The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-02-13
FINLAND VERY
 MUCH TROUBLED
Gasoline Scarce, Ready Cash Also Lacking; Han-
 dicapped in Other Ways
BY HERBERT UExKUELL

BY HERBERT UEXKUELL United Press Stan COrrespOndent)
 Helsind, Feb. 13-CUP)-Gasoline is scarce in Finland today, but you wouldn't know it from the traffic that flows over the Arctic highway from Petsamo to Rovaniemi.
 With the Baltic sea virtually an inland lake as a result of the Brit ish blockade, the narrow, winding ribbon of concrete connecting the Petsamo harbor of Liinahamari with the rail head at Rovaniemi has become Finland,s lifeline.
 Around the clock in the pale Arc tic winter twilight, long columns of trucks = Finnish, German and Swedish-roll over the narrow road with it's hundreds of curves and bridges and scores of sharp dips and rises.
 To meet the demands of the in- creased traffic, an army of men work to improve the road, but 1t still is far from good. Only hardy and experienced drivers can nav igate it's $50 miles and they are comparatively well-paid, receiving the equivalent of $20 for the round trip.
 1000 Tons a Day
 Although the highway, according to exports, has capacity of 10000 tons daily, there never has been more than 2,0O0 tons shipped in one day German and Swedish ship ments, which are about the same, are estimated to amount to 40 per cent of the total volume
 The bottle-neck in shipments by this route is at the port of Lima hamari. A small fishing village un- til two years ago, Liinahamari has only one modern dock long enough for two ships. There are no loading cranes or StcrehouSeS.
 It is estimated that the harbor of Liinahamari at present can handle only 2,000 tons a day. But only 25 or 30 per cent of this amount gets to Rovaniemi now because of lack of trucks and experienced drivers.
 The limited facilities at Lima hamari and the British blockade of the Baltic have cut sharply into Finnish supplies. The shortage of foodstuffs and other vital commodi- ties is reported to be even greater than was anticipated last fall when rationS were fixed.
 Lack of Ready Cash
 Complicating Fi11land'S problems is lack of ready cash with which to purchase supplies from Russia, the only nation to which she can turn. A Russo Finnish trade pact provides Finland must pay in cash when her arrearage on purchases reaches $50O,OOO.
 Making purchases from the United States or South America not only involves the problem of pay ment but also of transport.
 Finland applied for a $7,00O, 900 credit in the latter part of 194O from the United States, but up to this time it has not been granted. England has granted Finland Nav icertS for foodstuffs, but has not aI- lowed her to accumulate any stocks of potential military importance.
 F1land'S most urgent needs are rye and wheat for bread, fats, meat and raw materials for her textile industry. FinlandS minister of sup plies told the United Press that there is only enough rye and wheat on hand to last until the end of May.
 The Finnish cotton industry em- ploys 30,000 workers, but because of shortage of raw materials has been forced to work far below ca pacity. But the industry has avoid ed wholesale dismissals by working two-day a week shifts.