Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-06-08

samo and other areas to Russia cost
Finland about Is per cent of the
nations wealth, Kavinen estimated
The 100000 Firms who lived In
Karelia evacuated the province al
most to man as the Russians took
over Tin keeping with the desires
of both the Finnish and Russian
authorities). With them as they
moved across the new frontier to
Finland they brought food, cattle
horses, railway equipment and 90
forth. But, according to the ar
mistice agreement, this was sup
posed to be left on the spot.
/ The Russians, however. have not
been as tough as they might. In
stead of demanding that the whole
lot be brought back they asked for
only half.
They have Cancelled some of the
penalties for delays in reparations
deliveries.
But most important of all they
have extended the time for pay
ment from six to eight years.
Some Possibilities
Actually, in 1852 IF the world re-
mains stable"-a phrase you hear
lot here-Finland should not be
badly off. 1t has wood and paper
which all the world wants. It will
have the shipyards and expanded
industry built to pay reparations
and, according to Kivinen, president
of the Preparations Commission
will be somewhat more self-suffi-
cient than in 1899 of things that we
used to import, largely from Sweden
and Germany"
Speaking of Fin1and's former i'm
ports from these two countries, an
other responsible Finn told me
Sweden is now too busy to supply
us and Germany will be away for
a few years"
It has been long, slow pull but
the situation is great deal brighter
now than two years ago. Kivinen
said Finnish postwar recovery was
mot less" than that Of any other
country and was back to rs or 80
per cent Of prewar. Industrial
production figures are up nicely,
back in 1916 to So per cent of pre-
war. The more production figures
mount, the smaller will be the per-
centage slice of national income
that goes to Russia for reparatiors.
In 1913, for example, the percent
age might be to 10 per cent instead
Of II as in in 1947.
Tough but Possible
Compared to their reparations
complaints Of a year ago, most per-
sons I have met seem to feel that
Finland has a tough but not i'm
possible row to hoe. That increase
in 1916 industrial production was
only possible, however, through
foreign credits. And agriculture in
1946 was only go per cent that OF
1889, because Of manpower short
ages, lack of fertilizer and the
presence of Karelian refugees who
had been producers and were not
yet producing again since they were
still being settled on their new land
There is Is per cent labor
deficiency in Finnish industry, espe-
cially in foundry workers, carpen-
ters and machine workers, which
badly handicaps full economic re-
covery. And farm hands are sc
much in demand they got more il,
money wages in 1916 than industrial
laborers-probably a unique situa-
ton. Farm wages have risen much
more than the price level for agrI-
cultural products.
Finland's labor shortage is a con-
sequence of the heavy price 1t paid
in war casualties. In the two wars
against Russia and one against
Germany it fought in six years, 1t
lost 1919 in dead and missing and
suffered ,186,977 wounded. The ex-
tent of this loss to country of
only 100000 population may be
gagged by comparison with the
United States. II the United States
IS times as big in population, had
suffered proportionately We would
have lost, 1851 ,265 in war dead and
missing and had 6,544, 195 wounded.
Housing Problem
Housing continues acute, though
lot was built In 1916. The new
building needs of war reparations
industries were almost satisfied In
1916, but individual housing was not
nearly so well taken care Of. The
scarcity of building materials fol
concrete construction reduced the
building in Helsinki and other large
population centers. There was a lot
more building activity in country
towns, villages and farm areas
where wood could be used.
incidentally, there was a signifi-
cant trend away from building by
private companies and individuals
Before the war they accounted for
80 per cent of the total. Now, more
than so per cent of all Finnish con-
! struction is publicly subsidized by
national or community authorities
In 1946 the brick industry was 80
per cent of prewar 1t should reach
80 per cent in, 1947 and the Firms
hope eventually to double their pre-
war production.
Finland's merchant marine has
only about half its prewar tonnage
most of the other half going to Rus
/ STA as reparations. This lack OF
merchant shipping, forcing 1t to
! hire foreign bottoms. puts a heavy