FINLAND TO-DAY

Evening Star, Issue 23753, 7 December 1940, Page 20

FINLAND TO-DAY

TURNING TO THE EAST A now Finland, staking political and economic future on necessary bonds with Soviet Russia and Germany, is being built up to-day (writes tbo Helsingfors correspondent of the ‘ Christian Science Alonitor ’). it is a Finland that of necessity speaks now of membership in tho Baltic circle of nations and less of the prewar Scandinavian brotherhood. Virtually .shut oil from tho rest of Europe, tho country is turning to the cast to obtain trade. Lacking in extensive credits, it is compelled' largely by barter to seek goods from neighbouring nations to feed home industry. It is a Finland, moreover, embarked upon a vast programme of reconstruction and resettlement of peoples irom war-lost territories, but not yet long enough at peace with Russia to have completed the programme or to have wiped out an undercurrent of internal uneasiness. It is a Finland in which the full extent of the enforced friendship and cooperation with Soviet Russia is not yet apparent, in which the effects of_ a vastly increased trade exchange with tho Soviet and with Germany are not yet fully to be scon. FOREIGN POLICY. Prime Alinister and Acting President Risto Ryti, governor of the Bank of Finland, himself laid down the course for foreign policy in a mid-August radio speech, in which he said that “ Finland is more than ever bound to the Baltic circle,” and that “ this is the decisive factor in the budding and developing of political as well as economic relations.” Finland’s dependence upon Russia was readily seen in Finnish agreement to demilitarise the Aland Islands, Gibraltar of Bothnian Bay and close to the Russian military base at Hangoe; to the granting of train transit right across southern Finland to Hangoe; to tho return to lost territories of machinery and other goods taken away before the peace, and which Russia required in rehabilitating newly-acquired industries in these territories; and to tho establishment of Russian consulates on Aland and in the Arctic port of Petsamo. Almost isolated from former world markets by the war, and eager therefore to make tho most of those markets still available, a steady stream of Finnish business men is hastening to Aloscow.

A permanent Soviet commercial staff is established in Helsingfors to deal with contracts there. The present agreement provides for a 15,000,000d0l interchange by barter, with a contract for delivery of tugs and barges, dairy products, electric conduit wire, and machinery on the Finnish side; a substantial supply of grain from the Russians. Disappointing to the Finns was the amount of gasolene procured, about enough for two weeks’ normal consumption.

But the Russian trade arrangement with Finland is seen in a different light when it is considered that in order to meet shipments to Russia, home consumption in Finland must be cut down, with butter, for example,, being sharply rationed.

The trade agreement with Germany, always a major customer, jumps projected exchange of goods from about 10,000,000d0l to 100,000,000d01. Germany also will receive dairy products, along with wood pulp and cellulose; Finland will get machinery, coal, iron, and steel.

Two other sources of trade now open to Finland are Sweden, as one of the Baltic family, and from which industrial machinery and perhaps iron may be procured, through a “clearing arrangement ” which approximates barter; and the Americas via Petsamo port. Tho Petsamo port is small, however, and is shared with Sweden and Germany to varying degree. The intensity of tho spreading blockade contest between Germany and England, moreover, threatens to lessen the usability of the port. Heavily-laden trucks, nevertheless, aro pushing southward night and day at two-minute intervals from the port over different roads to the Kcrni railway, 400 miles ' distant. They are bringing necessities which can be obtained only from the west; Finland is financially too hard pressed to grant import 1 license for mere comforts. CULTURAL RELATIONS. Political and economic ties with Russia are likely to foster cultural relations with the Soviet republics, whether they are acceptable to the Finns or not. Germany is also part of the picture in non-political exchange in the field of sports, especially football. Finland, with about 400,000 .Swedishspeaking people among the population of 3,500,000, continues close ties with the Swedish nation, ties in business, art, music, sports, and science. More than 200,000 of the population of 450,000 from evacuated areas are still “on relief.” Homes are still to be built iu tho border areas—wartime buttle areas—from some of which there may have to be a winter-time evacuation.

About 10 per cent, of the arable land of Finland was lost by the peace, and new fai’ms are being carved out of swamps and cleared forests. Twenty thousands industrial workers must be allotted new jobs in new industries. A “ rapid colonisation Act ” for the allotment of farms and homes, a compensation Bill for paying those who lost their properties in the war, and a capital tax measure now are taws to facilitate the reconstruction. DAILY LIFE MUCH THE SAME. Tho great masses of the people of Finland. despite their individual troubles of rising living costs, a lack of luxuries, and the prospect of a difficult winter, are going quietly about their daily life. Streets of the capital are filled every night at 7 and 0 o’clock by crowds pushing into theatres to see American, Gorman, Finnish, and Swedish films. The American films especially are old, bub the movies are one source of cheap entertainment—lo to 30 cents.

Tho sidewalk coffee cafes, the outdoor restaurants, the after-theatre cafes are filled by those who can afford them.

Far fewer soldiers in uniform are to bo seen on the street than during the months just after peace. Because of the shortage of gasolene, few automobiles ami taxis are in use.

There is, however, one section of the people for which the reconstruction programme makes no specific provision beyond efforts to control prices of necessities. These are the Finns who lost neither jobs nor property in the war, but whose income (40do] to 80dol a month) has not kept pace with the living costs. 1