Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1948-09-01


sons famous grain-clippers sets
out on its voyage to Australia, it
will not fly the traditional Finnish
flag but one closely resembling
the Swedish colors.
This is a significant indication
of how the political wind is blow
ing in the little-known Aaland
islands.
The islands political union with
Finland-as we'll as its cultural
autonomy has been guaranteed
by the League of Nations and the
United Nations since 1921.
But recently relations with Fin
land have cooled perceptibly. And
there is Russia to be considered.
Limelight Unwelcome
Of these 1854 Baltic sea islands,
only about 800 are populated, and
since they were demilitarized by
international agreement in 1921,
the Aalands have often seemed too
remote for the great powers to
touch.
The 5000 inhabitants of the cap
ital, Mariehamn, and the remain
ing $4,000 have managed to re-
main at peace on the edge of a
war-shattered continent.
1t hardly looks, however, as if
the islanders obscurity were to
last much longer. Geography and
the inhabitants individualism are
fast forcing the islands into IN
welcome limelight.
The last Finnish Parliament was
unable to agree on legislation to
increase Aaland autonomy. A re-
vised Aaland Statute is likely to be
among the first business of the
next session, which began on
Sept. %.
Wave of Nationa,ism
Meanwhile, an unprecedented
wave of naconalism has swept the
Aalands in connection with the
unwilling of statue Ton Aug. 22)
to Julius Sundblom, a former school
teacher and the preeminent champ
ion of Aaland independence.
The Russians, who have been try
ing ever since the 1914 Finno-
Soviet armistice to coax Finland
behind the Iron curtain" by vari-
cites of political and economic
pressure, have recently charged
that the Aaland islands domain
has become pawn in the great
powers strategic plans"
Actually there is no evidence
that any great power except Rus
STA now has the slightest design
on the Aalands. 1t is obviously
to the interest of all except Russia
that the demilitariZed Aaland
status should be preserved.
On the other hand it is natural
that Russia should watch Aaland
developments with concern.
Giants Causeway
The islands form sort of giant s
causeway for $50 miles between
Abo (Turku), the westerly port of
Russo-dominated Finland, and
Stockholm, which Moscow con-
stantly asserts is a potential west
ern springboard eastward
Militarily the Aalands are i'm
portant for various reasons
In another war they would pro-
vide a natural hideout for raiders
against the Soviet battle fleet and
merchant marine in the Baltic and
provide a bridge for smuggling
western agents and arms into
Finland.
The Aalands straddle the ap-
proaches through the Gulf of Fin
land to Leningrad, to the entrance
of the Stain Baltic-White Sea
canal, and to the main Soviet
naval base on Kronstadt island.
Naval Factor
They dominate the. junction of
the Gulf of Finland with the Gulf
of Bothnia, which is patrolled by
the Swedish navy and is a trans
port route for high-grade Swedish
iron ore from Lapland to the
continent.
Moreover in any war involving
a Russo-Swedish conflict the mar
row Gulf of Bothnia also might be
an invasion route for the large