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THE
AMERICANIZATION
OF THE FINNS
THE
AMERICANIZATION
OF THE FINNS
BY
JOHN WARGELIN, A.M.,
PRESIDENT OF SUOMI COLLEGE AND THEOLOGICAL
SEMINARY
HANCOCK, MICH. 1924
THE FINNISH LUTHERAN BOOK CONCERN.

•
朧
​酷
​AG
I
1
To
MY MOTHER
whose love and labors have been indispensable
in the writer's past life,
this volume is
LOVINGLY DEDICATED
DEAN GIFT WHITNEY
OF
A. S. A
;
PREFACE.
The following chapters were written in the belief
that there is a need for interpretation of the char-
acter and the life of the Finnish people in America.
An attempt has been made here to see the facts from
the inside with the eyes of one who can say that
"even I was there".
The main part was originally written as a thesis
in a course in Sociology at the University of Mich-
igan. This was kept as a nucleus around which I
have gathered additional material and added further
chapters. Prof. C. H. Cooley, in whose course the
thesis was presented, commented on it with the
following words:
"You have written nothing less than a treatise on
the American Finns. It seems to me careful and
sympathetic, and has an element of originality due
to the extent of your personal knowledge".
Much more could have been written and, per-
haps, would have been desirable to an interested
reader, but the writing of such a work would take
more time than we had at our disposal, and, further,
there was no evidence that such a work would be
received in a way that would assure the necessary
8
expense of the publication of a more comprehensive
book at this time.
I have given considerable publicity to the thoughts
of the writers who have entered into the study of
this question in a sympathetic and intelligent way.
It is to be hoped that others will follow them in a
similar undertaking.
My thanks are due to the Rev. H. D. Whitteker,
A. B., B. D., and to Miss Alma Burman, A. B., my
colleagues on the faculty of Suomi College, who
kindly read and criticised all of the manuscript.
May this volume furnish such stimulus to those
who come in contact with the immigrants, and par-
ticularly the Finns, as will be helpful in more intel-
ligently understanding them and helping them to
become better Americans.
Suomi College, Hancock, Mich.
December, 1923.
THE AUTHOR.
Chapter
I. Introduction. Meaning of American-
ization Discussed.
Chapter II.--Historical Background of the Finn-
ish Race.
CONTENTS:
Chapter III.-Causes of Immigration from Fin-
land.
Chapter IV.-Finnish Immigration to America.
Chapter V.-Distribution and Occupations of the
Finns.
Chapter VI.—Cultural Life of the Finns.
a) School.
Chapter VII.—Cultural Life of the Finns-cont'd.
b) Press.
Chapter VIII.-Cultural Life of the Finns — cont'd.
c) Church.
Chapter IX.-Cultural Life of the Finns-cont'd.
d) Societies.
X.-Naturalization and Political Life.
Chapter
Conclusion.
THE AMERICANIZATION OF
THE FINNS.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION. -- MEANING OF AMERICAN-
IZATION DISCUSSED.
7
In undertaking a study of the Americanization of
a race we are naturally confronted with the question:
What is Americanization? How can it be accomplish-
ed, and what are its standards of judgment?
The question of Americanization is a live question.
Over a million immigrants came to make their home
among us each year before the World War. The per-
centage of foreign born has been steadily gaining
in our midst. It has been estimated that about 30,-
000,000 immigrants have landed on our shores since
1820. We can not imagine the size of this vast army,
but in the way of comparison we may say that never
in the history of the world has such a number of
people moved out of any country, or to any country
during the same length of time. And not only is
this true, but a further fact in connection with this
problem is, that the immigrant classes increase
much more rapidly than the native stock. A
12
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
question naturally arises: how are we going to deal
with this large class of polyglot and heterogeneous
material so that we can retain our national char-
acteristics and democratic ideals? In other words,
how can we make them an organic part of our life so
that a spirit of unity and good-will will reign among
us? These questions are of vital interest to all
Americans and on their happy solution depends, to a
great extent, the future of America and its dem-
ocratic institutions. It is our purpose to study
this problem and thus aid in the proper under-
standing of it as far as it concerns the Finns. In
order to do this it will be necessary to study Finnish
immigration and the life of the Finns in America
at some length. This is also desirable for the reason
that the Finnish immigration question has received
very little notice in a more definite way from
American authors.
The problem of immigration has been discussed
by a host of writers within the last few years.
Americanism has been defined and new programs
for carrying on this work have been suggested.
From the American point of view we must agree
that we have not been able to get such results in our
work of educating the foreign born among us as
would be desirable. The foreigners seem to cling to
their traditions, language, and loyalty to their native
countries with a determined obstinacy. Many
INTRODUCTION
13
have the notion that they should always love and re-
spect their native country first of all. This of course,
is wrong. If they are going to live in America,
America must come first; otherwise they might as
well move out of America as soon as possible. But
from the side of the immigrants, it must be said
that they have been generally misunderstood and
misrepresented. It is so easy to exaggerate the
meaning of the police reports and other spectacular
things published about immigrants. Very few take
it upon themselves to try to study the life of the im-
migrant more thoroughly so that such sensational
things could be understood in their real light.
S
We are to state at the start that the Finns have
often been represented in a very one-sided and
biased way. When, for example, the Copper Country
Strike took place a few years ago, in which Finns
played a prominent part because of the large number
employed in the mines there, a certain writer
published an article in The Outlook in which he in-
terpreted Finnish Americans and their activities in
a false light. He stated that the labor temple, said
to be found in every Finnish community, served the
purpose of a club, church, and general social
institution. But he said nothing of their churches,
schools and other institutions which have no con-
nection with the labor temple. He had not troubled
himself with getting real facts concerning their
14
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
educational, religious and political life. This is only
one illustration, but it is an exmaple of many other
similar cases.
In undertaking to speak about Americanization,
the question suggests itself to us as not being con-
cerned with the naturalization and Americanization
of the foreigner only, but just as much with the
Americanization of the native born among us. Are
we always treating the immigrant justly? Are we
trying to gain his goodwill? Are we setting a worthy
example of Americanism through obedience to
law, fair play and social righteousness? If not, we
are then breeding sham, conceit, and superficiality
in the minds of our newcomers. We can not expect
ideal Americanism in the lives of the immigrants if
we ourselves have set them a poor example.
But what does Americanism mean? The best de-
finition of Americanism, in our judgment, was
given by Abraham Lincoln in that short classic,
known as the Gettysburg Address. It is there de-
fined as meaning: "A government of the people, by
the people, and for the people". These words of our
martyred president should be applied not only to
the state, but to the institutions of our country as
well. Applied to the home, it would mean equality
of husband and wife, and the right of every
American child to receive education and training
for his future life as a citizen of the state. It would
INTRODUCTION
15
mean in the church the voice of the laity in matters
of church polity and discipline together with that of
the clergy. In industry it would mean co-operation
of the employer with the employee for the benefit
of both. And that would further mean that even
the immigrant among us would have the right to
self-expression, appreciation of his personality by
others, and a sense of security against poverty,
sickness and old age.
Theodore Roosevelt, that typical American whom
we all respected, whether we liked him or not, de-
fines Americanism in his characteristic, popular
way. "We are a new and distinct nationality. Our
nation was founded to perpetuate democratic prin-
ciples. These are: that each man be treated on his
worth as a man without regard to the land from
which his forefathers came, and without regard to
the creed which he professes". He goes on to say
further that it is of the utmost importance to secure
for every man the right to hold and to express the
religious views that best meet his own soul's needs.
And any political move directed against a body of
our fellow-citizens because of their religious creed,
is a grave offence against American principles and
American institutions. Americanism, according to
his interpretation, is more a thing of the spirit and
the soul, than of external modes and habits of life.
And in order to show that this was not forgetting
16
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
America, he adds, "But their allegiance must be
purely in the United States; there is no room for
hyphenated Americanism".1)
In a loose sense Americanism is taken by some to
mean the process of changing the immigrant into an
American. Generally it is taken for granted that
the immigrant stands on a lower plane mentally,
morally and spiritually than the native American,-
this assumption being based on his inability to speak
our language and to follow our customs. The danger
in such a narrow view of Americanism can be
readily seen. If we interpret Americanism to the
newcomer in such a shallow way, it is no wonder
that the immigrant gains an impression that we are
superficial and that our chief interest is in the
material values in life. A better impression could
be made on him by showing that we love civil and
social and industrial righteousness. This phase of
the question of Americanism must be given careful
consideration in working out programs on American-
ization work.
Others, again, think that Americanization is
primarily concerned with the assimilation by the
foreign born among us of our customs of dress,
speech, and habits of life. This we take to be the
most popular view of Americanization. It is true,
1) Immigration and Americanism, Davis, p. 645.
INTRODUCTION
17
for good or for ill, that we have no racial unity. We
are the most heterogeneous nation in the world.
On the surface it would appear as if this were a
source of great weakness. We may assert at once
that we believe in the natural assimilation of the
immigrants in our midst with the Americans. But
history has proved that an assimilation between
two races has generally been one of mutual exchange
of characteristics and ideals, and the process is
rather slow.
By assimilation we mean both a process of in-
dividual training, and blending of civilizations. If
the latter, it is a question whether an assimilation in
an absolute sense would always be justifiable. The
process is psychic or spiritual, and depends largely
on personal training as well as on social conditions.
In the case of the Finn there do not exist very
radical differences between the social environment
and the cultural status of the old country and those
of America. For this reason his assimilation takes
place within a reasonable length of time; but he
would resent the imposing of any customs or habits
the meaning of which had not been explained to
him. In our opinion, wise persuasion and education
hasten the assimilation of the immigrant into Ameri-
can life, but compulsion and legislation in this re-
spect create a feeling for violating the democratic
principles of our country.
2
}
18
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
The term amalgamation is often used synony-
mously with assimilation. Amalgamation, however,
is a process of blending of races. It means that
mixture of blood which unites races in a common
stock. It is therefore biological in distinction from
assimilation, which is psychical. Amalgamation is
a work of centuries. The American race has not
been born yet. No one can say positively what it
will look like, or what characteristics will belong to
it. But it is our duty as Americans of the present
generation to help it to a noble and ideal birth.
There are great differences between the moral
customs of the races coming to us and our own, and
it is not proper to expect that we should assimilate
all these new ideals into our life. The guiding
principle here should be to adopt those traits from
our immigrants that have moral, or spiritual, or
educational, or political value. It can be said with-
out equivocation that American life has been en-
riched by the ideals and contributions of foreign
life. Our poetry has been influenced by European
works. In this connection we might point out that
Longfellow received the inspiration for his "Hia-
watha" from the Finnish national epic, "Kalevala".
He not only adopted the simple meter which he
found in the "Kalevala" but there are other marked
resemblances in his work. In stating this, we do no
injustice to the memory of Longfellow, for he him-
INTRODUCTION
19
self acknowledged his indebtedness to the "Kaleva-
la". We may further suggest that our art, education,
inventions, and science owe a great deal of their
accomplishments to foreign contributions in our
midst. We wonder whether this aspect of our im-
migration problem presents itself to our conscious-
ness with sufficient force. In a book, entitled, "Old
World Traits Transplanted", by Park-Miller, this
phase of the immigration question is presented in
a very interesting way.
In this connection it may be proper to point out
that the arrival of an immigrant to our shores need
not be looked upon as a liability but rather as an
asset to American life as a whole. The potential
value of an immigrant has been estimated to be at
least one thousand dollars per person.¹) The im-
migrant has dug our canals, built our railroads
through uninhabited regions, he has mined our ores
and coal, dug our sewers, and built our tunnels and
subways at the risk of his life for a comparatively
small remuneration. And in doing this he has often
met with untimely death. Who is able to estimate
the number of lives that have been sacrificed to
make possible the many conveniences of our modern
life? The immigrant has certainly paid dearly for his
right to live in America. We are tempted to say
1) O. H. Kilpi, The Immigration and Economy of Finland in
the 19th Century, Finnish; and other authorities.
20
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
that it has been a struggle for existence, and that
only the fittest have survived.
In delivering the memorial address in memory of
Abraham Lincoln in the Congress of the United
States, George Bancroft expressed our indebtedness
to other nations in a very fitting way. He said that
in forming our democratic system of government
we searched through the storehouse of political
wisdom; we washed the grains of gold from the
sands of empires that had once been; we dug
treasures of political lore from the rocks of past
dynasties. We took from them what had proved to
be lasting, and discarded that which had proved to
be a weakness. Thus we built an ideal form of
government. We have benefited in the past from
foreign nations, and I do not think, if we steer our
Ship of State wisely, that America is going to fall
into an arrogance of self-sufficiency even in the
future. American life is a part of the civilization
of the world. We need to learn from other nations;
and perhaps they need to learn still more from us.
As we said of the American race, so we must also
say of Americanism, that it is in the process of be-
coming, and through a wise policy towards the im-
migrants among us we can still prove to the world.
this to be true. We cannot point to our present life
as a model of perfection and attainment of American
ideals. We must, however, be able to see these very
INTRODUCTION
21
principles and ideals, which we have tried to point out
in the foregoing paragraphs, present and underlying
in our national life and existence. "As Americans
if we could but grasp the elementary fact that
Americanism is always partial and incomplete, an
ideal to be sought but never fully to be attained, be-
cause always in its perfection just beyond our reach,
how much better Americans might we ourselves be-
come, and how far more potent missionaries of the
gospel of Americanism would we be. If our new-
comers, too, could but realize that Americanism
ever is to be, and that they are helping in its making,
their enthusiasm would be strengthened, not shat-
tered, and their power to contribute extended.")
We shall now turn more directly to the study of
the problem before us. Let us, therefore, consider
this question under the following divisions: Histor-
ical Background of the Finnish Race; Causes of Im-
migration from Finland; Finnish Immigration to
America; Distribution and Occupations of the
Finns; Cultural Life of the Finns: a) School, b)
Press, c) Church, and d) Societies; and Natural-
ization and Political Life.
1) V. Talbot, Americanization, p. 2.
CHAPTER II.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE
FINNISH RACE.
Finland is situated in Northern Europe, on the
shores of the Baltic Sea which embraces the country
on the south and west through the Gulf of Finland
and the Gulf of Bothnia, respectively. Its adjacent
countries are Sweden on the west and Russia on the
east. Its utmost limits are 59° 48'-70° N., and 19°
2'-32° 50' E.
Racial background. The Finns belong to that lin-
guistic if not racial group of languages known as
Finno-Ugric, first used by the Finnish ethnologist
Mathias A. Castren. The first part of this name is
probably the same name Tacitus spoke of under the
the name of Fenni and Finnoi of Ptolemy, though
it is not absolutely certain that those races were
Finns in the modern sense. The native word Suomi,
which appears to be derived from suo, a marsh, and
maa, land, seems to indicate that Finland means fen-
land or the land of marshes, and suomalaiset, the
people of the marshes.
Finn and Finnish are used not only of the inhabit-
ants of Finland but also, in a wider sense, of similar
tribes found in Russia. They may be grouped con-
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
23
veniently under the following peoples. (1) The
Finns proper, which is "the most important and
civilized division of the group, and which is the sub-
ject of our present study, is composed of two prin-
cipal subdivisions, the Hamalaiset or Tavasts, who
occupy the southern and western parts of the Re-
public of Finland, and the Karjalaiset or Karelians
found in the east and north, as far as Lake Onega
and towards the White Sea. A third tribe called
Kainulaiset was formerly found in Sweden, whence
the Swedes call the Finn Qven, but they have been
amalgamated with their neighbors. (2) The Kareli-
ans are not usually regarded as separate from the
Finns, though they are a distinct tribe as much as
the Vepsas and Votes. They are found east of Fin-
land in the governments of Archangel and Olonets.
It was among them that Elias Lonnrot gathered the
epic runes which were published in 1835 under the
name of "Kalevala". (3) The Esthonians are the
peasantry of the Russian province of Esthonia and
the neighboring districts. (4) The name of Livoni-
ans is given to the old Finnish-speaking population of
west Livland or Livonia and north Kurland, but
after the Great War they have been considerably
scattered. (5) The Vepsas or Vepses, also called
Northern Chudes, are found west of Lake Onega and
in the governments of Olonets and Novgorod. This
tribe together with the Votes are allied to the Es-
24
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
thonians. They are, however, more numerous than
(6) the Votes, who at present occupy only about
thirty parishes in north-west Ingria, the district
around Petrograd. They are also called Southern
Chudes or Vatjalaiset. (7) The Lapps are found in
Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russian Kola Penin-
sula. (8) The Cheremissians and (9) the Mordvians
are together called Volga Finns, because they inhab-
it the banks of the Volga, the former chiefly in the
neighborhood of Kasan, the latter scattered over the
provinces near the middle of the Volga, in distinc-
tion from the first-named tribes, who are often
spoken of as Baltic Finns. (10) Permians and Sy-
renians, who are found chiefly in the provinces of
Perm, Vologda and Archangel, may be said to form
one tribe and they together with (11) the Votiaks
form the Permian group of tribes. The Ugrian sub-
division or group of Finnish tribes, which seems to
be in many respects more primitive, consists of three
peoples standing on very different levels of civil-
ization, namely, (12) the Ostiaks, (13) the Voguls
and (14) the Hungarians. The Voguls live on both
sides of the Ural Mountains, while Ostiaks inhabit
the government of Tobolsk and the banks of the Obi.
