Page:Lars Henning Söderhjelm - The Red Insurrection in Finland in 1918 - tr. Annie Ingebord Fausbøll (1920).djvu/124

 They did not come. It was then guessed that there was something "ideal" at the bottom, and elaborate programmes for the reform of the school teaching were published—an odd contribution to the psychology of the Red. How complete was the entanglement in the "capitalist" view of the world is pregnantly seen from an article for the consolation of the relatives of the killed. Why, it is here asked, did we mourn for a husband, a son, who died? Because the wage-earner died with him. But now that the State takes care that no one shall suffer want, now there is no reason to mourn for those that have been killed!

It was not much the revolutionary Government managed to do to build up the new community, in spite of the mass of "acts" published. Besides those stated above, an act was issued about easements in the municipal rates, several decrees concerning the regulation of food consumption, an act concerning the abolishment of all church dues, one concerning the abolishment of the old servants' law, one concerning the "interimistic arrangement of the administration of the interior," one concerning the taxing of rent, and finally acts concerning the taking over by the State of factories that had proclaimed lock-outs, and of properties whose owners had fled. These laws took no real effect. None of the White cared for them of course, and the Red awaited further developments.

Yet the leaders of the revolution came to play a decisive part in two very important social domains, those of the administration of justice and of finance, where it was now felt what the new men in power could do.

Just as Kerenski in time past showed the Russian Revolution the way to a higher humanity by abolishing capital punishment, so the Red, also, inaugurated the