THE FINN AND THE COSSACK.

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 3337, 5 September 1917, Page 2

THE FINN AND THE COSSACK.

Is these two elements Russia has a possible enemy at its gate and a starnch friend within. Just. how strong each is for weal or woe remains to be seen. It is no secret now that during the war many young Finns crossed the frontier into Germany, where hundreds of the pick of them were trained as officers in preparation for what the Kaiser fondly hoped was to be Der Tag in Finland. Thousands of the Finns, consequently, were secretly equipped for a military rising and sent back home each with two pairs of boots, a. winter coat, a gun and ammunition. But it was part of their bargain that with Germany was the initiative. The latter was to throw artillery across the Gulf of Finland before the Finns would make their' move. Hence the great irrportance of the Riga front at this political and military crisis at the top of Russia. The opportunity of the Finns arose last week, when the Provisional Government outlawed the Finnish Parliament because the latter would not acknowledge the authority of Petrograd. Contrary to all expectations, the Finnish deputies submitted to the strong hand. This might b t significant enough to mean that, when it came to the pinch, the Finns would rather submit to the authority of the Russia democracy than to the autocracy of Germany; or it may mean that the latter could not carry out its plans to dominate the Gulf. Sweden has been intriguing for a separate republic for Finland, but the Swedes now know that the mana of the Kaiser has gone, and will therefore have to observe the way of neutrality strictly. Despite the political jealousy of Sweden, Russ and Finn must become brothers, because of their geographical affinity. Whilst the Finn may ardently desire separation, he can no more sever himself from Russia than Ireland can be separated from Britain. Keen loyalty at this time to the Provisional Government would just as surely give Finland the reward of Home Rule as whole-hearted loyalty on the part of Southern Ireland would give the latter the desire of its heart. The Cossack of the Don, on the other hand, knows what he wants—and gets it. He has been a fighter for his own hand down through the ages, and at the present junction is apt to dominate the flacid Ivan if the latter does not wake up and share in the great task of freeing Russia from Russia's greatest enemy—the apathy, ignorance, and indifference of Ivan in the mass. It needs a tragedy to shake and wake him up—and pressure on Petrograd would purify and purge t'i3 pest of his pusilanimity.