The Hungarians are geographically separated from
these but their language is more closely akin to that
of the Ob-Ugrians, thus pointing to an earlier geo-
graphical connection.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
25
The statistics on the Finno-Ugric races are not
up to date; we are obliged to rely to a great extent on
the statistics gathered through the general Russian
census of 1897, and even these are not always ac-
curate. Of the Ostiaks and Voguls we have, how-

Finnish
Stem
Mordvinians
Cheramissians
Finno-
Volga Branch
Lapp
Stock
Votiaks
Permian
Branch
Syrenians
Finno-Per
mian Branch
Ugric
Hungarians
Branch.
Finno-Ugric
Family-tree of
Languages.
Finno-Ugrie Family-tree of Languages.
(From the "Tietosanakirja", Vol. IX, p. 482.)
Voguls
Ostiaks
ever, very reliable statistics from the year 1900,
taken by the Finnish scientists A. Kannisto and K.
F. Karjalainen. Of the other tribes the statistics
are from 1910, except of the Finns proper, of whom
we are able to give those of 1917.
26
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
TABLE I.¹)
Finns
Karelians
Esthonians
Livonians (estimate)
Vepsas
Votes (estimate)
Lapps
•
Cheremissians
Mordvians
Syrenians
Votiaks
Ostiaks
Voguls
Hungarians
•
3,346,853
229,800
1,007,400
3,000
25,500
1,000
29,800
375,400
1,023,900
258,300
421,000
18,000
5,000
8,892,300
The grand total of the Finno-Ugric race 15,637,253
Many of these tribes are nearly extinct or are fast
disappearing (Votes, Livonians, Voguls and Ost-
iaks); others are subject to disappearance because of
their small number (Vepsas and Lapps). The great-
est increase is found among Mordvians, Syrenians,
Finns and Hungarians; they compose about 86% of
the total number of Finno-Ugric family. The scale
of increase is, Mordvians, 113%; Syrenians, 109.7%;
Finns, 107.5%; and Hungarians, 80.6%.
1) See "Tietosanakirja”, Vol. IX, pp. 286-290; Enc. Brit.,
Vol. X, 388-393; "The Republic of Finland", an Economic and
Financial Survey.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
27
Only the Finns, Hungarians, and Esthonians have
become thoroughly civilized; the first two have their
independent political existence at present. The other
tribes are partly nomads, living to some extent on
reindeer, agriculture, fishing, and hunting; some of
them are very skillful in commerce and in trading.
All of them have been converted to Christianity,
although pagan customs continue among some of
the nomads. The first Finns were converted to the
Roman Catholic faith in 1157, but early adopted
the Protestant faith in the Evangelical Lutheran
form.
"The name Finno-Ugric is primarily linguistic
and must not be pressed as indicating a community
of physical features and customs", says Sir Charles
Eliot, writing on the Finno-Ugrians in the Ency-
clopaedia Britannica. "But making allowance for the
change of language by some tribes, the Finno-Ug-
rians form, with striking exception of the Hunga-
rians, a moderately homogeneous whole." But now
let us raise the interesting question of the relation
of the Finno-Ugric group to that of the other large
groups of languages. To what larger group is it re-
lated?
The writer just quoted affirms that the "Finno-
Ugric languages are generally considered as a divi-
sion of the Ural-Altaic group, which consists of four
families: Turkish, Mongol, Manchu and Finno-Ug-
28
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
ric, including Samoyede unless it is reckoned sepa-
rately as a fifth." This would place the Finnish
race along side of the Mongolians, as has become
quite customary for popular historians in America to
do. The same writer admits that "on the other hand,
the more developed agglutinative languages, such as
Finnish, approach the inflected Aryan type, so that
the Aryan language may have been developed from
an ancestor not unlike the Ural-Altaic group." To this
it is only necessary to add that more recent research
and study regarding the position of the Finno-Ugric
group in relation to the other main linguistic groups,
in which field Finnish ethnologists and scientists
have done most important work, has thrown the old
theory into disrepute. They argue with much plau-
sibility that the original abode of the Finnish race
cannot be placed on the northern slopes of the Altai
Mountains in Asia, as had formerly been believed,
but that they may have lived in Europe even before
the migration of the Teutonic hordes took place. V.
Tarkiainen concludes that "it appears more certain
at this moment that the original home of the Finno-
Ugrians must be considered to have been near the
middle of Volga.") This much at least is certain,
that the modern Finnish race does not represent any
pure racial stock but that there is an infusion of
German, Scandinavian, and even Slavic blood in
1) See "Tietosanakirja”, Vol IX, p. 294.
+
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
29
their veins to a considerable degree. But let us next
view briefly some of the main points in the history
of the Finns.
Historical background. The colonization of Fin-
land may be traced back to the first centuries of our
Christian era. By the year 600 they were well settled
there. Two separate nationalities have gone to the
formation of its people, i. e. the Finns and the Swe-
des. These nationalities may be said to have merged
into one nation in the course of history. Two long
bays of the Baltic Sea embrace Finland: the Gulf of
Finland and the Gulf of Bothnia, and these provided
the country with early means of communication
with the western world. Thus animated relations,
based on commerce and war, have existed from the
remote past between the Finns and the peoples of
the West dwelling on the coast of the Baltic.
The Finns were converted to Christianity by the
Swedes, who made three crusades in the years 1157,
1249, and 1293. As a result of these crusades Fin-
land was united politically with Sweden. But the
union with Sweden in no way implied subjugation
of an inferior nation, as the Finns at this epoch had
attained almost the same degree of culture as the
Swedes.
The union between these two countries under the
same crown brought both of them considerable ad-
vantages. Their internal disputes once settled, it
30
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
1
1
enabled them to unite their strength against Russia
who continually threatened them from the east and
was ever growing in strength as it grew older. Fin-
land has been the seat of war for centuries and its
homes, towns, and the whole country have often
been laid bare either by famine or pestilence or war.
Through this union, furthermore, Finland was be-
ing more strongly drawn into the domain of western
civilization and held within it. Its people have taken
part in numerous important historical events; but
these facts are recorded in history under the history
of Sweden, and for this reason we hardly ever read
of Finns accomplishing anything. They fought brave-
ly at the side of Gustavus Adolphus in the Thirty
Years' War on the fields of Lutzen and Breitenfeld.
They took part in the colonization of Delaware to-
gether with the Swedes, and have thus contributed
to the building up of our nation. And the part they
played in the early history of Philadelphia, for ex-
ample, was not so very small. While not wishing to
detract in any way from the reputation of William
Penn, attention must be called to the historical fact
that the Swedes and Finns, nearly fifty years be-
fore Penn came to America, introduced and practiced
the spirit of fairness and conciliation in dealing
with the Indians, and it is known that some of the
Finns acted as interpreters for William Penn in mak-
ing his treaties with the Indians. There yet stands
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
31
today The Old Gloria Dei Church in Philadelphia,
built in 1700 by the Swedes and Finns. It is the old-
est church in the city.¹) An interesting fact still re-
mains to be pointed out in this connection. The Del-
aware Swedes and Finns have been so thoroughly
Americanized that a trace of their racial separate-
ness cannot be found today, and some of the earliest
American families, tracing their lineage to colonial
times, may have an infusion of Finnish blood in
their veins. The Finns have been one of the earliest
races to become thoroughly Americanized
I
The political and spiritual union of Finland with
Sweden lasted nearly six hundred years. But in
1808, during the turmoil of the Napoleonic Wars,
Alexander I of Russia made war against Sweden,
and as a result of it Finland was forced to unite with
Russia. It did not, however, enter as a conquered
province, but, "thanks to the bravery of her people
after they had been abandoned by the incompetent
Gustavus IV and treacherous generals, and not less
to the wisdom and generosity of the emperor Alexan-
der I", it maintained its free constitution and funda-
mental laws, and became a semi-independent grand-
duchy with the emperor as grand-duke. From the
time of its union with Russia at the Diet of Borga
in 1809 till the events of 1899, when the infamous
S
mo
1) See Swedes in America, 1638-1900, Vol I, Amandus John-
son, and "Amerikan Ensimäiset Suomalaiset", S. Ilmonen.
}
32
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
February Manifesto was declared, Finland was
practically a separate state, the emperor of Russia
as grand-duke governing by means of a nominated
senate and a diet elected on a very narrow franchise,
and meeting at distant and irregular intervals.
The rule of the first Russian emperors was on the
whole beneficial and prosperous for Finland, and
the name of Alexander II has been especially pre-
served in the grateful memory of his loving subjects.
His statue in the great square in front of the
Lutheran Catheral of St. Nicholas and the senate.
house in Helsingfors testifies to the regard in which
his memory is cherished by his Finnish subjects.
But unfortunately the succeeding rulers fell under
the influence of the reactionary party which had
begun to assert itself after the assassination of
Alexander II. The Slavophil movement, with its
motto: "one law, one church, one tongue", gained
great influence in official circles, and its aim was,
in defiance of the pledges of successive Czars, to
subject Finland to Orthodoxy and Autocracy. It is
needless to follow this struggle between the Russian
bureaucracy and the defenders of the Finnish con-
stitution which attracted wide attention in political
and cultural spheres in Europe at the time, and
which may be said to have prepared the way for the
recognition of Finnish independence by all civilized
nations at the time of the Russian revolution in
gang
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
33
1917. But it is important for a clear understanding of
the immigration problem of the Finns to appreciate
the political conditions as forming the background
for the large immigration of Finns since 1899 into
America.
For the study of the Russo-Finnish conflict we
refer the student of history to the writings of
Mechelin, Danielson-Kalmari and Hermanson; J.
R. Fischer has also discussed the constitutional
question fully in his book, entitled "Finland and the
Tsars" (2nd edition in 1900). In 1910 Harrison &
Sons, London, edited a volume, entitled "The Russo-
Finnish Conflict", which presents the Russian side
of the case. See also the memoirs of rector Edw.
Hjelt, of the University of Helsingfors, entitled
"Vaiherikkailta Vuosilta" (in Finnish), and
numerous other works.
Concerning later political events in Finland, we
quote briefly from "The Republic of Finland", which
has been mentioned before. "The work of de-
struction entered upon by the Russian Government
and Duma was at last frustrated by the revolution,
which broke out in Russia in the spring of 1917.
This revolution, however, at the same time brought
to the surface the basest elements of the Russian
people. The Russian troops quartered in Finland
very soon became saturated with communistic and
anarchical doctrines and began to spread the con-
GRE
3
}
34
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
tagion in that country. The Russian troops broke
open the prisons and the houses of correction, pro-
vided the released criminals and the mob in the
streets with rifles and other munitions, and tried in
every way, by enkindling the passions of the work-
ing classes, to bring about a revolution. In order to
encourage further the revolutionary instincts of the
people, the Russian sailors raided some of the large
country estates, pillaging and murdering. At the
same time they prevented the constitutional Govern-
ment of the country from creating any armed forces
for maintenance of order. The union of Finland
with Russia lasted until the sixth of December, 1917;
then Finland declared itself an independent,
sovereign state".
The work of propaganda and anarchistic contagion
spread from the enemy and infected some elements
of the Finnish people. This culminated in the bloody
war, which was fought in the spring of 1918. The
result of this cruel war was that the Finnish White
army succeeded in routing the Russian troops and the
Finnish red-guards and thus saved the liberty of the
country. But its result may further be interpreted
as being "the staving off of the wave of Bolshevism
which aimed at the destruction of Western civil-
ization".
The old constitution was now changed and a re-
publican form of government was adopted on the
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
35
17th day of June, 1919. "The parliament is com-
posed of 200 members, elected for a period of three
years, by means of general elections, direct voting,
and secret ballot; both sexes have the right to vote
at the age of 24 years. The President of the Re-
public is elected for a period of six years. It was
decided that the first President should be elected
by the Parliament but that all succeeding Presidents
should be elected by the general vote".¹)
Population. It was already pointed out above that
the number of inhabitants in Finland in 1917 was
3,346,853. Of these there were 2,961,853 Finnish
speaking people, this being about 88.5% of the total
population, and 385,000 Swedish speaking, which is
11.5% of the total. This division need not be con-
sidered as representing two distinct nationalities in
Finland. The official publication, referred to above,
says on this point that "it must be remembered that
the Swedish speaking section of the Finnish people
can not be regarded as a different nationality, be-
cause there is a considerable number of the original-
ly Swedish speaking people, who now speak exclusive-
ly Finnish, and on the other hand many real Finns
now speak Swedish. This mutual merging together,
a work of centuries, has taken place because the set-
tlements of the Swedish speaking people have not
been continuous, but were wedged between purely
1) The Republic of Finland, p. 7.
36
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
Finnish districts. In consequence of this the majori-
ty has always, in course of time, won over the mi-
nority to its own language, and besides intermar-
riages between the two peoples have been very
frequent."
As regards physical structure, the Finns are, ac-
cording to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, "a strong,
hardy race, of low stature, with almost round head,
low forehead, flat features, prominent cheek bones,
eyes mostly grey and oblique, short and flat nose,
protruding mouth, thick lips, neck very full and
strong; complexion also somewhat brown." In
this characterization of the Finns it is noticeable that
the theory of Mongolinism undoubtedly possesses
the mind of the writer, as he concludes that these
"characteristics they have in common with the so-
called Mongolian race." Prof. R. Tigerstedt, a noted
Finnish physiologist, gives the figures regarding the
height of different European races.
TABLE II.¹)
Lapps
Hungarians
Bavarians
•
1.50 metres
1.633
1.638
1.642
1.649
1.56-1.665
Russians
French
Italians.
1) Physiology, R. Tigerstedt, p. 302.
""
99
""
""
""
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
37
Finns
English and Irish
Danes
Swedes
Norwegians
Scotch
•
•
1) Op. cit., p. 11
2) See Enc. Brit. Vol. X.
1.659-1.699 metres
1.69
.. 1.692 ""
1.695
""
""
1.696-1.698
1.708
These figures represent averages as shown by the
conscription statistics of the respective countries.
According to this study the Finns are not of low
stature but belong among the tallest people of Eu-
rope. The official publication of Finland proves as
much. It states that "the people of Finland are
strong and comparatively tall." It further says con-
cerning other physical features that "the majority
are fair", and "about 78% of the people are blue-
eyed and about 57% are light-haired".¹) We are in-
clined, on the basis of our personal knowledge of
the matter, to agree with the latter opinion.
The Finns are reputed to be "morally upright,
hospitable, faithful, and submissive, with a keen
sense of personal freedom and independence, but
also somewhat stolid, revengeful, and indolent".2)
Their stolidity does not, however, seem to bother
them in America, for the Finnish children in gen-
eral are among the brightest pupils in our public
schools; and as to their indolence, it cannot be said
""
"1
38
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
}
to be common with them. The Finns have made an
enviable name for themselves in America as hard
and competent workers in the mines, on the farms,
textile factories, and other lines of occupation which
they may have chosen. They possess instead remark-
able teachability as is shown by their adeptness in
various kinds of labor in which they may have been
placed and concerning which they had no previous
experience. Prof. L. A. Chase remarks, in his book
on "Rural Michigan", that "the Finnish farmer is
the most teachable of any national element and his
capacity for coöperation is notable”.¹)
Another characteristic quality of the Finnish na-
ture is its obstinacy, which may, again, be interpret-
ed in two ways. It may be due to stupidity and dull-
ness, and then it is a negative quality, but if it indi-
cates perseverance and determination to overcome
hardships and difficulties, then it must be reckoned
as a positive factor. And modern psychologists are
disposed to look upon the will and various functions
of the mind as constituting a unity, so that where
there is strong will it also indicates strong feeling
and a higher degree of intelligence. It is only as if
we were looking at the same thing from different
angles and aspects. Prof J. Royce says that will im-
plies cognition, and Paulsen, Wundt, and other
scientists of the biological school take the same view.
1) p. 172.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
39
"This Finnish obstinacy", writes Paul Waineman
in his admirable description of "A Summer Tour in
Finland", "is the outcome of centuries of endurance.
Every field of corn has been fought for against odds
that would have conquered others. Most races would
have fled from this land of morass and forest, wrap-
ped in the silence of eight months of frost, when no
living thing is heard, and all is stagnant and life-
less. But the Finns remembered those four months
given to them as a recompense for their endurance—
those four months of life, when the forests would
teem with countless singing birds, when the day
would have no night, when sunlight, that miraculous
power of sunlight, would make every growing thing
wax strong and multiply. They would work some-
times twenty hours out of the twenty-four to con-
quer that earth and make it yield to them the fruits
of harvest."
We have tried in this chapter to introduce the
Finn as he is seen in his native setting, and as he
comes to the modern time carried by the two streams
of social process and historical environment on one
hand, and the racial heredity on the other. It will
now be our task to follow him as an immigrant to
America and try to interpret him as a factor in our
Americanization problem.
CHAPTER III.
