The Taranaki Herald. DAILY EVENING WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1918. FINLAND’S REVOLUTION.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16049, 6 February 1918, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. DAILY EVENING WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1918. FINLAND’S REVOLUTION.

The cables about Finland have not made it clear what is happening there, except that the country is in a seething turmoil of revolt. The Finnish people, of course, desire self-government. They want to set up an independent republic. But their troubles date from long before the war, and tbe war bas not relieved them in any degree, rather it has made them worse by adding Starvation to political troubles. They are split among themselves by a class conflict and they have no protectors among the warring Powers. The old Russia, under the Czardom, oppressed Finland, and although the new Russia, the revolutionary Russia, adopted a fair attitude, the Finns were not satisfied with Prince Lvolf’s ofand jeisisted ift demanding

further concessions as each one

was granted. A writer in the New York Evening Post, Mr. Robert Crozier Long, throws some light on recent events. In a manifesto dated March 20, 1917, Prince Lvoff restored in its fulness the Finnish constitution and declared null and void all the unconstitutional laws and administrative decrees of the Czars Alexander and Nicholas. The first Bill widening Finland’s 'constitution under this manifesto was prepared jointly by Russia and a Finnish delegation/ This enlarged Finland’s independence by transferring to the Cabinet the right of sanctioning all Finnish laws except such as concerned Russia’s interests. Under the old constitution the Czar and Grand Duke had final right to sanction or veto all Bills. In >he new Bill the Petrograd Provisional Government, which claimed to have succeeded to the prerogatives in Fin-land-nf the former Grand Dukes, retained power to appoint the Governor-General and to nominate the Senate, with the important concession that henceforth the Senate should consist of persons enjoying the Eandtdag’s confidence. This concession established Parliamentary Government, but Russia retained the former monarch’s right to convoke and dissolve the Lnndtdag. These concessions were considerable, but the growing anarchy in Russia and growing weakness of Petrograd encouraged a separation movement in Finland,'and an Independent League was formed. An amended Bill prepared abolishing Russian power in Finland and establishing complete independence in everything except foreign and defence affairs. This Bill was passed before Russia knew of its existence, but it provoked threats of force in Russia. A conflict ensued in which Russia gained the first round ,and the vital question was whether thh local garrison would support Finland. The garrison consisted of, Bolsheviki and, was inclined to back Finland, but the Governor gained their temporary support and Kerensky was able to dissolve the Finnish Parliament and decree new elections. Later, following"Eorniloff’s revolt, the garrison withdrew its support of the Provisional Government. Taking advantage of the confusion the Socialists established a reign of terror and the independence issue became subordinate to the class issue, just ai in Russia the war issue became subordinate to the class issue. As a result, Finland, instead of providing for its future relations with Russia and its position in international law, is wasting its strength in homo feuds and compromising its old reputation for moderation and good sense. And in the meantime it. has no friends. Germany ..would seize it if such a course suited German plans; Russia does not want to lose- control entirely; while the Allies have not only no particular object in supporting an independent Finland just nori, but they have more pressing business to attend to. In the meantime something like civil war is rending the country.