Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-08-01
Cabinet Test in FinIund

The new Finnish cabinet represents an
unusual parliamentary maneuver due to
an equally unusual situation. 1t may also
be crucial test of the relations between
Finland and the Soviet Union.
This is frankly minority cabinet. 1t
consists entirely of members of the Social
Democratic Party, which represents the
non-Communist majority of Finnish labor,
plus a considerable portion of the urban
middle class. In the recent elections the
Social Democrats polled approximately
one-quarter of the total electoral vote,
getting fifty-five seats in the new Diet of
200 members. But they were just noSed
out of first place by the Agrarian or peas
ant party, which got flfty-six seats. In
sharp contrast the Communist-controlled
Popular Democratic Party lost heavily, fall
ing from first to third place in the new
Diet, with only thirty-eight seats.
Logically, the new cabinet should have
been headed by an Agrarian. And since
the Agrarians and Social Democrats are
ideologically not far apart parliamentary
usage would have indicated coalition
government of those two parties, who
could have commanded an overall ma
jority But such combination was
impracticable because of Finland'S difficult
position with its gigantic Russian neighbor.
Moscow had viewed the elections with
jaundiced eye. Its favorite was, of course,
the Popular Democrats, who waged their
campaign largely on warnings of what
might happen if they were repudiated at
the polls In the previous government,
which was coalition cabinet with the
Social Democrats, the Communists had
held key cabinet posts. Despite their pop
ular demotion, the Communists demanded
that, in any new government, they be
given similar positions including the key
posts of Foreign Affairs and Interior
which latter would mean control of the
police.
Those Communist demands were turned
down by both the Agrarians and the Social
Democrats, whereupon the Communists
gave notice that big trouble might be ex-'
pected in the shape of strikes and other
disturbances. Under these threatening
circumstances, the Agrarians declined to
accept official responsibility for what might
follow, holding that the contingent crisis
could best be handled by government
representing non Communist labor. Such
government could not justly be accused
by the Communists of containing "reac-
tionary" or Fascist" elements. However,
it can be expected that the Communists
will attempt to smear the new cabinet with
the favorite Red stigma for Socialists-that
of Social Fascists:'
There can be little doubt that public
opinion as whole will be behind the new
government if the Communists present
challenge to public order. The unknown
quantity is what Moscow will do in such
an eventuality. Legally. the Firms will be
on solid ground because the treaty which
regulates the relations between Finland
and the Soviet Union at least technically
respects Finnish rights to the full manage
ment of their internal affairs. However,
hard experience has shown that Moscow
has scant regard for legal technicalities.
And this bold stand of the Firms, coming
on top of Tito's INSTRUMENTATION, must be
another blow to Soviet prestige in the
satellite countries Yet the Firms are a
stubborn people, additionally ready to
stand up for their rights at almost any
risk. 1t may therefore be that Moscow
will think twice before precipitating
quarrel with Finland which might require
full-scale intervention and all its unpleas-
ant and dubious consequences.