CAUSES OF IMMIGRATION FROM FINLAND.
Fairchild in his book on Immigration (p. 146)
divides the causes for immigration into natural and
unnatural causes. Among the first he names the
superiority of the economic conditions in the United
States over those in the countries from which the
immigrants come. It is essentially today an economic
phenomenon. Under the unnatural causes he names
the religious and political causes. These have played
a great part in the past. Then we are told by no
less an authority than the Commissioner General of
Immigration of the United States in 1909, that large
numbers have been induced to come by the trans-
portation companies and labor agents. We shall
study this phase of our problem on the basis of the
facts as published in Finland, where the reasons
should best be understood.
The first cause for immigration from Finland has
been, with the first comers from Norway and
Sweden, as well as with the later ones, meager earn-
ings and uncertainty of subsistence. This can be
readily seen from the rise and fall of immigration
according to financial conditions in America.
CAUSES OF IMMIGRATION
41
The second important cause has been the com-
pulsory military service law which was enacted in
1878, just about the time that immigration from
Finland began to grow. An explanation for this is
not that the Finn is afraid to fight,-on the contrary
it must be said that he is a great warrior, as the
histories of the Thirty Years War, Turko-Russian
War of 1877, The World War, The Red Rebellion of
Finland in 1918 etc. prove-but naturally peace-
loving he has seen too much of war. His country has-
been a battlefield for centuries in the struggle for
supremacy between the Slavs and the Scandinavians
in the Baltic countries. He has shed his blood on
nearly every foreign battlefield where nations have
assembled. As a result of this, there is instilled into
the mind of the Finn a dread and abhorrence of war.
This sentiment has been instilled in him by his
mother while he was being taught his nursery
rhymes. No, a Finn is not a coward where a right-
eous war is necessary, but as he could not quite sym-
pathize with the plans of the old Russian regime
for military aggrandizement, he left his country in
order to avoid unpopular military service.
An important cause is also found in the restless,
dissatisfied mind of youth, the so called "wander-
lust". No other reason can be attributed to the emi-
gration of so many young men and even married
people, who are not moved by any financial pressure.
42
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
These reasons are given by M. Tarkkanen, "Im-
migration, Its Cause and Results".¹)
A study of our Table No. IV shows that im-
migration increased about 400% in 1899 until it had
risen to about 700% in 1902 from that of 1898. The
reason for this is not difficult to find. It was in
1899 that Czar Nicholas II declared his "February
Manifesto" against Finland, taking away many of
the constitutional rights guaranteed under the
Constitution of Finland and approved by the em-
perors under solemn oath. A bitter and dark epoch
followed in the political life of Finland. The country
arose in opposition to such violations, expressing
the general opinion through the Press and through
the right of appeal to the Czar, but to no avail. The
more active political leaders of the opposition were
exiled from the country by the Czar, and a period of
general suspicion directed against peaceful citizens
resulted. This drove thousands and thousands away
from their homeland "to the land of the free, and
the home of the brave". It looked for a while as if
the country would be either depopulated, or lose all
signs of its independent position. Today, however,
Finland is an independent Republic with one of the
most democratic forms of government found any-
where.
1) p. 7, in Finnish.
CAUSES OF IMMIGRATION
43
Prof. O. H. Kilpi, in his book on Immigration and
Economy of Finland during the 19th Century, (p.
31), discusses the question of immigration in a
scientific way. He says that the causes for im-
migration have presented one of the hardest
problems for economists and statesmen to solve. He
does not seem to give the "wanderlust" theory much
weight, although it has been made much of by
writers on the immigration of the Germanic and
Romanic tribes. Neither does he seem to agree with
the Malthusian doctrine of surplus-population as
having any basis in the immigration from Finland.¹)
On the contrary Kilpi shows that the number
of acres yield in 1910 of wheat, rye, barley, oats, etc.
1) The problems growing out of population were first treated
in a thorough way by an English clergyman by the name of
Robert Malthus in his "Essay on the Principle of Population".
His general conclusion is that in all societies of which we have
knowledge there is a tendency of population to increase faster
than the means of subsistence. According to Malthus this
tendency rests upon: "(a) The strength of the sexual passion
which in countries in which population is free to expand re-
sults in doubling the population at least in a quarter of a
century; (b) the inability of mankind to increase means of
subsistence forever in a like ratio. In other words, while
population tends to increase in a geometrical ratio, the means
of subsistence increases at not more than an arithmetical
ratio". These ratios, although suggested by Malthus, were not
intended to be exact, and his theory may be summarized briefly
in his statement that, "It is the constant tendency in all
animated life to increase beyond the nourishment prepared for
it". It is only fair to point out that many of the preventive
checks on the increase of population that go under the name
of Malthusianism, were not suggested by him.
See "Poverty and Dependency", J, L. Gillin, Ch, XXXVIII.
44
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
was larger per person than a century before.
Agricultural progress in Finland has not only kept
pace with the increase in population, but has even
exceeded it. Commerce and other productive technic
has also developed very rapidly, The old time in-
dividual agricultural implements have given way to
modern machinery, dairy implements have been in-
stalled on a very large scale, and improvements have
been made along other lines. Factories have also
increased in number, especially paper and pulp
mills, so that the exports from Finland during the
last two years have been much larger than the im-
ports. A few years ago, however, the imports sur-
passed the exports because the country was passing
through a period of transition from hand-labor to
that of machinery. But although the country does
provide for its population just as well as in the past,
the fact remains that seasonal conditions in farming,
long months of more or less idleness during the
severe winters, and increase in the cost of living,
have tended to create dissatisfaction not only among
the agricultural population of the north, whence the
majority of the immigrants have come, but also
among those engaged in industrial pursuits.
Prof. Kilpi strikes the heart of this problem when
he states that development has gone in Finland as
well as in other countries from the agricultural to
technical and industrial conditions. [«Emigration
CAUSES OF IMMIGRATION
45 >
from a country always appears, as far as time is
concerned, during that period of social-economic
transition which is caused by an industrial and
capitalistic revolution in an old traditional agri-
cultural community"] This transition he terms
"social capillarity". And he quotes Kautsky who has
figured that during the seven year period from
1901-1908 5,740,000 persons from agricultural life
emigrated from Europe".¹) It is true that they not
only leave the country but move into cities and in-
dustrial centers. Thus the "Pohjalaiset" (inhabit-
ants of the provinces of Wasa and Oulu) have formed
the bulk of the immigrants as well as of the in-
dustrial workers.
A further reason for immigration among the
"Pohjalaiset" is found to exist in their nature and
characteristics. They are active, possess physical
vitality, and are daring and enterprising. They were
found early as sailors or fishermen on the Nor-
wegian coast, and as shipbuilders and carpenters in
many cities. They thus became fortune seekers who
could undergo the severities and trials of a stranger
trying to establish himself amid new and strange
conditions.
In 1891 it was stated in the Diet of Finland, that
one who understands the conditions in Northern
1) Vermehrung und Entwicklung in Natur und Gesellschaft,
1910, p. 8.
46
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
}
Europe, understands the reason for immigration to
America. "As long as Finland can not pay like
wages to laborers as America does, where wages are
three or four times as high as ours, emigration from
Finland will never cease". The large number of im-
migrants who return to Finland for a short stay,
and those who reside permanently there, spread the
knowledge of our better wages to everyone who is
interested in finding out. This fact of immigrants
informing others, or helping them in securing trans-
portation tickets, is to be considered as an im-
portant factor.
Many other causes have contributed to the im-
migration of the Finn but they are to be considered
more or less accidental rather than real, permanent
causes. All these factors, taken together, have been
powerful enough to separate about one-tenth of the
population of Finland from their home and native
land.
Effects of emigration. What, we may ask in this
connection, are the effects of emigration of so many
people from a country; and what are some of the
effects of immigration upon the country receiving
them? There are two views with regard to em-
igration: one unfavorable, because it is "a drain on
population, reducing its economic strength and
disturbing social and political relations"; the second
looks upon it as a relief from over-population and a
CAUSES OF IMMIGRATION
47
[
congested labor market. As a general fact, em-
igration has not succeeded in diminishing the
population of the countries of Europe, although
emigration from some of them has been very
heavy. The one great exception is Ireland, where
population declined from 8,175,124 in 1841 to 4,-
458,745 in 1901. Emigration must be considered as
being directly responsible for this condition, for
about 72% of the total population emigrated from
the country between the years of 1851-1901. But
on the other hand the countries of strongest em-
igration hitherto (England, Germany etc.) have
shown practically undiminished birth and marriage
rates and a steady growth in population. Doctors
Richmond Mayo-Smith and T. A. Ingram, writing
on the subject of Migration in The Encyclopaedia
Britannica,¹) conclude that "emigration may give
temporary relief to congested districts, but it is not
in itself a remedy for so-called over-population",
for while emigration is heavy, there is usually a
considerable excess of births over deaths.
PRE A
(
1) Vol. XVIII, 11th Ed.
CNE
This may be true, for there is no inherent check
on the increase in population in the fact of em-
igration itself, it may rather help to raise the in-
crease by opening up many advantages and territory
to those remaining; but in a sparsely inhabited
48
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
country, like Finland, it would lack this effect and
might even reduce materially the rate of increase
in the country.
The economic effect of emigration is more dif-
ficult to analyze closely, because so much depends
upon the character of the emigrants and the labor
markets. Some point out, that as the emigrants are
in the most productive period of life, the country of
emigration loses adults and replaces them with
children, thus it bears the burden of educating them
only to be deprived of their labor as soon as they are
old enough to leave their native land. Then again,
it is urged that voluntary emigration takes away
the cream of the working class, because it is the man
of energy, of ambition, and perseverance who takes
the chance of success in the new country, leaving
the poor, the indolent, the weak and the crippled at
home. Although this may be true in a great many
cases, it is not always the case, for very often the
men who are doing well at home are the ones least
likely to emigrate, because they have least to gain.
It is unnecessary to try to weigh these arguments
here, but they stand in close relation with the study
of the causes of immigration, and for that reason
we have pointed them out. In general it may be said
that the effects of emigration appear to be negative
in character upon the land losing some of its
population.
CAUSES OF IMMIGRATION
49
Effects of immigration. The effects of im-
migration, on the other hand, are positive, and may
be spoken of under the effects (a) on population
and (b) on economics. Immigration, of course, is
a direct addition to the population. The statistics
of the United States show that over 23 million im-
migrants entered the country between the years of
1820-1905. Prior to 1820 there was no official
record of immigration. This addition to our
population, for example, was sufficient to give us an
average annual increase of 24% between the years
of 1850-1900, while the average annual increase
during the same time for the whole of Europe was
only 8.2%.¹) The economic gain of immigration to
a new country is also evident. It adds directly to the
number of adults engaged in the work of producing
wealth.
We have already pointed out the fact that econo-
mists place a money value on each able-bodied im-
migrant who enters our country. Prof. Kilpi esti-
mates this value as being about $1000 per person;
others place it as being from $800 to $1000, this
being the amount at which an adult slave used to be
valued. Then again, it has been said that an adult
immigrant represents what it would cost to bring up
a child from infancy to a period when he would be
able to take care of himself, say, of about 15 years.
1) See Enc. Brit., Vol XXII, p. 100, 11th Ed.
}
4
50
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
Ernst Engel has estimated this at $550 for a German
child. The most scientific procedure, however, is
claimed to be to calculate the probable earnings of
the immigrant during the rest of his lifetime, and
deduct therefrom his expense of living. Such efforts
to put a precise money value on immigration are
futile, for they neglect the question of quality and
opportunity. But on the whole we may conclude
that immigration is an asset to the country of im-
migration.
A word or two might be added concerning the
political effects of immigration. A noted writer
says on this point: "The influx of millions of persons
of different nationality, often of a foreign language
and generally of lower classes, would seem to be a
danger to the homogeneity of a community. The
United States, for instance, has felt some incon-
venience from the constant addition of foreigners to
its electorate and its population. The foreign-born
are more numerously represented among the crim-
inal, defective, and dependent classes than their
numerical strength would justify. They also tend to
segregate more or less, especially in large cities."
But then he adds, "Nevertheless, the process of as-
similation goes on with great rapidity". The in-
fluences helping in the assimilation are inter-mar-
riage and physical environment, which lead to the
adoption of the same mode of life. But particularly
CAUSES OF IMMIGRATION
51
effective are the social influences, viz., common
school education and the adoption of one language,
participation in political life, which is granted to all
citizens after five years' residence, and the general
influence of the established social standards rep-
resented by law, institutions, and customs of
America". And the same writer concludes: "Doubt-
less immigration in the last fifty years of the 19th
century had a modifying effect on American life;
but on the whole the power of a modern civilized
community working through individual freedom to
assimilate elements not differing too radically has
been displayed to a remarkable degree”.¹)
Having studied the causes of immigration from
Finland and having called attention to some of the
general effects of emigration and immigration, we
are ready to discuss the size of Finnish immigration
in the next chapter. Then, later, we shall see how
well these general principles are exemplified by
the actual life of the Finns in America.
1) Enc. Brit., Vol. XVIII, p. 431, 11th Ed.
CHAPTER IV.
FINNISH IMMIGRATION TO AMERICA.
We shall submit a few statistics to show the size
and importance of immigration from Finland. In
general it is to be noted that immigration from Fin-
land started some thirty years later than from the
Scandinavian countries. We have gathered our
facts from various sources and have endeavored
to arrive at real conclusions by comparing the data.
Not to speak of those Finns who came over in
1639 to colonize Delaware in company with Swedes,
-although it would be very interesting because of
the prominent part these colonists played in the
early history of Delaware, Philadelphia and our
early colonial period, and also because they have
been Americanized so thoroughly that no racial
trace of them is left-we turn to the first arrivals in
modern immigration from Finland.
About 1850 the California gold fever drew over
two hundred Finns who settled on that coast. Some
five years later during the Crimean War we find
many Finnish sailors, who sailed under the Russian
FINNISH IMMIGRATION
53
J
flag, remaining in America because they did not
wish to risk being captured by English boats on the
high seas. It has been estimated that at least 150
sailors settled, about that time, in New Orleans,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New York. Again we
find certain causes at work a little later that re-
sulted in the immigration of small numbers of Finns.
The United States needed sailors to man her boats
during the trying years of the Civil War, and over
100 Finns entered the service of the United States
in 1861. After the war they settled in the large
cities on the Atlantic coast, viz. Boston, New York,
and Philadelphia. They were joined by other sailors
about the same time, but we have no definite figures
to show their number.
Immigration proper commenced, however, in
1864. That year we find Finns migrating from
Hammarfest, Vesisaari, Wadso (Vartsjo) and
Kaafjord, Norway, to the Copper Country in Upper
Michigan. They came in company with Norwegians
who had been engaged by the Quincy Mining
Company of Hancock to work in the copper mines.
Among this group we find names like Lintulahti,
Noppa, Parkkanen etc. The first immigrants there-
fore came from Norway where several thousand
Finns are found mostly engaged in fishing on the
Norwegian coast. In 1870, 71, 72, and '73 we find
several groups of immigrants from Finland (from
54
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
Torneo River,
Osterbotten,
and Liuksiniemi)
traveling by the way of the Great Lakes to Hancock,
Michigan, and Duluth, Minnesota. One boat carried
100 immigrants. We find an interesting account
in one of the daily papers of Chicago at this time,
stating that "the Russian Finns have begun to come
to America". Some of the early comers seem to have
left work in the mines at Hancock, Michigan, and
have gone to Minnesota where they settled in Frank-
lin, Holmes City, and Cokato between 1864 and
1865. These places are still inhabited by a large
number of Finns and we find some of the finest
farms of the Northwest in their possession. For the
sake of historical interest we may point out that
some score of the first would-be-miners never en-
tered upon their expected work, but found service in
the United States' army during the last years of
the Civil War.
We may pass over rapidly the other arrivals up
to the year 1873. Between the years 1871-73 Finns
were pushing their way to the farthest western
coast of the country, to Astoria, Oregon, where they
have ever since held an important place as fisher-
men, and to Washington. A few Finns also came to
Marquette County, Michigan, about this time. They
found work in the mines or the small iron furnaces
then in use, but the operations were very limited
until the railroads were built to Marquette from the
i
FINNISH IMMIGRATION
mining towns. Some Finns were further found
working on the Pacific railroads that were being
built to the Pacific coast soon after the Civil War.
Many of these early railroad workers later became
prominent citizens in their respective communities.
Their children have become thoroughly American-
ized and some of them may be found, for example,
as teachers in our public schools, teaching American-
ism to citizens of tomorrow. Ohio, which boasts of
some ten thousand Finns at present, received her
first Finnish members in the year 1870. The men
found work on the docks of the Lake Erie towns,
but their number remained rather small until about
1880 when the ore-carrying industry began to reach
greater proportions.
