FIGHT TO BE FREE

Grey River Argus, 15 February 1940, Page 9

FIGHT TO BE FREE

Storv of the Finn AN enlightened people. “Land of a thousand lakes” and country of vast forests, Finland has not until now obtruded much on the attention of the rest of Europe. Since its creation as an independent State after the Great War it has been content to live quietly, develop its resources, and to make itself worthy of a place in ths comity of nations. This it has done, and if social, education and economic progress be

the test no nation deserves more to continue as an independent unit. Old in his tory, it like other small States in Europe, has had a chequered story, and its achievement of independence after the last war was not gained without strife and the resultant difficulties requiring to be selved.

Perhaps because of its isolated go igraphical position, Finland has been to a marked degree successful in solving those problems. Until the present she has not been a catspaw for the ambitions of stronger Powers. She has been fore favoured for instance, than the Balkans. Though three years ago it was necessary to pass an Act suppressing the activities of the Patriotic Popular Movement, so-called, an organisation with subversiv eambitions, it is true to say that generally speaking, Finland has lived up to her century-old ideals of freedom. In- the civil war of 1918 between the Bolshevists and the “Whites” the Socialists showed themselves in sympathy with the Bolshevists. Proscription of the party followed, but in 1919 they were allowed to contest the election, and in 1921 a general amnesty for political prisoners was proclaimed. It is true that to this there were many exceptions, but in 1927 civil rights were restored to the last rebels. This is a reflection of the national sentiment.

It is also typical of Finland that there should be universal suffrage This, of course, concedes the right of voting to women, who are also eligible for election to Parliament. In these broad respects, the social history- of Finland is similar to that of New Zealand which, by the Act of 1893, was the first country in the world to grant suffrage to women. Finland has an eight-hour day, and though financial considerations have limited the scope of actual legislation for social insurance, workmen's compensation for accidents has been put on a more comprehensive basis by Act in 1917 and 1935.

In education, too, Finland has done much. It is both cheap and thorough., and primary education has been compulsory since 1911. There are three universities, the’ oldest of which was founded in 1640. Situated at Helsingfors, it has a teaching body of 272 professors and nearly' 3000 students, of whom nearly 1000 are women. The Finns as a group under this name came into history in the eighth century. Their repeated raids on the Scandinavian coast caused the Swed ish king, Eric IX, to conquer the counrty in 1157 and thus brought, it into contact with civilisation. The Swedes maintained their dominati m over the country for some 500 years, but they gave the Finns the sa ie civil rights as belonged to themselves. The great Gustavus monarchs in history, established the Diet (Parliament) of Finland at the . beginning of the seventeenth century. The Russiar Enter the Scene.

But 10 years later the Russians entered the scene, and they held the stage for 208 years. Peter the Great wrested Finland from S"weden in 1716. Between then and 1809 many wars occurred between Russia and , Sweden, with Finland suffering in them all. In 1809, however, the whole of Finland and the Aaland Islands were ceded to Russia, and from that control Finland did not emerge until after the war. She did not enter Russia as a conquered province. The Czar Alexander I, granted her a free constitution and fundamental laws, and she became a semi-independent grand duchy with the Czar as grand duke. Nicholas II put an end to that liberty and tried to Russianise Finland. A law practically fused the Finnish and Russian forces while the Russian tongue was foisted on the country wherever possible. To the Russian system of spies, illegal arrests, banishments, and the suppression of newspapers, the Finns opposed a dogged passive resistance, which culminated in the famous “national strike” of November, 1905.

Already shaken by events in the East, where she was fighting a losing battle with J'apan.