong steel
cables anchored to trucks. During
the day these blimps are stationed
at height of about 5000 feet but
at night they are let out to a distance
of $4,000 or more feet. With such
defense air-raiders would be COM
PEELED to remain at height where
it would be almost impossible for
them to bomb any definite objective.
Nearly all buildings are protected
by sandbags and numerous bomb
shelters have been provided in case
of attack.
1t is not to be wondered at that
America, the new land across the
seas, should prove a magnet to those
who had participated in The Hundred
Years war, the Thirty Years war,
The Seven Years War and the Napo-
leonic wars. 1t was to get away from
such things that they came to Amer
lea. We must make it our first bust
ness to see we do not follow in the
footsteps of war-torn Europe, other
wise we may find ourselves involved
in every future war that breaks out
on that war-torn continent. This is
a good time for Americans to stay
at home and solve their own prob
lens. The good Lord knows we have
enough of them.