55
卡
​Ghosh
Certain laws of reciprocity relating to economic
conditions have always existed between America
and the countries from where immigrants arrive. In
times of financial prosperity in America im-
migration will swell, when it is dull, immigration
will decrease and many will leave the country to
return to their native lands. Such an economic phe-
nomenon took place in America in 1873 when the
boom of railroad building to the Pacific coast was
followed by a panic. Immigration in general
dropped from about 400,000 to a few thousand. This
also checked immigration from Finland, and we do
56
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
not find newcomers in large numbers until the year
1880.¹)
Having covered the early beginning of modern
Finnish immigration we are now ready to study the
statistics of the great wave of Finnish immigration
to America.
Between 1871-75 about 225 immigrants arrived from Finland.
220
1876-80
1881-85
3717
1886-90
21968
"}
>>
""
"
""
TABLE III.2)
""
29
""
""
""
""
""
""
39
•
""
""
""
Official statistics were not made by the govern-
ment of Finland until 1883 when the governor of
Wasa, from where most of the immigrants left, and
the governor of the province of Oulu in 1884, were
directed by the State to keep definite records of all
emigrants to whom passports were issued. Since
1893 official statistics have been kept of the whole
country.
Arthur Hjelt estimates the total number of im-
migrants to America up to the year 1892 as 36,401
persons.³)
1) Most of these facts have been received from the un-
published manuscripts of my colleague, Rev. S. Ilmonen, Detroit,
Mich.
2) O. H. Kilpi, Finnish Immigration and National Economics
during the 19th Century.
8) Social-Economic Magazine, Finnish 1905.
FINNISH IMMIGRATION
57
TABLE IV.¹)
The number of immigrants since 1893:
Men
% for every
10,000 of pop.
1893
6,277
9,117
37.3
1894
637
1,380
5.6
1895
2,063 1,957
4,020
16.0
1896
3,078
2,107
5,185 20.4
1897
866
1,050
1,916 7.4
1898
2,001
1,466
3,467 13.2
1899 7,599 4,476
12,075
45.2
1900
6,265
4,132
10,397
38.6
1901
8,237 4,324
12561
1902 16,075 7,077 23,152
Year
Women
Year
1903 ..
1904
1905
1906 ..
1907 .
1908 .
1909
1910 .
2,840
743
Total
TABLE V.2)
The number of immigrants since 1903:
•
46.0
•
83.8
Total
16,964
10,952
17,427
17,517
16,296
5,812
19,144
19,007
1) Social-Economic Magazine, 1905.
2) From Immigration Records, Official Finland Bulletin
XXVIII, 1920.
58
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
1911
1912 .
1913
1914
1915
1916 .
1917
1918 .
•
•
}
9,372
10,724
20,057
6,474
4,041
5,325
2,773
1,900
The total number of immigrants from Finland
between the years 1893 and 1918 was, according to
these official Finnish reports, 267,059. If we add
the 36,401 that had come prior to 1893, we have the
total number of Finnish immigrants to America up
to the year 1918, as 303,460.
The official statistics of Finland do not, however,
distinguish the immigrants who intend to sail for
Canada from those that intend to sail to other
American countries. They are all classed under
immigrants to America. To the number going to
South America, we do not need to pay much at-
tention, because it is insignificantly small. The
group going to Canada is much larger, in fact, it
comprises nearly one-fifth of the total number, or
about 60,000 up to 1918.¹) This would leave 243,460
Finns of foreign birth in the United States in 1918.
1) S. Ilmonen, Statistics of Finnish Immigration, 1921, and
other authorities.
1
59
FINNISH IMMIGRATION
But before leaving this question of the size of
Finnish immigration to America, we must point out
other important factors to be considered which af-
fect the figures to some extent. Many immigrants
return to their native land after a few year's stay
here. Especially has this been true concerning those
comers who have had to leave Finland in haste to
avoid political torture. Have we any way of de-
termining this proportion? The question seems
rather difficult to answer definitely for no exact
statistics can be found on this matter. Many of
them who return to Finland have become natural-
ized American citizens-but in Finland they are
still considered as subjects of Finland-so even if
they should return to America the Finnish sta-
tistics do not show this, for they have returned on
passports issued to American citizens. That large
proportions of them do return is proved by the
statement of the Finnish attaché in Washington,
Akseli Rauanheimo (appointed later as Finnish con-
sul in Canada), who writes that in 1922 2913 im-
migrants came to America from Finland, but during
the same time 2753 persons returned to Finland,
leaving the actual gain in favor of America 160.
But he goes on to say that the majority of those re-
turning to Finland were American citizens, and were
not classed as emigrants when they came back to
60
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
America later, which was true of most of them
(Amerikan Suometar, March 7, 1922). (The
question of the citizenship of the naturalized
American citizens should be definitely agreed upon
between America and the foreign countries con-
cerned, because, for example, in time of war, such
citizens are placed in a difficult position; they are
claimed by their native country as well as by the
country of their adoption.) The official Finnish
Bulletin on immigration (Siirtolaisuustilasto v.
1918) states, on the basis of the facts reported by
the Steamship companies carrying immigrants, that
the total number of immigrants returning from
America between the years 1899 and 1914, amounted
to 90,672 persons. This means about 29% of the
total number of all emigrants from Finland. About
25% of this number have certainly returned to
America, or 22,660, so that the loss to America may
be estimated at about 68,000 persons. The other
factor tending to diminish the number of the Finnish
immigrants in America, is the natural phenomenon
of death. Estimating that about 8 out of every
thousand Finns have died here since their im-
migration began in 1864, or about 14,031, we finally
arrive at the conclusion that the number of Finns
of foreign birth to be accounted for in the United
States today should be 161,417. It will be interest-
ing to note next how well the official figures of the
FINNISH IMMIGRATION
61
United States coincide with the facts which we have
established through another source.
TABLE VI.¹)
Statistics of the United States Showing the Number
of Finns in America.
Census of 1910.
State
New Hampshire
Massachusetts
New York ..
New Jersey
Pennsylwania
Ohio
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
Minnesota
North Dakota
South Dakota
Montana
Wyoming
Colorado
Utah
Washington
Oregon
California
Born in Finland Born in Amer- Total
1900
1910 ica 1910 in 1910
636
5,426
2,746
619
1,198
321
5,104
10,744
4,048 8,760
367 1,640
988 2,413
3,988
2,390
31,144
5,705
26,637
1,186
1,381
4,111
1,380
844 1,238
734 1,012
13,258
2,723 8,719 4,539
2,131 4,734 2,977 7,711
5,763 6,159 2,836 8,996
62,641 129,669 81,357 211,926
2,814
859
18,910
2,198
10,727
651
1,175
2,103
1,220
1,275
3,313
792
24,404
3,991
17,826
1,424
1,694
2,512
1,834
16,170
11,506
2,259
3,688
774
618
523
7,301
3,182
55,548
9,696
44,463
2,610
3,075
6,623
2,154
1,857
1,535
1) Statistical Abstract of the United States Government,
1910.
62
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
State
Arizona
California
Connecticut
Colorado
•
•
Dist. of Columbia
Idaho
Illinois
Maine
•
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Montana
Nevada
TABLE VII.¹)
Census of 1920
Born in State
Finland
407
7,053
1,226
879
104
989
3,080
1,393
Massachusetts.. 14,570 Utah.
30,096
29,108
62
3,577
New Jersey
New York
North Dakota
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
New Hampshire. 1,558
South Carolina
South Dakota ... 1,085
779
476
240
Vermont..
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin
182 Wyoming
Total.
•
•
Born in
Finland
2,109
12,504
1,108
6,406
6,050
2,818
53
•
11,863
6,757
856
149,824
The Total number born in Finland in 1920, ac-
cording to United States statistics, was 149,824; our
figure was 161,417 persons, as will be remembered.
81,357 were born in America up to 1910. We are
sorry to say that we were unable to get the number
born of Finnish parentage in America in 1920. Only
those states are considered in the Census of 1910
1) Official United States census reports for 1920.
FINNISH IMMIGRATION
63
where the number of Finns born in Finland was at
least one thousand. In the Census of 1920 the Fin-
nish population in all the states is supposed to be
counted, but from our personal knowledge there are
several hundred Finns of foreign birth in some
states that have not been considered. There are at
least 900 Finns in Texas although statistics failed to
report any. Several have gone there, perhaps, after
the last census, but the number found there prior to
1920 was sufficiently large to be recognized.¹) We
submit another table which presents facts from a
different source.
1) The World Almanac for 1924 includes many of these states
under the 14th Census.
64
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
P
TALE VIII.¹)
Statistics of Finns in America in 1922.
87,000 Utah
64,000
26,000 Texas
23,000
Delaware
18,000 Maryland
17,000 Alabama
14,000 Louisiana
Michigan ..
Minnesota
Massachusetts
New York
Washington
Ohio ....
Wisconsin
Oregon
Montana
California
North Dakota
•
•·
•
Pennsylvania
Illinois
Maine
New Hampshire.
New Jersey
Alaska.
Connecticut
Idaho
Colorado
Wyoming
Vermont
Arizona
Indiana
West Virginia
•
•
13,000 Mississippi
12,000 Rhode Island
10,000
8,000
7,000 Iowa
6,000 New Mexico
4,000
Kansas
4,000
Virginia
3,500
North Carolina .
Nebraska
3,000
2,800 Arkansas
2,000 Georgia
2,000
2,000
2,000
Florida
1,500
1,500
1,500
Washington, D.C.
Nevada
•
Tennessee
Kentucky
•
•
South Carolina
Missouri ..
Oklahoma
•
1,500
1,000
900
800
800
600
600
500
500
400
300
250
250
200
200
200
150
150
100
100
100
100
100
50
Grand Total ..352,550
1) "Kirkollinen Kalenteri" v. 1922, S. Ilmonen. These figures
include both immigrants and those born in America.
FINNISH IMMIGRATION
65
The above figures have been estimated on the
basis of very intimate knowledge of the life of the
Finns in America. We admit that they are estimates.
to a large extent but they come close to the truth,
in fact, closer in our opinion than any other figures
published.
It will be seen from the above statistical tables
that there is a great discrepancy between the grand
totals given by each. How are we to harmonize
these differences? In the first place we notice that
the figures given by the 14th Census of the United
States make the number of Finns born in Finland
about 12,000 less than the number we had estab-
lished mainly on the basis of the official reports of
Finland. One reason is that the census reporters of
our country may have been somewhat negligent in
determining accurately the facts pertaining to the
racial information, especially in case of groups not
well known in a given territory, inability of the
foreigners to speak English adding to the dif-
ficulty of their work. But how account for the
large number estimated by the Rev. S. Ilmo-
nen? We shall try to establish the truth of his
statements in the light of certain facts to be noticed
in this connection, and thus add a further reason
for the apparent discrepancy.
The number of Finns in America has always been
put at a somewhat smaller figure than facts would
5
66
こ
​AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
warrant, and this for two reasons. The first Finns
came from Norway, but they have been numbered
among the Norwegians. Several thousand have
followed them, but they have fallen in the same class.
Then, again, several thousand have come from
Sweden-there are large towns in the northern part
of Sweden where Finns compose the majority of
the population-but these immigrants have been
grouped as Swedes. I believe that we can add some
40,000 Finns to the total number found in America
for this reason. In large Finnish centers in the Upper
Peninsula of Michigan, and farming communities of
Minnesota, this class of Finns composes about one-
fourth of the total number. Thus the total number
of foreign-born Finns in America in 1920 would be
brought up to 201,357. Since 1918 immigration from
Finland has been comparatively small. We may esti-
mate it on facts well established to have yielded us a
gain of about 2,000 per year, or 8,000 since 1918.
The balance remaining, or 142,643, is to be accounted
for under the group classified as American born.
In 1910 there were already 81,357 Finns born in
America according to the government census, this
subtracted from 142,643, leaves a balance of 61,286,
which is to be counted as representing the number
of Finns born in America between the years of
1910-1920. Figuring on the basis of the total
Finnish population in America in 1910, this would
เ
FINNISH IMMIGRATION
67
mean a birthrate of about 28 per 1000 for the ten
year period; but this percentage need not actually
be so large, for during this time the number of
foreign-born Finns was increased by some 20,000
and among them there were naturally many births
to be counted in the census of 1920. It is a known
fact that the Finns have a large birthrate, standing
among the first races in Europe in this respect.¹)
(The writer is acquainted with a Finnish family in
Detroit that has 21 children, and all are living. Of
course this is an exceptional case, but it is very il-
lustrative of our statement). A further fact which
lends weight to this belief is that the majority of the
immigrants coming to America are between the
ages of 20-30 years, among whom the rate of in-
crease is high. And this increase, further, need not
be counted as actually taking place between the
years 1910-1920, for the addition of Finns from
Norway and Sweden must be placed mostly in the
earlier period of Finnish immigration. Thus the
number of American born Finns was actually larger
in 1910 than the United States government statistics
would show.
On the basis of the facts which we have studied-
perhaps at even too great a length, but considering
the wide variance of opinion concerning this
question, we felt it worth while to go into it more
1) See Enc. Brit., Volume XXII, p. 100.
68
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
*
thoroughly-we are inclined to believe with the Rev.
Ilmonen that the figure 352,000 represents more
exactly the total number of Finns in America to-
day.¹)
1) Since the above paragraphs were written, I was able to
get later figures from the Congressional Library through the
kindness of my friend Congressman W. Frank James, and these
figures corroborate in general the conclusion reached above.
The total number of Finns in America in 1920, according to
the later government compilations, is 296,276. In this number
are not included the Finns who have come from Norway and
Sweden. Of this number 150,770 (previously reported 149,824)
are foreign born, and 145,506 are native born In 1910 the
number of native born Finns was 81,357 and in 1920 145,506,
the increase within the ten-year period being 64,149. I had
established the number of native born Finnish population in
1920 as 142,643, and the number of increase as 61,286. My
estimates were, therefore, somewhat too small. If we add to
the total number of Finns, as given by the U. S. Census re-
ports of 1920, those who have come from Norway and Sweden
and those who have arrived since the last census was taken,
can conclude that the figure 352,000 ean be accepted as
substantially correct. (See The Bulletin of the Department of
Commerce, "Fourteenth Census of the United States,
Population: 1920, Country of Origin of
Country of Origin of the Foreign White
Stock".)
❤
CHAPTER V.
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCUPATIONS
OF THE FINNS.
Table No. VII shows the distribution of the Finns
in general, but a word or two is needed as an ex-
planation of this fact. We find the greatest numbers
inhabiting the northern states of our country. They
are most numerous in Michigan, Minnesota, Mass-
achusetts, New York, Washington, Oregon, Ohio,
and Wisconsin. The reason for their congregating
in these states is not very difficult to find. Any
student of the immigration question knows that im-
migrants are to be found mostly in the industrial
centers, or where there is most demand for unskilled
labor. The first Finns came to the "so-called" Copper
Country of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan because
they had been imported by one of the large mining
companies operating there.¹) When the first Finns
were settled there, they called others of their
friends and relatives. Thus the Finn, who had never
been a miner in his native country, became a miner
in America, which occupation he has followed ever
since.
1) Van Cleef, the Finn in America, p. 5, and others.
70
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
1
I do not agree with many writers on Finnish im-
migration that he settled in the barren, cold, marshy
sections of our northern states because he was
drawn there by climatic similarity with the old
country. Similarity does exist, but the Finn knows
it himself that it is not an ideal climate for farming
or living in general. But why didn't he settle in
Iowa, or Illinois, or Ohio or in some other fertile
section of the United States? The immigrant knows
from solid facts of reality that he has no chance
there without means. Homesteads were not to be
procured in them any longer when he came. The
only chance he had was to stick to any kind of a
job until he had saved enough to feel independent.
But by this time he had become acquainted with his
work and the surroundings; others followed him, and
in a short time there was a large community of his
countrymen about him. If he now thought of
settling on a farm, he didn't have money enough to
buy one in a valuable farming section, neither was he
acquainted with such places. The thing for him to
do was to buy a farm in some neighborhood where
other Finns had settled before him, or take a home-
stead in some far away unsettled region in northern
Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota or some other
northern state. This is the main reason why the
Finns have settled so largely in the colder and un-
fertile sections of the United States. It has been the
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCUPATION
71
course of least resistance, although it has put him
fighting against unknown difficulties and severities
of the inclement forces of nature.
The Finns in the mines.. We shall consider this
occupation first because it was the first occupation
the Finn was engaged in on coming to America. In
Finland mining does not exist as we know of it in
America. No doubt, there are mineral deposits there,
but they have not been developed as yet. Yet the
first comers to America were led into this occupa-
tion, as we have pointed out before. As he was an in-
dustrious and hard worker, he made good, and has
ever since been known as a miner of the first rank.
From the copper mines of Houghton and Keweenaw
Counties many found their way to the iron districts
in Marquette County, that were just opening about
this time. Later we find them coming to the large
iron district known as the Gogebic Range. The iron
mines in northern Minnesota were opened up con-
siderably later than in Michigan. By that time the
Finn had become recognized as a good miner, and
found, therefore, no difficulty in getting work on
the Vermillion and Mesaba Ranges of Minnesota.
The mines developed very fast in this section, being
mostly open-pit mines from which ore could be dug
up very easily. More Finns kept coming right along,
until at the present time there are nearly as many
Finns in Minnesota as in Michigan. Large numbers
72
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
are also to be found as farmers, but we come to them
later.
