Evening star., 1949-08-19
FINLAND Seizes Reds
lin Move 10 Throttle
Growing Strike Drive
BY the Assoeiotsd Press

SlVVsssS OssHNS S1'S
By the Asseeioisd Press
HELSINKI, Aug. 19.-The Fin
nish government moved swiftly
today to smash a growing Com
munist offensive as police seized
Red leaders in Kemi. scene of
yesterdays strike violence which
left one dead and nine injured.
Among those arrested was the
chairman of the Kemi City Coun-
Gil, Lahja Heikkilae. who was de-
scribed as one of the leaders of
yesterdays strike call. Another
City Council member also was re-
ported arrested.
Reliable reports said Com
munists from Southern Finland
also we're arrested at Kemi. This
would indicate that Red agitators
from Helsinki had been operating
in the town, where 1,5OO striking
lumberjacks exchanged fire yes
terday with police.
A government spokesman has
declared the strike offensive is
designed to make Finland into a
Communist state.
Strikers Call Meeting.
Meanwhile. the strikers an
nounced a new meeting tonight in
defiance of a ban by the governor
of the northern province on all
public gatherings. with heavy
fines for any violations.
A strike meeting also was called
in Helsinki today.
e Communist leaders have warned
that the strike actions will con-
tinue.
In Tyoekansan Sanomat, lead
ing Helsinki Communist news
paper, Aimo Aaltonen. Communist
member of Parliament, said:
The working class should more
firmly than before continue their
IlgnC 1Or DeCCer wages.
The Communist press headlined
their report of the Kemi clashes:
workers Blood Flows at Kemi." I"
The stories spoke about police
terror.
1t has been estimated that some
$4,000 workers are out on strike.
In some locals strike adherence is
100 per cent. but at most places
anti-Communist workers are re-
fusing to walk OUT
Premier Visits President.
Prime Minister Karl August
Fagerholm visited President Juho
Paasikivi today at the latter's
summer residence at Kultaranta.
Unto Varjonen. minister with
out portfolio. and head of a cab
met board chosen to deal with
strike threats declared the gov
ernment intends to "inf1ict a
crushing defeat on the Commu-
nists."
The plumbers began their strike
today. Employers said the walk
out was 100 per cent effective.
The strike announced by the
Forestry Workers and Loggers
Union also began today. 1t was
not expected to be complete. as
workers in several locals voted
against the walkout.
Agitation Going on for Weeks.
Interior Minister Aarre ST.
monen said the clashes at Kemi
were caused by planned attempt
to drive volunteer workers away
from their jobs. He claimed vio-
lent Communist agitation had
been going on for weeks in Kemi.
He declared the Communist
throughout Finland had started a
fight against the Central Trade
Union Federation and the govern
ment, and now had resorted to
violent measures.
Mr.. Simonen asserted the
government feels sure the ma
jority of the people stand behind
| it and the administration intends
to preserve order.
Aaltonen is considered the
leader of the strike offensive. He
returned recently from Moscow,
where he was repeatedly rebuked
for the failure of last springs
strike action.
Kemi, where violence broke out
yesterday. is in northern Finland,
on the Gulf of Bothnia. Police
and striking lumberjacks ex-
changed fire after the strikers
smashed through police lines in
an effort to attack workers who
were reporting for duty at a
timber-sorting dam.
Police used blackjacks and tear
| gas bombs in an attempt to dis
perse the milling lumberjacks.
Finally, they said, they fired
warnings into the air. The strik-
ers replied with pistol fire.
Finland's Social Democratic
government has been under Soviet
fire for some time, although Rus
sia has friendship and mutual
defense treaty with Finland. The
| SovietS also keen a base in FIN.