File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎318v] (284/1080)

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APPENDIX III.
!' “ Izvestia ”, 'published at Tashkent, December 10th, 1921.
The danger of War.
Since the time of the Russian Revolution Finland has pursued a
shameful role in regard to her relations with Soviet Russia.,
There are two forces struggling for mastery in the Government circles
of this tiny Northern Republic. It is difficult to establish enquilibrium there
From the time of the October Revolution we see how Finland oscillates first
to one side and then to that, never knowing her own mind..
We were the first openly and magnanimously to acknowledge the in
dependence of Finland. When we again conducted negotiations with Soviet
Finland at Smolno we made her great political and economic concessions
sacrificing as much as we possibly could for the sake of her exhausted re
sources. Thanks to the intrigues of the Finnish bourgeoisie German troops
occupied the country and for their maintenance that bourgeoisie or
ganized a bath of blood for its own workmen, reminding one of all the hor
rors of the French Commune.
From that time Finland began to be the haunt of Russian counter
revolutionaries with General Yudenich at their head. The stolid Finnish
bourgeoisie, spurning the Russian Revolution, was ready to risk its national
freedom, which was threatened from the direction of White Russia, merely
for the purpose of protecting her Capitalists. It concluded a treaty with
Yudenich for a simultaneous advance on Petrograd. The refusal of Kolchak,
to recognise the independence of Finland, combined with our sagacious
national policy which proved clearly that Russia in no way attempted to
disturb the inviolability of Finland, assisted the more moderate elements
in the bourgeoisie to gain the upper hand and to commence an orientation
in the direction of Soviet Russia.,
The matter led to the conclusion of a peace treaty.
At this very moment we are faced with a new and serious conflict
with Finland who has actually already passed to warlike activity on our
frontier and within the limits of Korelia. Bands are openly organized in
Finland and invade our territory. We have repeatedly warned the Fin
nish Piet in the matter of these abhorrent incursions but it pays no at
tention. The resultant note of Chicherin possessed in more ways than
one the nature of an ultimatum. We cannot go on allowing the White-
guards to do what they like. Russia is strong enough to defend herself.
The autonomy of Korelia was created not long before the conclusion of
the peace treaty with Finland. At that time there were considerable
disputes regarding the former country but by the entreaty of its people it
remained within our Confederation. They are backward but industrious
and at the time of the autocracy much persecuted. In the course of many
years they have completely broken away from Finland with which, however,
they have something in common. Lately, and particularly after the
brutalities of the Finnish bourgeoisie, so much do the Korelians avoid the
Finns that to take a Korelian for a Finn is to insult him, making it incum
bent to apologise for the mistake.
Among the Korelians there is an inconsiderable bourgeoisie—traders in
forest products who, for the sake of gain and in order shamefully to be
able to exploit their fellow countrymen, veer towards Finland because they
wish to profit by the protection and help of the Finnish bourgeoisie. This
inconsiderable Korelian bourgeoisie serves as a screen for the acquisitory
aims of the Finnish White Government and hides itself, as it were, un
der the principle of National Home Rule.
The conflict has already assumed a very serious nature. Finland has
turned to the League of Nations (in reality the League for Strangling Weak
Nations) in order to induce it to interfere in this matter for the protection of