On the Finn as a miner, we shall let Van Cleef
pass judgment. He says: "In efficiency in the mines.
the Finns rank close to the top. They make good
timbermen in the underground mines, for they are
reputed 'clever and ingenious with axe and log'.
Herein one may see the result of their many cen-
turies of training in the forests of their native land.
Their struggle with nature has also developed much
resourcefulness. The younger Finns coming to this
country show a considerable proficiency along
mechanical lines. Some of them are employed in
handling drills and other machinery requiring
dexterity.
"The physical strength of the Finn contributes to
his ability to endure the strains incident to mining.
The work is hard, and the winter long and rigorous.
Where the open-pit process is used, employment does
not last throughout the year. Hence many workers
must find something else to engage in during the
closed season. The relative isolation of the region
makes travel to other industrial centers rather ex-
pensive. Therefore adjustment is made to practically
the only alternative, logging. Hundreds of Finns go
to the woods to labor in the deep snow and in
temperatures ranging from -15 to -30 degrees F.
Their life is camp life, but not after their own
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCUPATION
73
choosing. It oftentimes is next to intolerable. Yet
doggedness, a sense of responsibility, and unusual
powers of endurance, enable them to remain through-
out the season. They have had vigorous training
in the 'land of a thousand lakes' and the land of as
many hardships." This is related of the Finns in
Minnesota but it applies in general to them in other
mining regions as well.
Besides the iron and copper mines, Finns are also
found employed in the coal mines of Pennsylvania,
Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Illinois. Some have
entered mining fields in Colorado, Arizona, Alaska,
and other places, so that it is not a rare thing to find
a Finn almost anywhere.
The Finn as a farmer. Over 50% of the Finns
have come from agricultural life so that it is not
surprising if we find their steps leading back to
farm life even in America. "If I could only get about
forty acres of land, I could live more comfortably
and happy on a farm. That is an ideal place to bring
up your family; and then if a man should be sick, his
pay-roll would not be affected by it right away; and
a farmer is independent and free." Thoughts like
these are often expressed by men living in towns or
cities. It seems to be quite a general desire to settle
on a farm sometime, and hundreds are realizing this
hope every year.
74
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
134
After laboring in a mine or at some other work for
a few years, until he has saved enough to give him
a stingy start, he buys land, from 40-120 acres, and
takes up his cherished occupation. He generally se-
cures a cut-over strip of land in Michigan, files a
homestead in Minnesota, or purchases an old farm
in western New York, Connecticut, or elsewhere. The
stumpy land looks very forlorn and challenging. But
the Finn settles down to work and clears acre after
acre, although compelled to leave his home many a
time to work in the mines or the woods during the
winter months in order to earn means of subsistence
for himself and his family. For this reason Mr. J.
H. Jasberg, land agent of the D. S. S. & A. R. R., who
has sold more land to the Finns than any other man
in America, said that the only language the stumps
understand in Upper Michigan, is the Finnish
language.
We have already pointed out in connection with
our study of immigration that some Finns settled
in Franklin, Holmes City, and Cokato, Minnesota,
as early as 1864 and 1865. These communities are
still inhabited by a large number of this nation-
ality, who have become properous and live con-
tented lives. Others settled in Ottertail County,
Minnesota, where they are found in very large
numbers in New York Mills, and in several places in
Wadena County. New York Mills is perhaps the
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCUPATION
75
second largest Finnish settlement in the United
States. The Dakotas also have settlements of con-
siderable size, for example, Savo and Poinsett in
South Dakota, and Brockett, Ellendale, and others
in North Dakota. Farming is done here on a large
scale with the use of all modern improvements.
About 90% of the farms in St. Louis County, Minne-
sota, are owned by Finns, and nearly the same per-
centage in Houghton, Baraga, and Alger Counties
in Michigan. These people have first worked in the
iron mines on the Mesaba and Vermillion Ranges or
in the copper or iron mines of Michigan, but their
"objective in America is not residence in the in-
dustrial centers, where the permanence of home is
not all too certain, but rather upon the land, where
their future is entirely a factor of their own direction
and where they may commune with nature." Further-
more, the environment of these regions reminds him
of Finland. The glacial lakes, the boulder-strewn
surface, the numerous elongate hills, the woods of
graceful white-barked birches or stately spired ever-
greens and the deep winter snows "are just like
home." "The urge, in this environment, to do what
he did at home, is too strong to resist and at the
first opportunity he turns to the land.")
Prosperous farming communities are also found
in Rudyard, Chippewa County, and Kaleva, Mannis-
1) Scientific Monthly, May, 1923, p. 499.
76
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
tee County, Michigan, where the Finns formed colo-
nies about twenty years ago. They had first worked
as miners in different places, and when they settled
on land it was a surprise to their American neighbors
to see these people, who had become known as first
class miners, take up farming and make a success of
it. They were not only handy in tilling the soil, but
they built their own homes, shod their horses, and
showed skill in many different kinds of manual labor.
Prof.Van Cleef of the Ohio State University says that
"the Finn is thrifty and independent. Both of these
C
qualities are the consequence of his life upon the
farm in his native country where isolation and the
struggle against the odds of nature challenge the
strongest and bravest of men. He has consequently
developed a penchant for work, a tenacity of purpose,
and a skill in farm management which may well be
the envy of the peer of America's best farmers".¹)
He has gained many friends as he has become
known as an honest and industrious tiller of the soil.
The former Agricultural Commissioner of Michigan
is an intimate friend of the Finnish farmer. It
was during his superintendency of Portage Town-
ship schools that the first agricultural school in
Michigan in connection with elementary education
was organized at Tapiola-"the abode of the bears"
-Houghton County, Mich. The school is now known
1) The Scientific Monthly, May, 1923.
. . ، ! . ܘ
Y
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCUPATION
77
as John A. Doelle's Agricultural School, in re-
cognition of his service for that community. The
plan has proved so beneficial that since that time a
law has been passed permitting the organization of
such schools, and 73 similar schools have now been
organized in Michigan.
Besides the states named, Finns are found as
farmers in Oregon and Washington, along the
Columbia valley and other places in these states, also
in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Maine. Some are further
found in Texas, Alabama, Florida, and southern
California. Their number in these states, however,
is not very large, and signs seem to indicate no
noticeable growth there, due to climatic conditions.
and other handicaps. Some twenty years ago a
considerable number located in Alabama, on the
Mobile Bay, but the rise of tidal waves which flood
the country at times, causing much destruction of
property and loss of life, drove most of them back.
This emphasizes the need of dikes to keep the water
from causing havoc along the Gulf border in general.
Such an undertaking would be a task possible only
for our government.
Particular mention must yet be made of the Fin-
nish farmers in New England. It has become very
noticeable that throughout the East, in the old farm-
ing communities of New York, Massachusetts, and
Connecticut, many farms have not been under cul-
78
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
2
tivation for the last five to fifteen years. They are
generally known as "abandoned" or "rundown"
farms. Prof. Van Cleef remarks that "these farms
have been in a state of abandoned cultivation be-
cause the struggle has been too severe for the Yan-
kee farmer or he has not been able to solve the prob-
lem of how to farm those particular pieces of land.
Now enters the Finn who boldly, slowly, method-
ically and laboriously begins to rehabilitate these
farms and to succeed where his predecessors have
failed. He purchases a cow, some chickens and a
horse, if funds permit. The first two items give
him a substantial food supply in the form of milk,
butter, eggs and even chickenmeat occasionally,
while the third offers power and transportation. He
clears away a few of the almost innumerable boul-
ders, cuts off a portion of the dense second growth
vegetation to make room for hay and enough of
truck garden products for his own use, and drains
a portion of the land. Tree stumps give him no
particular concern at first, for he just cultivates
around the stumps. In the course of time, and for
the Finn time accomplishes much, all the land will
be cleared, drained and under the plow."
He relates that in the spring of 1922 nearly 100
Finnish farmers marketed about 100,000 quarts of
strawberries in Worcester County. This is a record
that commands the careful consideration of every
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCUPATION
79
native New Englander, he says. These were run-
down lands and also, in part, new lands which the
farm bureaus of the state regarded as profitable on-
ly for the growth of pine. He concludes with en-
thusiastic praise of this stranger. "He knows how to
solve just such problems as the lands of Massachu-
setts present and is demonstrating without the per-
adventure of a doubt that what the New Englander
says can not be done, agriculturally, can be done.
The Finn is a New Pilgrim come to New England to
play a new role. He is increasing land values, in-
creasing the food supply, and establishing perma-
nent homes where the best of citizenship develops.
He is doing all this with essentially no encourage-
ment from the great Commonwealth of Massachu-
setts and in the face of much discouragement.")
The 14th Census of the United States gives the
number of Finns on farms as being 14,988, or four-
teenth in the rank of nationalities. But it must be
remembered in this connection that he is a rather
late comer. In Michigan there are 3,947 Finns on
farms, in Minnesota 4,703, and in Wisconsin 1,433.
He ranks in proportion of numbers, third in Michi-
gan, fourth in Minnesota, and eighth in Wisconsin.
Names of communities in this northwest section,
like Liminka, Toivola, Kyro, Uusi Suomi, Kaleva,
etc., bear witness to the fact that Finns have found-
1) The Scientific Monthly, May, 1923.
80
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
!
L.G
ed these communities. In this they have only fol-
lowed the custom established by the earlier arrivals
in America, who named many of their towns after
their native cities and communities.
?.
Other occupations. We have already incidentally
referred to the fact that the Finns are found as
loggers and lumbermen in Michigan and Minnesota.
Formerly, when the Lower Peninsula of Michigan
was thickly covered with timber and logging was
common, Finns were found working in the woods
around Muskegon, Ludington, Mannistee, Cadillac,
and other towns. Later we find them in the saw-
mill towns of the Upper Peninsula, in Dollarville,
Michigamme, Baraga, Foster City, to mention only
a few, working in the saw-mills during the summer
months, and with the approach of winter, when
lakes and rivers freeze over, moving to the logging
camps. Hundreds of Finnish woodsmen have also
been employed for years by large mining companies
in Michigan in cutting hardwood for their charcoal
kilns. The writer has visited many of these camps
in Chippewa, Alger, and Marquette Counties, where
large camps were operated. It was no task for two
men to cut and pile ten cords of hardwood daily.
About forty years ago, when large forests of native
timber were found in Houghton and Keweenaw
Counties, contractors employed mostly Finnish work-
men. And often there were found near to these log-
I
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCUPATION
81
ging operations Finnish blacksmiths who made axes,
sledges, and wedges for the woodsmen. A great
many Finnish loggers are also found today in the
lumber camps of the far west, or in the saw-mills
where the logs are sawed up into suitable building
material.
#i
That such work is often beset with hardships and
10 :
most trying severities, can readily be understood.
The men must live in isolation from the rest of the
world for months at a time laboring in deep snow
and in temperatures ranging often from -15° to -30°
F. As noted before, Van Cleef says, "Their life is
camp life, but not after their own choosing. It often-
times is next to intolerable. Yet doggedness, a sense
of responsibility, unusual powers of endurance, en-
able them to remain throughout the season". And
the same writer credits them with being "the most
•
· thrifty of all nationalities represented in the mines
and lumber camps.")
Of the New England Finns, The Scientific Month-
ly says that the earliest immigrants found their way
out of Boston to Cape Ann, where they were given
steady employment in the granite quarries. Later,
the quarries of Quincy and Fitchburg attracted
many, while the lumber industry in other parts of
New England lured some. After this they turned to
the textile mills, chair factories and other industries
1) The Finn in America, Van Cleef.
6
82
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
which offered immediate work and quick cash re-
turns. That even here they have earned a name for
themselves as hard workers is substantiated by the
judgment passed in the article referred to. We read:
"Managers of industrial plants are loath to see the
Finns move landward. They commend them as
among their best workers and not infrequently make
part-time arrangements which permit them during
the early development of their farms to spend a por-
tion of their time in the factory. Such an arrange-
ment is mutually advantageous, for while giving
the employer the benefit of Finnish labor it enables
the Finns to secure some ready cash so essential
while waiting for the first crop to mature. The
Finn's mechanical skill has evolved for much the
same reason as did that of the Yankee farmer of
fifty years ago. The isolated farmer can not call
in a plumber, a carpenter, a blacksmith, or other
specialist, but must be Jack-of-all-trades. So it is,
that when the Finn enters a factory without pre-
vious experience in the particular industry, 'he learns
quickly'. He soon becomes expert. He thereby de-
velops a double value to the community, on the one
hand as an efficient factory employee, oftentimes
excelling all other nationalities, and on the other
hand as a superior tiller of the soil".
The writer has himself had occasion to hear sim-
ilar comments passed by large employers of Finns
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCUPATION
83
in Worcester, Gardner, and other towns in Massa-
chusetts.
If we follow the Finn to Ohio, Pensylvania, and
Illinois, we find him working in steel and tin plate
mills. All along the Mahoning River valley in Ohio
and along the Monongahela River in Pennsylvania,
we find hundreds and hundreds of smokestacks
belching forth smoke and fire from their mouths.
This is the center of our great steel industry. Here
we find thousands of Finns co-operating in the pro-
cess of manufacturing this important material in
our civilized life. Others are found employed in the
steel mills of Waukegan, De Kalb, and Joliet, Illinois,
or in Gary, Indiana, or in other steel centers of our
country. Earlier than the steel workers in Ohio and
Pennsylvania, however, should be named the dock
and longshoremen in the harbors of Ohio, Fairport,
Ashtabula Harbor, Conneaut, and other places. The
first Finnish immigrants to this region found work
loading and unloading boats, and even today many
of them are still engaged in similar work. The work
was then done without the aid of modern machinery,
and required strength and endurance. But the Finn
is never afraid of work. It seems to be true concern-
ing him, as J. H. Jasberg, the noted Finnish humor-
ist, and humorists among Finns are rare-says,
that when the Finn arrives in America, he does not
undertake to peddle needles and buttons, nor sell
84
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
bananas on our city streets, but seeks for "the hard-
est job and biggest pay."
The life of these early Ohio Finns, as well as of
those found in mining towns and lumber camps in
other states, was often of an intemperate and rough
character. The reason for this is to be found partly
in that, homesick among strangers, with no social
life in which he could participate, his only recourse
was to drinking, which often resulted in fights and
disorder, and partly to the open saloon, which preyed
on these friendless strangers. The Finn is by nature,
however, sober and loves temperance. His country
was the first civilized nation that voted for prohibi-
tion, and at the present time national prohibition
exists in Finland. Prof. L. A. Chase, in his "Rural
Michigan," says: "Normally the Finn was temper-
ate even before the adoption of prohibition, contrary
to common opinion, as was shown by his vote in
favor of constitutional prohibition. In the Copper
Country, for example, mining locations with a large
Finnish element, and certain rural precincts almost
wholly Finnish in composition, were overwhelm-
ingly in favor of the prohibitory amendment, leav-
ing it to urban constituencies of definite American
and aristocratic tendencies to tip the balance to the
contrary side.¹) We come later to this subject under
the discussion of the cultural life of the Finns.
1) P. 167.
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCUPATION
85
One of the more recent vocational lines entered
by a large number of Finns is the automobile in-
dustry. Wherever this "horseless wagon" is made,
be it a "flivver" or a limousine, there Finns are
found, all the way from common laborers to inspec-
tors, skilled mechanics to draftsmen. And it may be
added that he appears to be just as quick as the rest
of his neighbors in providing himself with one of
these modern "necessities". He not only makes
"cars", but he makes them to ride in; he not only
earns good money, but he earns it to spend here.
It would be useless to try to enumerate all the oc-
cupational divisions in which Finns are found, but
a few of the remaining fields may be mentioned. In
Astoria, Oregon, we find them fishing on the Colum-
bia River; and one of the largest canning factories
of that city is owned by them. Among the various
trades throughout the country, we find a compara-
tively large number of Finnish representatives. It
has been estimated, for example, that during the
World War about twenty-five thousand of them
worked in shipyards where they were in great de-
mand.¹) The American-Scandinavian Review judg-
es them to have been "among the most valuable
workers in our shipyards". In nearly all Finnish
centers they enter commercial life in ever-increasing
numbers, and although we can't say that they have
1) See "Koti-Home", magazine, March, 1923, p. 13.
J
*:
i
1
86
T
I
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
accomplished anything very great as yet, many of
them have succeeded as merchants, or jewelers, or
wholesalers, etc. Many prominent and well-to-do
businessmen might be named among them, for ex-
ample, in Duluth, Minnesota, and in Houghton Coun-
ty towns in Michigan. A Finnish Businessmen's As-
sociation was established a few years ago in the
Lake Superior region by some professional and busi-
ness men of this section. The aim of this organiza-
tion seems to be "to establish better means of assim-
ilation between the native born and his brother
business men of foreign birth." It further aims to
promote an understanding of business conditions
in Finland and America, and thus endeavors to
establish trade relations between the two countries.
Of special interest in this connection are the co-
operative organizations found amongst these people.
