NORTHERN PATRIOT

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 113, 6 February 1937, Page 18

NORTHERN PATRIOT

Birthday a National Fete “FATHER OF THE FINNS” Elaborate arrangements were made to celebrate recently as a national fete the seventy-fifth birthday of Dr. Pehr Evind Svinhufvud, “dear old Pekka,” President of Finland, and acclaimed by all true Finns as father of his people, says ‘‘The Times,” London. The President is descended from one of Charles XII of Sweden's warriors. His mother belonged to an old Livonian family; his father was a sea captain; and his own life is the history of his country’s successful struggle for independence. In old days he was one of the most vigorous enemies of the Imperial Russian Government in its efforts to annihilate the Finnish Constitution. More than once he was deposed from his posts for refusing to obey decrees, and in the autumn of 1914 was exiled to Siberia. He did not lose heart. “With the help of God and Hindenburg I shall return home,” he said, and his prophecy was fulfilled. The events of the War brought about tlie Russian revolution, and in March. 1917, he and his wife were permitted to come back to their country; their return was a triumphal progress and signalized a new era for both Russia and Finland. Threat From Russia. Finland was at that time faced with the tremendous task of disentangling herself from the chaos threatening Russia, of restoring legal order, getting rid of the Russian soldiery, and organizing the work for her political inde pendence in the turmoil of the Great War. The problems were tackled with intense determination. A few days after his return Dr. Svinhufvud entered the Government, for many years the first to consist of Finnish patriots, and some months later became Prime Minister. In this capacity he proposed to the Diet tliat Finland should proclaim herself a republic, and two days later, on December 6, 1917, the proposal was accepted and the declaration framed by his own pen. Great dangers remained to be faced. Bolshevist propaganda among the Russian soldiery and the masses of Finnish workers led to the Red Insurrection of January, 1918, which for several months divided Finland into two hostile camps, the Reds holding the southern half and the Whites, under General (now FieldMarshal) Mannerheim, the northern half of the country. Dr. Svinhufvud, who had refused to leave Helsingfors until the last moment, was obliged to hide from the Reds, but escaped on an ice-breaker, and by way of Estonia and Latvia reached Berlin, There he established contacts with the German Government and War Lords and approved of the. measures previously taken to organize Finno-German co-operation. On May 15, the Red Rebellion crushed, he thanked Germany for her help, saying “Great Britain, Belgium, Italy, and the United States had not recognised Finland’s independence, as obviously they were doubtful of a nation which had appealed to their enemy, Germany, for help and accepted German troops within its boundaries. And yet, what other Power would have helped Finland to establish her independence and prevent the country from being destroyed by Bolshevism?” Three days later he was appointed Regent of Finland, and during his tenure of supreme power Finnish ties with Germany were strengthened by the election of a German prince to the pew-ly-establishod Finnish Throne. Public opinion in Finland still firmly believed in the ultimate victory of Germany. The collapse of the Central Powers forced it to revise its policy. Dr. Svinhufvud resigned the Regency, during which he, in the words of the Speaker, “had done unselfish work for the liberation of the people,” and Field-Marshal Mannerheim succeeded him. For over a decade Dr. Svinhufvud enjoyed his well-earned otium cum dignitate, chiefly occupying himself with farming. The Worn-out Cart. In the summer of 1930 he was invited by President Relander to form the new Cabinet and the following year was elected President of the Republic. His main task as Prime Minister was to frame anti-Communist legislation to tackle and check the Lapua Movement. “I suppose,” he said then, “the worn-out old cart has to be taken out of the shed when the roads are getting bad.” He did not seek office. In March, 1932, he suppressed the abortive rebellion in Mantsala, chiefly by means of a forceful wireless message in which he successfully requested the forces to disperse. Later the movement was declared illegal. His term, which is now drawing to a close, has in more than one respect borne the imprint of his personalty and political conceptions, and his old-established authority has survived the trials of recent days as it did those of past years. Formally he belongs to the Finnish Conservative Party, but he has many supporters in other camps. For tlie Presidential election in February he has been asked to accept candidacy by a voters’ union representing citizens who want him to stand on a non-party platform, and he has accepted the offer.