Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 17.djvu/325

 FINLAND 309 FINLAND

barely enough to meet one-half of the requirements retained, dating from 1772, but recast in 1780, modi- of the country, and Finland therefore is obliged to fied in 1809, and again fundamentally altered in import largely from abroad. In 1920 the butter 1906. The country, then an autonomous grand produced amounted to 10,000,000 kilog. and the duchy under the sovereignty of the Czar of Russia, cheese to 2,000,000 kilog. was considered by the inhabitants a separate state

The cultivated area of Finland covers only SJS with inalienable rights; but it was the policy of per cent of the land, divided in 1910 into 284,188 Russia to promise to respect the national institu- farms. In 1918 the Crown forests covered 12,546,290 tions of her newly acqmred territories and later, hectares, about 33 per cent of the area of the step by step, proceed in her course of centralization country. Their maintenance cost (1919) 33,250,000 ana assimilation without regard to her agreement, marks, and the income derived from them 65,690,000 That this did not immediately happen in Finland marks. In 1915 the 139 sawmilb with water-motors was due to a strong insistence upon her rights; yet and 510 steam and 317 motor mills gave occupation during the period 1899-1914 Russia's intention to to 17,661 workers. In 191^ Finland had 4389 large Russianize the county was evident, factories, employing an aggregate of 178,987 work- By the law of 15 February, 1899, all matters of ers, and yieloing an aggregate product of 1,458,107,- legislation were to be referred to the Czar of Rus- 500 marks; in 1919, 5252 factories, emplojring 99^43 sia; again in 1910 there were attempts to curtail workers, turning out a product worth 2,345,200,000 the power of the Diet; in 1912 the Russian subjects marks. The eight-hour day was instituted on 17 were |;iven the same rights as the Finns themselves, April, 1917, but previous to this the working day enabling the Russians to hold office in Finland, at private factones and works was nine and a half thus preparing the way for Russian bureaucracy; hours. In 1920 the imports amounted to 3,620,400 the Russian language was prescribed in the Finnish finnish marks,* the exports to 2,906,600 Finnish courts and public offices, and the Russian courts marks. The pnncipal imports are cereals and other |^iven jurisdiction over political offenses committed food-stuffs, textile materials, colonial products, m Finland. By this time the Finnish constitution metals, machinery, and minerals; the chief exports, was virtually annulled and the Diet little better timber and paper products, which constituted in than a figurehead.

1919 more than 88 per cent of the tc^l. The when the Russian revolution broke out the Diet closing of the Russian markets have had a detn- decided on 9 November, 1916, to declare that as mental influence on dairy exports. the Provisional Russian Government no longer

The Finnish railways have always been built existed, the Diet entrusted the government to a and owned by the State. On 31 December, 1920, committee of three persons, including a banker, there were 2685 miles of railway, all but 186 miles magistrate, and privy councillor. It was considered belonging to the State. There are also 19,000 miles a free and independent state in a Russian federa- of main roads and 1250 miles of secondary roads, tion, but at the fall of Kerensky's Government, it The total revenue from the State railways m 1919 declared itself a republic (9 December, 1917). Its was about $19,146,500; the total expenditures were independence was recognized by Russia, Sweden, $13,770,000. The canals are also of mat importance Norway, France, Spain. Denmark, and Germany, as means of communication m Finland, the fore- with the understanding that an arrangement be most being the Saima Canal, which has 28 sluices reached between Finland and Russia in regard to and 18 38 miles in length. This canal con- a formal separation. On 9 January, 1918, the Rus- necta the extensive Saima Lake systei.. with the gian central executive committee of the Soviets., sea. Finland's debts are comparatively small, acting in behalf of the Russian Provisional Govern- amountmg to less than 2,000,000,000 marks ($100,- ment, unanimously recognized the republic as free 000,000 at the rate of 20 marks to the dollar). The and independent. Meanwhile, the Red Guards Mtional debts on31 May, mi, amounted to 1312,- (Bolsheviki) and White Guards (pro-German) 911,411 marks ($90,645,571 at the rate of 20 marks yf^^e arrayed against each other and civil war broke to the dollar). out. It ended in the triumph of the latter and

Government. — According to the Finnish Consti- the signing of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty between tution, ratified at Helsingfors on 21 June, 1919, the Germany and the Bolshevist Government on 3 legislative power is exercised by Parliament, to- March, 1918. Four days later Germany signed a ^ether with the president of the Republic, who treaty with Finland, havine invaded Finnish terri- is elected for a term of six years, and who has tory and occupied the Aland Islands which she used the right of initiative in formulating new legislation, to enable her soldiers to cross by ice to the main- also the riffht of veto. The general government land of Finland to support the White Guards. By is entrustea to a Council of State, composed of April, 1918, there were 40,000 German soldiers at the prime minister and a fixed number of other Helsingfors and a German squadron in the harbor, ministers. The judicial power is exercised by inde- The Russian ships escaped to Kronstadt. The Fin-

Sendent courts of 'ustice, chief of which are the nish Landtag in October, 1918, elected Prince Fred- upreme Court and the Highest Administrative erick Charles of Hesse, brother-in-law of the Court. The president is elected by 300 electors. German emperor, as King of Finland. Later, how- chosen by popular vote, and is limited in power ever, Finland requested Germany to withdraw her by the Council of State. The official languages troops from Finnish territory, but it was not until are Finmsh and Swedish, which can be used in the after the collapse of Germany that she was able national courts. The linguistic, religious, and to rid herself of German influence. In December minority rights of all citizens are assured; free a peaceful revolution paved the way to recognition speech and free assembly are granted under all by the United States and Great Britain, 5 May,. normal conditions. 1919. First the Bolsheviki were forced out of the

HiSTOBT. — Finland was acquired by Russia from country, then the Russian Reds. Finland claimed Sweden by the Treaties of Fredrikshamn (Septem- Petchenga, a strip of land in Russian possession, ber, 1809), which confirmed the decision of the Diet cutting off Northern Finland from Varanger Fiord of Barga a few months earlier. In 1811 territories and Finland's natural outlet on the Atlantic Ocean; taken from Sweden, which had been incorporated also the islands in the Gulf of Finland, including in Russia before 180i9, were added to the State thus Hogland, which controlled the waters leading from constituted. The Swedish constitution was, however, the Baltic to the Russian fortress of Kronstadt