They have had marked success especially with their
cooperative creameries in Minnesota, and also in
promoting cooperative methods among farmers in
general. Professor Chase says that the co-operative
spirit is very notable among Finnish farmers. "If
a farmer loses a horse or a cow, it has been observed,
his neighbors make up a contribution that compen-
sates the loss of the animal. They are mutually very
helpful in time of trouble. Cooperative business en-
terprises are common among them." He gives as a
further example the little Finnish settlement at
1
1
1
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCUPATION
87
Rock in Delta County, where a cooperative store,
flourmill, creamery, insurance society, and pure-
bred bull association have been established. Similar
examples are not wanting elsewhere. Perky, in an
article, entitled: "Cooperation in the United States",
also speaks of the cooperative organizations of the
Finns. The cooperative movement is something the
Finns found developed to a considerable degree in
their native land and was brought over from there.
"The Republic of Finland Survey" says that it is
one of the most important factors in the general de-
velopment of commercial life in Finland, and that it
has grown very fast. In 1901 the first cooperative
society was founded, and since that time their num-
ber has increased to 2,988.¹)
For the sake of comparison we add here a statis-
tical table showing the occupations of the immigrants
from Finland between the years 1901-1905. They
belonged to the various occupational groups as the
following table shows.
1) See pp. 18, 19.
Ba
88
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
TABLE IX.¹)
1. Farm workers
55,030, about 70%
2. Laborers and unskilled laborers 10,447, about 13%
3. Servants (women)
4. Skilled laborers
4,814, over 6%
4,539, over 5%
5. Merchants, sea-captains and sailors 2,461, over 3%
6. Industrial workers
1,241, over 1%
1,715, over 2%
809, about 1%
7. Professional men
8. Unclassified occupations
This shows that about 70% had been working on
farms, and about 13% were unskilled laborers. In
America the largest proportion of them are still in
the group of unskilled laborers, while the 14th Cen-
sus found about 15,000 of them on farms. We are
unable to give any estimate as to the number of pro-
fessional men among them in America or of those
employed as industrial or skilled workers. But con-
sidering the difficulties an immigrant has to contend
with in a strange land, and the handicaps he has to
overcome because of ignorance of the vernacular of
the land, it takes him some time to forge ahead.
That he is, however, doing this to an encouraging
degree, we have no reason to doubt, thanks to our
democratic social system of open classes and to his
own physical and mental capacities.
1
1) From the Social-Economic Magazine of Finland, 1905, p.
14.
¿
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCUPATION
89
1
We see a hopeful sign in the occupational evolu-
tion of the Finnish immigrant in America. When
thousands of people are leaving rural communities
to take up their residence in our rapidly developing
cities, the Finn is one of the very few nationalities
that has his look directed landward. This problem
is a serious one, not only in America, but as pointed
out earlier in the suggestion of Professor Kilpi, in
most of the European countries, where they are pas-
sing through a change from agricultural to indus-
trial conditions. In 1860 the city population num-
bered 18% of the total population of the United
States; in 1910 we still had 54% in rural communi-
ties, but in 1920 the majority of the population, viz.
52%, lived in cities. This is, indeed, a serious socio-
logical problem. But the Finn is an exception to this
rule. As we have already pointed out, his ambition
is to get a farm for himself. According to the Unit-
ed States statistics more than 54% of the Finns live
in rural communities, but their previous occupa-
tional experience and natural love for open-air life
should increase this percentage considerably in the
future. Prof. Van Cleef, whom we have quoted free-
ly, says that this phenomenon "is rather noticeable
for only immigrants from Norway, Denmark, Lux-
emburg, and Mexico show a similar tendency.")
1) Op. cit., p. 3.
90
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
"One of the greatest enemies to the sincere and ef-
ficacious process of Americanization is urbanism",
says a writer in a recent magazine article. "When
the solution of the grave problem directly connected
with the 'digestion' of the foreign masses who at pre-
sent congregate in the large cities, instead of scatter-
ing themselves throughout the country, is solved, the
problem of Americanization will be more than half
solved. The over-crowding of the large cities by for-
eigners is an evil to the foreigners, but it is a greater
evil to the nation. The farmer, on the other hand, is
a worker and a creator at the same time, and he
makes the objects which he handles; the fertility of
the soil is as much created by him as by the gen-
erosity of nature. He builds houses, plants trees, and
establishes firesides and families. He naturalizes
himself before asking for his citizenship papers, and
he becomes an active element in the formation of
the general wealth of the nation.”
Some have argued that immigrants have a tend-
ency to form communities whose members "are as-
sociated together by a common origin, by religious
affiliations, or by a common language and national
relationship", thus constituting foreign communities
in our midst. "Perhaps this is true", writes Prof.
Chase, "but surely the presence of people in the same
locality, kindred in speech, religious connection,
economic and social status, has encouraged and com-
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCUPATION
91
forted the members of the group in their new and
strange situation and rendered them less ready to
leave their rural homes for urban life".) And we
may add that although such communities do exist
among the Finns, they are comparatively new. Then,
again, the Americanization is not a matter of revo-
lutionary methods, but of gradual growth and as-
similation; and the older Finnish communities prove
that this process is taking place with comparative
speed.
The Finns are now found mainly engaged in men-
ial occupations, but this does not mean that they lack
capacity for higher vocations and callings in life, as
one school teacher once stated to the writer. On the
contrary they show marked ability in various profes-
sions and artistic careers, when given opportunity
for development. Many immigrants have already
risen to distinguished positions. A Finnish man has
held a professorship in The Chicago Art Institute
for a number of years; and the writer met with a
happy surprise a few years ago, when enrolling as
a student in a Greek class at the University of Chi-
cago, by meeting a Finn there. The professor in
charge of the course asked a few informal questions
of the writer concerning his previous work in Greek,
which soon revealed the fact that they had both been
born in Finland, he having come to America with
1) Rural Michigan, p. 179.
92
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
his parents when he was only four years old. As
further illustrations, the names of two Finns may
be added, who have received very distinguished
honors in America recently. One is Bruno V. Nord-
berg, the President and Chief Engineer of the Nord-
berg Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis. On
conferring upon him the honorary degree of Doctor
of Engineering, in behalf of the University of Michi-
gan, President M. L. Burton characterized him as
"a great builder of engines and an inventor of the
highest scientific attainment." The other man, we
have reference to, is Professor Eliel Saarinen, who
has attracted considerable attention in the archi-
tectural world since his success in winning the sec-
ond prize in The Chicago Tribune Building inter-
national contest. His design was pronounced the
best by many of the foremost architects in America.
He has now been honored with a call as a visiting
professor of architectural design by the University
of Michigan.
We close this chapter with a quotation from Prof.
Van Cleef, for it applies in principle to all the Finns
in America. He writes, "It will be worth while to
look at the other side of the shield and note what
sort of leadership has developed among them
(Finns). The last mayor of Eveleth, Minnesota, a
city of about 8,000 inhabitants, was a Finn. He is a
young man possessed of an aggressive spirit and of
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCUPATION
93
excellent business ability. He offers an example that
seems to discount the common assertion that the
Finn has no capacity for business affairs. The chief
of detectives of Duluth stands as another splendid
example of young Finnish leadership. The medical
field has its quota of Finns who rank high, and the
legal profession is worthily represented. Many school
teachers in the county are Finns. They rank among
the best in the state, and some have made scholar-
ship records in the normal schools that might well
be envied by their non-Finnish classmates.")
1) Op. cit., pp. 29, 30.
CHAPTER VI.
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS.
a) School.
The educational system in Finland has become
well established, both in the Elementary and Secon-
dary schools. The church has been a great factor in
the early education of the people here as in other
Protestant countries. According to the belief of the
religious leaders it was necessary for every indi-
vidual to be able to read the Word of God and thus
understand the fundamentals of Christianity. In-
struction was first given at home, and general pub-
lic examinations, known as "kinkerit" (might be
originated from Kinderlehre, German, through the
Swedish), were held yearly, where the youth, and
also the older people, were examined as to their
ability to read and understand the Christian doc-
trines. It is interesting to note in this connection, that
every person who wished to be married, first had
to satisfy the minister that he was able to read;
this insured intelligent parentage in the country. This
explains the fact why the percentage of illiteracy in
Finland is so small. At present it is below one per
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
95
cent (7/10 of 1%), while in America, due to our
southern population and certain classes of immi-
grants, the percentage of illiteracy is nearly 10%.
Very few countries excel Finland in this respect.
In comparing the number of illiterates found in
Finland with those in other countries, it is necessary
to explain that in the statistics of Finland, illiteracy
is defined as including those persons that are not
able to read. It does not consider those who are un-
able to write. In the United States, however, we
class as illiterates those who are able neither to read
nor write. This would raise the number of illiterates
in Finland to some extent, for a few persons are
found among the older generation who cannot write
although they are able to read. This is understood
more readily when we remember that the public
school system was organized in Finland as late as
1866. This fact does not, however, materially change
the general truth, and we can say that Finland stands
among the first countries in Europe in the degree
of literacy found among its people.¹)
Many facts could be given in proof of these fore-
going statements, but we shall point out only two
that have come to our attention recently. The first
comes from the Honorable Charles L. Kagey, United
States' minister to Finland, our first minister to the
1) Republic of Finland, Govt. Publication.
96
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
new Republic. He has just recently returned to Ame-
rica for a brief vacation. On being interviewed by
the reporter of the "Daily Call", published in Be-
loit, Kansas, he made some very interesting state-
ments concerning the country, the people, and their
educational system. On being asked concerning the
educational standard of the country, he said that
"the ability to read is wonderfully high there, and
in general I have been assured that 98 out of every
hundred persons are able to read and write. Finland
has an educational system covering the whole coun-
try, and several colleges and universities which rank
among the best in the world."
The other statement comes from a man who is
well versed in international affairs, namely, Francis
E. Clark, the founder of the Christian Endeavor
League. He wrote an article in the Christian Herald,
New York, in Sept. 1920, in which he paid tribute
not only to the high intelligence of the people in gen-
eral, but to their great physical agility and endur-
ance, as exemplified within the last few years by
their achievements in international games and con-
tests, like the Olympics in Antwerp a few years ago.
As we remember, the Finns broke several world rec-
ords and won the second place, the United States
being first. We shall come back later to the subject
of athletics.
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
97
The majority of the young men and women com-
ing to America from Finland, have had at least an
elementary school education. The Finnish "Kan-
sakoulu", public school, comprises, in the writer's
estimation, a year or two of high school work, with
such subjects as practical geometry, general history,
and manual training. Many have attended higher
institutions of learning. Finland was the first coun-
try to organize manual training as a part of its
school instruction, for as early as 1858, Uno Cyg-
naeus outlined a course for manual training involv-
ing bench and metal work, wood-carving, and bas-
ketweaving. In 1866 this work was made compul-
sory for boys in all rural schools.¹) So when the
Finn comes to America, and finds public schools in
the community in which he locates, he is glad to
send his children there. Compulsory education laws
do not bother him, for he has been used to them in
Finland. In general it may be said that school au-
thorities do not have any more trouble in compelling
Finnish children to attend school than they have in
compelling those of other nationalities.
Having given this brief background of the educa-
tional standards of the Finns, we shall now try to
point out a few facts from their actual life in
America.
1) See History of Education, Cubberly, p. 769.
7
98
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
Public School. The following table is from the
Hancock Public School records. It shows the total
number of children enrolled, and the number and
percentage of Finnish children.
Year
1911
1912
1913
1914
1915
1916
100
#
TABLE X.¹)
Total No. of Ch.
1,329
1,389
1,415
1,580
1,477
1,476
Finnish Ch.
458
508
546
631
691
796
Per cent of
Finnish Ch.
34.4
36.5
38.5
39.9
46.7
53.9
The above table shows that the number of Finnish
children in the public schools at Hancock has steadi-
ly increased. The same thing is true of other com-
munities where the Finns are numerous, e. g. Calu-
met, Ishpeming, Negaunee, Ironwood, and Wake-
field in Michigan, and in Virginia, Eveleth, Hibbing,
Chisholm, Ely, and other towns in Minnesota, Asto-
ria, Oregon, Ashtabula Harbor, and Fairport in
Ohio. The number of Finnish high school graduates
is increasing yearly. In some of the Michigan high
schools the number of Finnish graduates last sum-
mer was as high as 40% of the total. This shows
that the older members of the race have become
1) Americanization of the Finnish People in Houghton
County, Clemens Niemi, p. 40.
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
99
established financially, and are able to give their
children a better education. But even then it is a
sacrifice for the parents of large families, with com-
paratively small incomes. It can be said with credit,
that when a common laborer sees five of his children
through high school, as the writer knows some Finn-
ish families have done, it certainly shows apprecia-
tion of education. And yet the fathers and the moth-
ers of such families have often themselves had very
little or no schooling.
A very high tribute is paid to the Finnish public
school children by one of the best known educators
and schoolmen in Michigan, a man who has had wide
experience as a school administrator with Finnish
children. We refer to Supt. Fred A. Jeffers, of
Painesdale, a member of The State Board of Edu-
cation in Michigan. He writes:
"For nearly a third of a century I have known
children of Finnish parentage as in large numbers
they have come under my observation and super-
vision in the public schools. The great majority of
them have been industrious and intelligent to a high
degree. Many of them have ranked among our best
pupils in deportment and scholarship. They have
not created any special problems of instruction and
discipline due to their particular origin, but on the
contrary most of them in very short time after be-
ginning school attendance have seemed decidedly
10.
100
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
{
American in every aspect of their school life. Very
few of them have made any trouble in matters of
behavior, reflecting in that respect, doubtless, the
excellent training of sensible parents in good homes.
They have been not only good pupils in elementary
and high school, but many have continued their
studies in higher institutions and have become strong
and able teachers. It may be emphatically stated
that the American school children of Finnish origin
have made a creditable record of achievement in our
schools, and thus in large and increasing measure
are making a fine contribution to American citizen-
ship.
Through the Finnish immigrants and their chil-
dren the star of the little republic of the far north
mingles its gleam with the stars of the great re-
public of the west and the pathway of America's
civilization is better illumined thereby".
Prof. Van Cleef writes on this question, concern-
ing the Finns in Minnesota, that the Finn demon-
strates his desire for mental growth by the attend-
ance of his children in the public schools and his
own attendance at night schools. "The Finns de-
mand schools no matter how remote they may be.
The daily attendance record of their children is
very high," says the St. Louis County superintendent
of Schools. In a town on the Mesabi Range, where
the Finn constitutes only about one-tenth of the
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
101
population, the superintendent of schools reports
that he is the backbone of the night school. Out of
a total attendance of 900 over 500 were Finns.¹)
We quote another man who has had considerable
experience with Finnish children in his capacity as
high school principal and, later, as county superin-
tendent of the schools of Gogebic County, Michigan;
we refer to John C. Watson. Meeting Finnish chil-
dren for the first time as they came to enroll in the
high school of Ironwood, most of them coming from
rural schools, he had misgivings as to the ability of
these timid and apparently stolid looking children,
but the superintendent, who had been in charge for
several years, corrected him, saying: "Oh, they are
all right. They become good students when they get
over their bashfulness." After twelve year of prin-
cipalship in that school, he writes: "During my
twelve years as principal, five of the valedictorians
were of Finnish parentage, two of whom were from
the country districts. So you see I cannot be blamed
if I have lost quite a little confidence in the accuracy
of my first impressions. Of those who stood among
the one-third highest in the graduating classes, the
Finnish graduates always had more than their share
in proportion to those taking part in the declama-
tory contests - thus becoming our representatives
in contests with other high schools. Many of the best
1) The Finn in America, p. 23.
102
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
-
performers in the vocal and instrumental music or-
ganizations were of that nationality. They were not
selected through favoritism either. But it was in the
field of dramatics that their work was the most com-
mendable. When we presented Officer 666, the
part of the young millionaire was taken by Oscar Ke-
tola. Surely I have never seen a better piece of act-
ing on the amateur stage.")
Modern study of sociology has proved that there
is very little difference in the intelligence of differ-
ent races, given the same opportunities for develop-
ment. The Finnish boy or girl has generally showed
up in a very satisfactory way. Many among them
show exceptional ability, it being not an uncommon
thing to have a Finnish boy or girl deliver the vale-
dictory at a high school commensement. We could
name schools from our personal knowledge where
Finnish students have attained the highest records
in the history of the schools. There are no records
to show in what subjects Finnish children show
most talent, but it is our experience that different
students show aptitudes for different subjects. Some
may excel in mathematics, some again in history or
languages, and still others in natural sciences, or in
music and the fine arts. The Finnish race has in-
herited a special love for music and poetry, as their
1) "Koti-Home", No. 6, 1922.
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
103
national epic "Kalevala" and the "Kanteletar" well
prove.
Evening Schools. In most of the communities, in
which Finns have lived, evening schools have not
existed until within the last few years. But they have
organized such schools themselves in connection with
their Temperance Societies or other organizations.
The writer has himself been a teacher in such schools
in various places where he has lived. Most of the
larger Finnish communities have had their evening
schools, although many of them have been in exist-
ence only for a year or two during the winter months.
