HELSINKI TIMES
March 15th 1907
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CULTURAL SECTION
Finnish Culture Day held in Helsinki
As part of president Ståhlbergs national unification program, a great exhibition of Finnish culture was displayed in Helsinki. The greatest paintings from such artists as Isto and the greatest symphonies from such composers as Jean Sibelius were displayed. In this article, well take a look at some of the pieces of art displayed in the exhibition which has greatly brought the politically diverse Finns together by reminding them of the days when all Finns fought against Russians in unity.
Political art
The Attack from 1896. Painted by Isto, the Attack is a political picture from the times when czar Nikolai II got all Finns hating him by dissolving the Finnish Parliament for good and ending the autonomious position that Finland had had under the Russian Empire. In the picture the two-headed eagle of Russia is ripping off the book of law from the hands of Maid of Finland.
Finlandia was composed by Jean Sibelius (pictured above) who was the main constructor of the exhibition together with president Ståhlberg. The Finlandia-hymn was created in 1897 after Finland gained its independence and has been the national hymn of Finland since 1900.
Kalevala
Kalevala is a collection of poems and songs and they tell us about the ancient Finnish and Karelian mythology. The book Kalevala was created by Elias Lönnrot (1802-84, pictured above) who travelled all around eastern Finland and Karelia, writing down these songs that some of the older people could still remember. At first the Kalevala book was used as a show-off to Fenno-Swedes who didnt believe that any true culture could be created with the Finnish language and by the Finnish people, but later it was used as a national symbol to unify the nation against Russian opression.
Akseli Gallen-Gallela, perhaps the most famous Finnish painter of all times, drew some pictures based on Kalevala. Some of those picutres could be seen in the exhibition. This one is from the story of Lemminkäinen according to Kalevala, he loved the Maid of the North so much that he would be willing to go down to the underworld to find the Holy Swamp which he would have to kill in order to get to marry the maid. He failed in his mission and died but his mother loved Lemminkäinen so much that she came down to the underworld and managed to bring him back to life with her love.
The stealing of Samp. Another picture by Gallen-Gallela. Blacksmith Ilmarinen managed to create a magical device called sampo that would pour out gold, wheat and other expensive stuff whenever someone pulled a lever. It was created with the help of Väinämöinen, the wise old man of Finnish mythology (seen here with a sword in his hands). This Sampo was stolen by the ***** of the North, but Väinämöinen and Ilmarinen followed her and stole it back. The ***** then followed their boat and attacked it which is seen in this picture. As a result of the fight, Sampo got drowned, but according to the Finnish mythology, it will one day be found again..
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POLITICAL SECTION
Parliamentary Elections held in Finland in March, 1907
4 years after the democratic uprising, started by Väinö Tanner and his social-democratic underground group, the term of the first sovereign Finnish parliament has come to an end. In the elections, both the social-democrats and the far-rightist conservative parties lost seats and fascists were completely dropped out of the parliament. Meanwhile central-liberal parties, especially Progressive Party with Prime Minister Kaarlo Castrens lead, are on the rise. Agrarian League did also well with the lead of former prime minister Santeri Alkio, doubling their seat numbers from 7 to 14. The only liberal party that lost seats was the Karelian Alliance, whose voters are starting to believe that Social-Democrats and especially the Agrarian League can drive their agenda better. A rather surprising name in the parliament was Pauli Vakkapuli of the Conservatives, formerly known as king Pauli I of Finland.
Final results of the elections:
Party seat numbers:
Social-Democrat Party (leftist, socialist, partly communist) 83
Conservative Party (rightist, conservative) 48
Progressive Party (central-rightist, liberal) 42
Agrarian League (central-leftist, liberal) 14
Swedish Peoples Party (rightist, half-conservative) 10
Karelian Alliance (central-leftist, liberal) 3
ALLTOGETHER: 200
All parties represented in the new war-time government
President Ståhlberg decided to give the job of setting up a new government to prime minister Kaarlo Castren of the Progressive Party for the second time in a row. Castren decided to help Ståhlbergs unification campaign by creating a war-time government with all parties represented in it. His plan worked, as all parties believed in the same agenda supporting the president in his job of unifying the country and winning the ongoing war.
VOTING FOR SUPPORT FOR CASTRENS II GOVERNMENT:
YAY 177
NAY 23
Despite having all parties represented, there were still some communists in the parliament who refused to accept the new agenda of the nation. Nevertheless, 177 votes is far above from the needed 101, so Castrens II government will start their job immediately.
Finland joins EPAN with presidents decision
The Economic Prosperity for All Nations program, invented by greatest economical minds of Madagaskar, immeidately got the support of Finlands economically pro-liberal president after Finland got invited into the program. National prosperity should be an agenda to all parties, said president Ståhlberg, and receiving the help of other nations can never hurt us when trying to achieve that goal. Ståhlberg didnt bother to ask the opinion of parliament when agreeing to Madagaskars proposal. I dont see the need for that, he said. It says clearly in the Finnish constitution that the president, and not the parliament, is in charge of the foreign policy. People knew that I was economically liberal when they voted me for this office, and if they dont like my actions, they can vote for a communist or a fascist in 2010 when the next elections will be held. Its their choice.