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Caption: War Publications - WWI Compilation 1923 - Article 20
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the islands not to desert them but to remain with rh<m and hcl| them in the struggle that is sure to comeThe program recently published by the Swedish party in Finland does not promise a wholly peaceful development in the new state. It calls for equal rights for the two languages, Swedish and Finnish, and tor equal opportunities for each in the schools of the land. It also calls tor the creation of new administrative areas in order that the reuions occupied by Swedish ^inlanders may be formed into compact territorial units. For these units an extensive autonomy is demanded and it is also suggested that the Swedish churches should be grouped into a separate diocese. The Swedes also demand what virtually amounts to a distinct organization for their part of the army and the navy. But these demands (some of them, at least) are sure to meet strenuous opposition from the Turanian Finns. The problem of the Aland Islands, though in large part a military consideration, is involved in the nationalistic conflict between Swedes and Finns. The Swedish Finlanders cannot afford to weaken their strength by surrendering the islands to Sweden. The Finns on their side are anxious to prevent the Swedish boundary from approaching the Finnish mainland. ) m The Esthonians and the Letts South of the Gulf of Finland lie the Baltie Provinces, a broad strip of coast land extending to the frontiers of Prussia. There are three provinces in this group: Fsthonia, Livonia, and Courland. Their combined area is" about 36,000 square miles, and they have a total population of approximately 3,000,000. There is scarcely any other region in Furope that offers more serious problems than this strip of coast on the east side of the Baltic. All the great states in the Baltic basin have at some time or other held possessions on the eastern shore. In the thirteenth century the greater part of the Provinces was held by the Danes. Later in the same century came the Teutonic Knights, a crusading order that was looking for a new field for their military and religious activities. Durln g the sixteenth and the seventeenth century the Swedes came into Possession of Esthonia and Livonia, while Courland (1561) was united to Poland. Ultimately the whole region was annexed to Russia. Excepting the Danes, whose occupation was for a brief period only, these conquering peoples have left deep traces on the history, the intellectual 'ife> and the civilization of these three little states. 11
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