These difficulties have been encountered: students
have found the learning of English too hard for the
time they could give to it, and there has been a short-
age of suitable teachers. But with the high schools
and other agencies, e. g. Americanization organiza-
tions, Speak-English Clubs in St. Louis County,
Minnesota, going into this work within the last few
years, many of these difficulties have been over-
come.
Is it easy for a Finn to learn English? For those
who come to America very young it offers no dif-
ficulties. He is able to learn English quite easily,
and this in spite of the fact that he has learned his
mother tongue first. The two languages are so dif-
ferent that there is no possibility of mixing the two.
But it must be admitted, as is well known from the
ļ
104
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
study of languages in general, that the idioms of
one language affect the use of another language
at times. One thinks in the idioms of a certain
language and translates these into another,
thus bringing strange constructions into the
language which is not his native tongue. Those
who have come as immigrants at a later age, say
about the age of 17 or 18 years, find it difficult to
learn English perfectly. The Finnish language lacks
such sounds as wh, th, sh, ch, and a mistake is quite
often made in pronouncing words like "which",
"there", "share", "church" etc. The distinction be-
tween the letters b and p, t and d, also causes some
confusion, for Finnish has only the p and t letters;
while b is found only in words of foreign origin, and
d never stands at the beginning of a word. Of the
pronunciation of English words, it might be said
in general that they offer infinite difficulties to im-
migrants whose language happens to be phonetic, as
the Finnish is. We are not, however, arguing for
the phonetic spelling in English for the sake of the
Finn, unless other weightier reasons are found for
introducing the change.
The Finnish people have special difficulty also in
distinguishing the gender of pronouns, because no
gender is observed in Finnish in classifying pro-
nouns. For an example, a Finnish man may make a
mistake like the one which happened in an evening
1
105
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
1
school in Minnesota. The teacher asked him, point-
ing to his wife, "What do you call this?" He replied:
"I call him she." These facts, and others which
might be added, do show that there are many reasons
to account for the slow progress which the immi-
grants often make in learning our language; they
may also help us to sympathize with them in their
difficulties."
To what extent do Finnish parents send their
children to colleges and higher institutions of learn-
ing? We are unable to furnish any figures in this
respect, but it may be said that their numbers are
growing very fast. From our knowledge we could
name at this moment several Finnish students at-
tending the universities of Michigan, Chicago, Min-
nesota, Illinois, Ohio, Boston, Oregon, and Califor-
nia, Dartmouth College, Wellesley, Michigan Agri-
cultural College, Michigan College of Mines, Chicago
Art Institute, and numerous Normal Colleges and
Musical Conservatories. The University of Minne-
sota reports that there are enrolled this fall (1923)
in that institution about 100 Finnish students. It
would be very interesting to give a list of Finnish
university graduates, but we do not know that any
such list exists. From our knowledge we shall point
out a few, without making it personal nor exhaust-
ive. From the University of Michigan we can think
of seven, four from the Law Department (one of
106
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
!
these men became the first Finnish Congressman in
America two years ago), two from the College of
Literature, Science, and the Arts, and two in Medi-
cine; one from Columbia, three from Chicago, and
four from Minnesota, without trying to name others.
In justice to the Finnish medical men, we should add
that we are acquainted with a large number of them,
who have received their professional education in
America. The teaching profession, however, has at-
tracted the largest number of Finnish young men
and women. It has been estimated by some author-
ities that there are as many as 1,000 of them in this
profession in America. The figures given here of
various kinds of graduates should not by any means
be taken as representing a total number. They have
been cited at random only as illustrations of a fact
important to notice in this connection.
Suomi College and Theological Seminary. Besides
sending their children to the public schools, the Finns
have been interested in organizing educational insti-
tutions for higher learning of their own. We shall
give a few facts concerning the one which already
has an important history behind it. This school is
Suomi College and Theological Seminary, located at
Hancock, Mich. It was founded by the Suomi Synod
in 1896 and has continued its work ever since. It is
the only educational institution in existence today,
for general culture, organized by the Finns in Amer-
{
1
107
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
ica. A theological seminary, operated by the Finnish
National Church at Ironwood, Mich., for a few
years, has now closed its doors. Of the other church
schools, e. g. Sunday Schools, etc., we shall speak in
connection with our discussion of the church. But
why organize a school in America that seems to
savor of foreignness? Why was Suomi College organ-
ized?
Something in the name of the school partly an-
swers our question. It has been organized, in the
first place, for religious reasons. The state does not
build our churches, or provide us with pastors, or
take care of the religious training of our children
in America. "Congress shall make no law respecting
an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof." So we read in our Constitution;
and yet this country was to be a Christian land, ac-
cording to the idea of the framers of the Constitu-
tion. This ideal could be secured only through the
separation of the state and the church. In our judg-
ment it is not only our privilege but our duty to see
that the democratic principles and Christian ideals,
on which the foundation of this nation was based,
are perpetuated in our national life. The great men
in the history of our country, beginning with George
Washington on to President Harding, have all em-
phasized the need of religious instruction in our
country. The Finns did not need to be taught this
108
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
idea in America, for they came from a country where
religion has exerted a great influence over the minds
of the people. The Finns needed churches and min-
isters in America, and in order to satisfy the spirit-
ual needs of the people amid new and strange condi-
tions, it was necessary that the ministers understand
the life and the thought of the people, whom they
were to serve. The ministers coming from Finland
soon found that the people were changing fast in
their ways and the younger element especially was
forgetting its mother tongué. A native born and
educated ministry was needed. This was the prime
reason for the founding of Suomi College.
The second reason was to give the children of the
immigrants a chance to receive Christian education
together with instruction in other necessary branch-
es. Thirdly, to provide those immigrants who came
to America in mature years with a school where
they could come to learn English and receive instruc-
tion in other fundamental subjects. Lastly, the
founders have had an idea that they wanted to give
their children an opportunity to learn to know and
understand the language and the history of their
native land, not from any opposition to English, but
in harmony with it. This last idea is not hard to un-
derstand, for every race has a warm spot in its heart
for the life of its own kin. "If I forget thee, O, Je-
rusalem", expresses a human sentiment. The last
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
109
named reason does not play an unduly important
part in the life of Suomi College today, in our judg-
ment. A few years ago we read in the annual cat-
alog of the institution that "the institution takes
into consideration the requirements of an American
education, at the same time cherishing the heritage
of the Old Fatherland", but this statement may be
interpreted as being more for the satisfaction of the
older friends of the institution than anything for-
eign in the spirit of the school. The institution aims
to be an American educational institution, contrib-
uting its services to the cause of citizenship by the
education of leaders for the Finnish people who will
be mentally keen and spiritually sound.
Suomi College has five departments, namely, the
Preparatory, Music, Academic, Commercial and
Theological Departments. The Preparatory Depart-
ment is an important factor in Americanization
work, courses being especially arranged to meet the
needs of immigrants who are mature in age, and
who can not for this reason attend a public school.
English is the main subject taught, the number of
hours per week being from 20-25 hours. United
States history and geography are taught in connec-
tion with the English work. Music Department of-
fers instruction in piano and organ and in choral
singing. The Academy offers a four-year high school
course. Nearly all the instruction in this department
110
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
is given in English. Two years ago the Academy
was admitted on the accredited list of high schools by
the University of Michigan. The Commercial De-
partment offers a two years' course in bookkeeping
and shorthand, together with allied subjects. The
work of the school, in general, was favorably com-
mended by the state inspector, Prof. J. B. Edmonson,
and he paid special tribute to the Commercial De-
partment because Civics was taught there to all the
pupils. The Theological Seminary offers a three-
year course; it prepares ministers for the Finnish
Lutheran Church in America. Plans are now under
way to open up a Junior College this fall.
The school is directed and supported by the Suomi
Synod; yearly reports are made to the annual con-
vention by the president of the institution. Five
years ago the first president, Dr. J. K. Nikander,
died; the office was filled through the election of
Rev. John Wargelin, who also acts as manager of the
institution. The faculty numbers twelve members at
present, of whom nine have received their education
and training in American colleges and universities;
the others have been educated in the University of
Helsinki
Helsingfors, of Finland. The enrollment has risen
to 165 students, but during the last two years it has
been somewhat smaller, due to the unsettled econom-
ic conditions experienced in America. Since the
school is the only Finnish educational institution for
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
111
higher learning in America, the students come from
all parts of the United States. It is the only school
where the Finnish language can be learned properly
in America, as no universities offer courses in it,
and for this reason it has possibilities of develop-
ment which may mean a great deal for it in the near
future. Letters are continually received from Amer-
icans who wuold like to take a course in Finnish,
but thus far no special courses have been offered for
those not already familiar with the language. As
there is a plan for adding new departments of study
to the curricula, it is possible that a school for grad-
uate work in Finnish may also be added.
Two years ago the school became free of debt and
since then there has been some talk of moving it to
some other place which would be more centrally
located. A number of places have shown their inter-
est in Suomi College by trying to induce the Board
of Directors to consider them as possible new loca-
tions for the school; among these may be mentioned
Duluth, Minnesota, and Painesville, Ohio. But at the
time of this writing it does not appear probable that
it will be moved away from Hancock. The city has
always shown great interest in the school, and when
the question of a new location came up, the Chamber
of Commerce of Hancock appointed a committee to
confer with the president of Suomi College to try to
find out what could be done to keep the school in its
112
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
present location. This only shows that Suomi Col-
lege has made friends in wide sections of our coun-
try.
In closing the discussion of this question, we quote
what others have said about Suomi College. Mr.
Clemens Niemi writes: "There are skeptical opinions
as to the influence of denominational schools in im-
migrant groups. Some hold the opinion that they
perpetuate racial boundaries; others again consider
them to be means of enriching American culture.
Each one may pass his judgment upon the matter
according to his mental attitude. The college under
consideration seems to have become a force in the
adaptation of the newcomer, whatever its original
aim may have been. In the organization of religious
work the college has exerted a powerful influence.
The ministers trained in it have learned the Eng-
lish language and the American viewpoint in church
work. In other words, it has tended to demolish and
to destroy old ways of thinking and formalism
through educational channels. The institution also
has acted as a medium in the dissemination of Amer-
ican principles through nationalist leadership. Its
graduates of various departments have played an
important role directly or indirectly in the Ameri-
canization process of community life. Numerous
teachers in public schools have received their pre-
paratory training in the college and they, knowing
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
113
the idiosyncrasies of their people, have been able to
approach them with effective results. American in-
fluences have been thus brought more readily home.
The school, furthermore, has prepared many new-
comers for American citizenship by teaching the
language of the country and its history.")
1) Op. referred previously, p. 33.
t
co
S
CHAPTER VII.
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS,
(Continued)
b) Press.
The importance of the press as a means of dif-
fusing ideas, need not be dealt with here at any
length. Its necessity is based on human association,
without it the sympathy of man would be limited to
his own narrow environment, with which he can
have personal contact; but as a normal human being
he needs to live in the larger life of his people and
society. "Printing", says Prof. Cooley, "means de-
mocracy, because it brings knowledge within the
reach of the common people; and knowledge, in the
long run, is sure to make good its claim to power. It
brings to the individual whatever part in the heritage
of ideas he is fit to receive. The world of thought, and
eventually the world of action, comes gradually
under the rule of a true aristocracy of intelligence
and character, in place of an artificial one created by
exclusive opportunity.")
The newspaper has become a powerful factor in
modern social life. Its development, like that of the
2) Social Organization, p. 75.
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
115
modern city, has not wholly been a rational pro-
duct. "No one sought to make it just what
it is. In spite of all the efforts of individual
men and generations of men to control it and to
make it something after their own heart, it has con-
tinued to grow and change in its own incalculable
ways.'
" Thus writes Professor Robert E. Park in
the November issue, 1923, of The American Journal
of Sociology. It may be said according to him, that
the natural history of the press is the history of the
surviving species. The struggle for existence, in the
case of the newspaper, has been a struggle for cir-
culation. The newspaper that is read becomes an in-
fluence in the community. The success of the news-
paper does not, however, depend mainly upon intel-
ligent readers, in fact, it is said that the most suc-
cessful of the Hearst papers, the New York Evening
Journal, gains a new body of subscribers every six
years. The newspapers have discovered that even
men who can perhaps read no more that the head-
lines in the daily press will buy a Sunday paper to
look at the pictures.
It may be said that the modern newspaper aims
to give news. The name of the first newspaper in
America, at least the first that lasted beyond its
first issue, was the Boston News-Letter. It was
characteristically published by the postmaster, as
the village post office and the country store have al-
116
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
ways been a public forum, where all the affairs of
the community and country at large are discussed.
What is news? Many answers have been given.
It is said that Charles A. Dana-who together with
James Gordon Bennett, Joseph Pulitzer, and Wil-
liam Randolph Hearst are said to have made the
modern newspaper-defined news, that it is "any-
thing that will make people talk". But this defini-
tion may be said to be that of the latest and most
successful type of journal, or the yellow press. Pro-
fessor Park, whose ideas we are presenting here, sug-
gests, however, that not all successful journals are
yellow. Some papers are guided by principle, and
choose their news accordingly, while others say, "I
renounce all so-called principles"; some write "the
news in the form of fiction, while the daily press
frequently writes fiction in the form of news." Sure-
ly there is needed a remedy for the existing condi-
tion of the newspaper, but it is not our problem at
this time to suggest such remedies.
Why have a foreign-language press in America?
The answer would seem to be that as long as we have
members of immigrant groups among us, who are
unable to read English, it is necessary to have these
people communicate with the social mind of the com-
munity and country at large, through their papers.
A further reason for our large foreign-language
press is the growth of great cities which increase
-
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
117
the size of the reading public, according to Profess-
or Park. "Reading which was a luxury in the
country", he says, "has become a necessity in the
city. In the urban environment literacy is almost as
much a necessity as speech itself".
Many immigrants who had not read newspapers in
the old country have acquired the newspaper habit
from reading a foreign-language newspaper in
America, and eventually have become attracted to
the native American newspapers. Mark Villchur,
editor, of the Russkoye Slovo, New York City, learn-
ed from a survey taken among his readers that
"out of 312 correspondents only 16 had regularly
read newspapers in Russia; 10 others from time to
time read newspapers in the Volast, the village ad-
ministration center, and 12 were subscribers to
weekly magazines. In America all of them were
subscribers or readers of Russian newspapers".
Thus learning the newspaper habit, the immigrant
ultimately becomes a reader of the large American
dailies which can better satisfy his desire for fresh
news. These papers "are for him a window looking
out into the large world outside the narrow circle of
the immigrant community in which he has been
compelled to live".")
1) Prof. R. E. Park, The Am. Journ. of Sociology, Nov. 1923,
pp. 273-289.
118
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
It is not our purpose to enter into a defense of the
foreign press in America, but it must be admitted
that they play a very important part in the general
educational work among the immigrants. If the
platform of the paper is in harmony with democratic
principles of government, and the editorship in the
hands of broadminded, intelligent men, who are in-
terested in the affairs of our country, then the paper
can be a positive factor in Americanization work. We
shall give briefly the early history of the Finnish
press in America.
1) The first Finnish newspaper in America was
the "Amerikan Suomalainen Lehti", published in
Hancock, Mich., on April 14, 1876. It was a paper
of four columns, and four pages, edited by A. J.
Muikku, a student from Finland. The paper lived,
however, only a short time; eleven and one-half is-
sues in all were printed. The total number of sub-
scribers had been 300.
2) The second paper was started by Matt Fred
(died in 1922) in 1878, the name of the paper was
"Swen Dufva". It lasted only for three years, be-
cause of lack of support.
3) In 1879, July 4th, was published the third
Finnish paper in America by Alex Leinonen, one of
the early Pioneers among the Finnish immigrants to
America. Out of this paper was formed, in 1895, a
paper whose name has become very well known
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
119
among the Finns.
This paper was named "Siirto-
lainen", (The Immigrant). It is still published as
a weekly paper, but its circulation is very small, due
to the fact that the owners of it are more interested
in their daily paper, "Päivälehti", published at
Duluth, Minnesota.
4) The next in order was the "Uusi Kotimaa",
(The New Homeland), published in 1881 by August
Nylund, at Minneapolis, later moved to New York
Mills, Minn. This paper has enjoyed comparatively
good support, due to the character of the paper and
the acquaintance of its publishers with the people in
general. It is still published in New York Mills,
Minn., but it is now owned by the Non-Partisan
League in Minnesota. It is the oldest of the Finnish
papers now in existence.
5) "Yhdysvaltain Sanomat", organized at Ash-
tabula Harbor, Ohio, by August Edwards, in 1884,
was moved to Minneapolis later, then brought to
Calumet, Mich., where it was finally discontinued.
6) "Walvoja", the first religious paper, first
publication in 1885, at Ashtabula Harbor, edited by
J. W. Lähde, J. J. Hoikka and J. K. Nikander. (The
two last named, ministers, became five years later
the founders of the Finnish Lutheran Church in
America.) This publication ceased in 1888.
7) "New Yorkin Lehti", in 1890, by Gronlund.
120
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
8) "Lännetär", at Astoria, Oregon, in 1891,
founded by J. E. Saari, Adolph Riippa and A. Ke-
tonen.
