Evening star., 1943-02-17
FinIund's Election

The reelection Of RiSto Ryti to
the presidency was no surprise, since
1t obviously conformed to the neces-
stiles Of F'inland's difficult situation.
He received an overwhelming ma
jority of the electoral college which,
as in this country. actually chooses
the President in accordance with
the popular vote. The only other
potential candidate was Marshal
Baron Mannerheim, head of the
army, who had been favored by the
conservative Agrarian party but who
removed himself from the picture by
refusing to run.
The election was held under a war
time emergency law whereby there is
no popular vote, the electoral college
being that chosen six years ago when
an entirely different set of candidates
was running for the presidency.
Under this emergency procedure the
President serves only two years in
stead of the normal six-year term.
Likewise, the government did its best
to discourage campaigning" in our
sense of the word. 1t is therefore
difficult to interpret the election as
an index of popular feeling toward
the war and Finland's place therein.
Nevertheless, neutral observers be-
lieve that Mr. Ryti reflects the popu-
lar choice as the man best qualified
to head the country in the grave
situation which confronts it. His
political record, on the whole, is an
excellent one. A liberal minded
banker, he led the delegation which
negotiated the famous settlement of
Finland's debt to the United States
arising out of the First World War.
He likewise played a prominent part
in ending the tragic war with Soviet
Russia during the winter of 1939-4O
Personally we'll liked in Britain, he
holds an English knighthood among
his other honors. A lover of peace
and a stanch believer in demo-
cratic principles, he is generally
understood to deplore the circum-
stances which have ranged Finland
on the side opposed to the Western
Allies. Like nearly all Firms, Prest-
dent Ryti maintains that Finland is
fighting a separate war against
Soviet Russia, into which she was
forced by Russian attacks. His
ocie &c TGr1 &c
life-and-death struggle against Rus
sian aggression and that, for her
future safety, she must have the
strategic frontiers held by her before
the Russian attack in 1899. Those
frontiers are now substantially in
Finnish hands, and since they were
regained early in the present con-
flict, the Finnish troops have con-
Quoted almost purely defensive op-
erations.
However, Fnland's position today
Is a very dangerous one. Russian
victories over the Axis, especially the
relief of besieged Leningrad, make
possible large-scale attacks on Fin
land, which is warWorn and de-
pleted. There seems little doubt that
the Finnish people would be thankful
to get out Of the war if they could
retain their 1899 frontiers and OBJ
tain some assurance of future Sc
curity. But Russia does not seem
disposed to grant such terms. Fur
thermore, there are several German
divisions on Finnish soil, and the
country is economically dependent
on Germany. At present it would be
physically impossible for the West
ern Allies to get aid of any sort to
Finland, which is geographically iso-
lated from them. Thus Finland'S
tragic dilemma grows rapidly more
acute
What the outcome will be is not
clear. But it is reasonable to be-
lieve that, by training and tempera-
ment, President Ryti is best fitted to
steer the threatened ship of state
through the storms which beset it
on every side.