9) "Amerikan Uutiset", in 1894, at Minneapolis,
later moved to Calumet, Mich., founded by Fred Ka-
rinen.
10) "Kuparisaaren Sanomat", at Hancock, Mich.,
in 1895, editor Victor M. Burman, sold in 1899 to a
publishing company at Calumet, Mich., and was
published for a few years under the name of "Suo-
metar".
11) In 1897, August Edwards, of Ashtabula
Harbor, Ohio, who had already been identified
with some Finnish newspaper projects, began to
publish a paper by the name of "Amerikan Sano-
mat". In 1903 the "Suometar" of Calumet was
united with it under a new name of "Amerikan Sa-
nomat ja Suometar". This paper has enjoyed at
times as many as 12,000 subscribers, but in 1913 its
publication was discontinued because of the lack of
support.
12) In June, 1899 a paper was organized which
has had considerable influence over the religious
and educational work of the Finns, and is still in
existence. The name of this paper is the "Ameri-
kan Suometar". It was founded by K. L. Tolonen,
J. K. Nikander and John Back, ministers of Suo-
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
121
mi Synod, and laymen J. H. Jasberg, Isaac Sillberg,
Alex. Leinonen and Jacob Holmlund. In 1900 the
paper changed owners and became the property of
the Suomi Synod through its publishing concern,
which was organized by the name of the Finnish
Lutheran Book Concern, with headquarters at Han-
cock, Michigan. The purpose for the founding of
the "Amerikan Suometar" can be gathered from the
words, written by Emil Pesonen, manager of the
"Amerikan Suometar", in the 20th Anniversary
publication of the paper. He says: "In the minds of
some of the leading men of the church (Suomi
Synod), rose the thought that a newspaper devoted
to religious and educational work, and presenting
this work from the standpoint of those who were to
make their homes here, would be of value. As the
church was organized permanently for active work
in America, such a paper became a necessity".¹)
The Finnish Lutheran Book Concern publishes
also at present the "Paimen Sanomat" (devotional,
and official organ of Suomi Synod), the "Lasten
Lehti" (Sunday School paper), the "Nuorten Ystä-
vä" (Young People's paper), and other publications
of the Synod, e. g. "Kirkollinen Kalenteri”, and the
Year Book of the Suomi Synod.
1) See the 20th Anniversary Publication of American Suo-
metar, p. 7.
122
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
13) "Auttaja", semi-religious paper, founded in
1906, is the official organ of the Finnish National
Lutheran Church. It is published at Ironwood,
Michigan, and the editorship has generally been in
the hands of one of the clergymen of the Synod. The
same body has also published for a number of years
other church papers and publications.
This description would be incomplete without
adding that the Finnish National Brothers' Temper-
ance Association has published a temperance paper
for several years, but owing to the decline of
temperance societies in general, after the adoption
of national prohibition, the publication of this paper
has been suspended. The F. N. B. Temperance
Association has a bright history to point to through
its various activities, as for example, its yearly
prize essay contests on social questions, temperance
particularly, its song festivals, and its uplifting in
general of the morale of the Finnish immigrants.
Over 100 different Finnish newspapers have been
started since Mr. Muikku first published his paper
in 1876. At present there are about 30 Finnish
publications, e. g. "Amerikan Suometar", published
in Hancock, Mich., "Auttaja", published in Iron-
wood, Mich., "Industialisti" (radical), Duluth,
Minn., "Lännen Suometar", Astoria, Ore., "New
Yorkin Uutiset", New York City, "Pohjantähti”,
Fitchburg, Mass., "Päivälehti", a daily, Duluth,
.
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
123
+
Minn., "Työmies" (Socialistic), Superior, Wis., and
"Walvoja", Calumet, Mich. It is useless to follow
the history of the Finnish press any further. Of the
thirty or so papers now in existence, according to
Robert E. Park¹) eleven are socialist or radical
papers. And he makes the statement that the Finns
have proportionally more radical papers in America
than any other race, with the exception of the Jews.
Prof. Van Cleef makes this number 29, and divides
it into 7 socialist, 1 radical, and 21 religious or liber-
al papers. By the term religious or liberal he means
in this case the religious, republican, independent and
temperance papers. He says: "Including four year-
books, one may count 29 periodical publications. Of
these seven are Socialistic, one is an organ of the
I. W. W., and the rest are liberal. The total circula-
tion of these publications is as follows: Socialist-
29,000, I. W. W.-3,500, liberal-59,000, year-books
-20,000. This gives a grand total of 111,500. These
figures do not all represent different individuals
who read these periodicals, for some subsribe to
several of them.2)
If the above statement that the Finns have pro-
portionally more radical papers than any other race,
with the exception of the Jews, is true, the question
arises, how can we account for such a large number
1) The Immigration Press and its Control, p. 46. '
2) The Finn in America, p. 24.
124
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
L.
of radical papers among them? We take up the con-
sideration of Socialism among the Finns later, suf-
fice it here to try to point out a few reasons. In the
first place, it is to be understood that the same
publishing concern publishes different kinds of
papers for its readers, viz., a daily paper, farming
publication, comic paper, quarterly publications, etc.
So, in reality, many of these publications are only
duplications of the same efforts. Secondly, the
Finnish Socialists are later comers to America,
in fact they were not heard of before the year 1900
-and are therefore nearly entirely dependent upon
the Finnish papers, while the older Finns read the
American papers to a large extent. It would be safe
to estimate that about 50 per cent of the Finnish
families subscribe to one or more English papers.
We can state this from our knowledge of the mining
towns only, for we do not happen to be acquainted
with conditions elsewhere in this respect. And
thirdly, the political and social traditions in Finland
have influenced many in their leaning towards
Socialism.¹) Such a condition points, further, to the
fact that the ranks of the Finnish Socialists are
divided, thus indicating a weakened condition from
which Society has little to fear.
There is yet another thing to be added in speaking
of the foreign press. It seems to us that they serve
1) See Rural Michigan, Chase, p. 167.
-
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
125
a useful purpose in a particular sense. Many of the
Finnish papers have been organized for religious
reasons. Through them the Christian ideals and
principles, respect for law and reverence for sacred
things are inculcated in the minds of the immigrants;
and through them important religious and education-
al questions are discussed. People living in remote
and secluded communities, or on lonely homesteads
many miles away from other inhabitants, welcome
these friendly visitors to their homes. They are
brought face to face with their fellowmen, and can
take part in spirit in the religious activities with
their Christian brethern. Even at best, there is a
great deal of religious work to be done in America
by means of the press, for the time available for re-
ligious instruction by the churches is very limited.
The foreign press is upheld in America with great
difficulty, and especially has this been true of the
Finnish press. The business of printing has really
made no one rich, instead many individuals have
had to sacrifice not only their time but their own
means in such attempts. But if they have helped
to interpret the American spirit to those who have
not been able to read American publications, if they
have contributed their influence in making the im-
migrant feel at home in his "new homeland”, and if
they have entered in spirit into America's well-
being and up-building, then their services and
126
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
sacrifices have not been made in vain. This is our
judgment concerning the better class of the Finn-
ish papers, with which the writer has been quite
familiar. The language does not make the paper
alone, it is the idea represented by the symbol that
counts.
↓
•
CHAPTER VIII.
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
(Continued)
c) Church.
The Finns are religious by nature. Before their
conversion to Christianity they worshipped many
gods. Nature was animated with various kinds of
spirits. The god of the forests and game was "Ta-
pio"; of the cattle, "Kekri"; "Wellamo" dominated
in the watery realm; and "Tuoni" or "Mana" had
dominion over the gloomy regions of the nether
world. "Ukko" was the supreme deity who reigned
over all space and other spirits. Most of the gods
were supposed to have female companions, who were
worshipped to some extent with them. The worship
consisted of prayers and sacrifices to the deities.
No temples were built, the sacrifices being offered
on altars built on mountain tops or near some living
springs. The Finnish epic, "Kalevala", gives a
very good general understanding of the religious life
of the pagan Finn. Juhani Aho, Finland's most
gifted modern writer (died in 1921), has written a
most fascinating book, entitled "Panu", on the pre-
Christian life and customs of the Finns. In general
128
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
we may say that the Finns have lived close to nature
and have always been open to the mysterious sug-
gestions and whisperings of the spiritual world.
There exists a great resemblance between the old
Aryan mythology of India and that of Finland.
About ninety-nine per cent of the inhabitants are
classed as Lutherans. They were converted to
Christianity in 1157 by Bishop Henry, an English-
man sent by King Erick the IX, of Sweden, to con-
vert the Finns. After a severe battle, where better
arms and higher civilization triumphed, the Finns
were conquered, and those that remained from the
battle, were baptized at the "Spring of Kupitta", a
place near Turku, Finland. After that Finland re-
mained in union with the Roman Catholic Church
until the time of the Reformation. In 1527 Sweden
adopted the new faith for the whole Kingdom, and
Finland became a Protestant country. The new
faith found no opposition in Finland for many of
the leading men had studied at Wittenberg,
Germany, the seat of Protestantism, and had
brought with them the new spirit into the Church;
then, also, the remoteness of the country from Rome
had protected it against many of the evils found in
countries where papal influence was greater.
Webster defines a Lutheran as one "who accepts
or adheres to the doctrines of Luther or the Lutheran
Church". In this sense the Finnish Lutherans in
•
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
129
America may be said to be one, although in external
government they compose three distinct bodies,
namely, 1) The Finnish Lutheran Church of America
or Suomi Synod, 2) The Finnish Evangelical
National Lutheran Church in America, and 3) Fin-
nish Apostolic Lutheran Church of America. We
shall give briefly the statistics of each of these
bodies.
Suomi Synod. This Synod, which is the oldest
and the largest, was organized in 1890 at Calumet,
Michigan. In 1922 it had a membership of 9,396
men, 9,837 women, and 16,836 children, total
membership 36,269. Besides these members in the
congregations that are actually affiliated with the
Synod, the pastors serve several independent con-
gregations, so that the total membership thus rises
to 41,500 persons. In 1922 the Synod had 206
Sunday Schools, with 1,570 teachers, and 8,675
children. Last summer there were in operation 70
religious summer schools for children, with 76
teachers, and 3,980 pupils. There are 87 church
buildings, valued at $473,707; 59 parsonages, valued
at $91,200; other church property valued at $87,-
578; total valuation of property $652,485. The
number of ministers at present is 55; out of these 10
have received their education in Finland, nearly all
of the others have been educated at Suomi College
and Theological Seminary. About fifteeen years
9
130
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
*
ago the proportion was vice versa, only a very small
number being educated in America. This fact shows
that Americanization is gaining very rapidly in this
Church.
The work is well organized and directed. Work
among the young people is progressing very satis-
factorily. Home-Mission work is done among the
Finns that are scattered here and there throughout
the country. A special Superintendent has charge
of the work. The work is being jointly supported
by the United Lutheran Church in America and the
Suomi Synod. Foreign Mission work is done jointly
with The Missionary Society of Finland in the mis-
sion fields of China. The Synod took part in the
Campaign, conducted by The National Lutheran
Council, for the relief of sufferers in Russia.
Another important department of work is organized
under the name of The Finnish Lutheran Book
Concern, of Hancock, Mich. We have already stated
that this Concern publishes various church papers
and periodicals e. g. "Amerikan Suometar", "Pai-
men Sanomat", and a Sunday School paper for chil-
dren. Last year a branch office of this concern was
established in Astoria, Oregon, for the purpose of
reaching the thousands of Finns in the Western
states that are outside of any Church. For this pur-
pose a paper, printed in Finnish, "Lännen Suome-
tar", was started last April. The Finnish Luth. Book
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
131
Concern does extensive outside printing work
yearly. For example, the 1923 Annual of The
Michigan College of Mines was printed and bound
here. It also distributes and prints yearly thousands
of volumes of good educational and religious books.
This branch of the work is very important in con-
nection with the study of the Americanization
problem. The Finnish Lutheran Book Concern has
been a great factor in giving thousands of Finns a
right understanding of American ideals. The same
thing may also be said of the National Synod publi-
cation work, which is carried on on a smaller scale.
The Suomi Synod owns and supports Suomi
College, and the president of the school makes a
yearly report of the work at the annual meeting of
the Church.
The officers of the Church are: Pres., Rev. Alfred
Haapanen, A. B.; Vice President, Rev. John Warge-
lin, A. M.; Secretary, Rev. Victor Kuusisto; Notary,
Rev. Lauri R. Ahlman; and Treasurer, Isaac War-
gelin.
A great deal of the preaching in the churches is
still done in Finnish, because so many of the older
members can understand only Finnish. But the
young people are fast demanding the use of English,
and many of the churches have introduced English
jointly with Finnish. The programs of the Young
Peoples' Societies are largely conducted in English.
132
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
All this shows that the Finns are passing through a
period of transition in their church work.
We add here the statistical table of the congre-
gations affiliated with the Suomi Synod, and their
membership.¹)
TABLE XI.
Statistical Table of the Finnish Congregations
Affiliated with the Suomi Synod in 1923.
California:
Berkeley
Eureka
Fort Bragg
Los Angeles
Reedley
Rocklin
San Francisco .
Colorado:
Leadville
•
North Dakota:
Ahola (Wing)
South Dakota:
Lead
•
Poinsett (L. Norden).
Fredrick
Men Women Children
14
35
5
7
40
44
8
12
1.6
21
7
37
3
10
41
Membership not given
30
70
84
45
31
4
31
5
51
8
14
34
73
92
135
80
100
125
Total
1) The Yearbook of the Suomi Synod, 1923, in Finnish.
80
16
115
25
88
18
61
221
144
243
301
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
133
Illinois:
Chicago
De Kalb
Waukegan
Maine:
Harrison-Pulkkila ...
South Paris.
Massachusetts:
Allston-Brighton
Cape Ann
Gardner
Maynard
Peabody
Quincy
West Barnstable
Worcester
Michigan:
Alabaster
Allouez
Amasa
Askel
Atlantic
••
•
Baraga
Bessemer
Calumet
Champion
•
..
21
22
80
6
70
Baltic-South Range .. 110
20
88
90
21
21
42
179
100
56
70
48
30
128
41
251
20
30
74
98
25
24
56
192
105
60
76
55
30
130
11
19
84
7
78
110
53
231
25
15
124
156
80
53
62
212
85
100
104
100
70
220
8
56
171
34
102
296
98
263
45
65
286
344
126
98
160
583
290
216
250
203
130
478
40
97
335
47
250
516
192
745
90
134
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
61
95
132
20
137
4
8
12
51
9
18
22
588
243
397
25
217
20
44
145
20
59
50
42
94
9
Chassell.
Covington
Crystal Falls
Deerton
Detroit
Diorite
East Branch
East Tawas
•
Eben.
Ewen
Elo
Grand Marais
Hancock
Ironwood ..
Ishpeming
Jacobsville
Kaleva
Keweenaw Bay
Pelkie.
Laird ..
Lake City (Jennings)
Maple Ridge
Mass.
North Ironwood ..
Mohawk
Marquette
Negaunee
Newberry
•
63
92
124
32
158
2
10
17
68
8
20
28
613
231
417
31
242
26
40
120
23
57
30
36
108
4
137
70
135
65
103
126
365
45
105
15
20
16
128
23
29
64
867
552
549
20
288
56
90
220
73
136
90
53
124
4
203
120
227
313
621
100
400
21
38
45
247
40
67
120
2,068
1,026
1,363
76
747
102
174
485
116
252
170
131
826
17
475
255
F
1
Oskar ..
Onnela ..
Painesdale
Palmer
•
Paynesville
Pequaming
Princeton (Gwinn)
Redridge-Beacon Hill.
Stambaugh
St. Ignace
Republic
Rudyard ..
Sault Ste Marie
Trenary
Toivola
Trimountain
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
•
Wakefield
Winona
Winthrope
·
•
Trout Creek
Uusi Suomi ..
Minnesota:
Angora
Biwabic
Brainerd
Chisholm
Cloquet
•
22
28
36
73
16
25
30
262
13
57
Wasa Siding (Wainola) 32
56
15
127
27
176
123
54
43
6
14
26
24
22
35
50
41
23
24
38
55
55
13
110
25
161
112
50
36
8
6
22
18
30
32
254
12
67
33
28
25
35
56
37
24
25
65
76
83
15
245
70
345
210
80
51
10
28
57
42
68
72
521
56
106
90
58
35
50
110
35
135
69
77
135
204
194
43
482
122
682
445
184
130
24
48
105
76
123
134

1,037
81
230
155
110
82
120
216
173
136
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
Į
Cokato ..
Cromwell .
Duluth ..
Ely
Eveleth ..
Embarrass
French Lake
Floodwood ..
Gilbert
Idington
Iron
Ironton
Kalevala .
Kingston
Kinney
Minneapolis
Middle River
Mt. Iron
New York Mills
Finlayson
•
•
39
10
35
104
150
47
15
30
.. 105
156
Rosburg-Valparaiso
St. Louis River
Sebeka
Soudan.
Sparta
Suomi (Deer River)..
Tamarack
Toivola
• •
63
80
30
16
33
6
39
29
16
26
30
98
36
46
6
80
19
54
36
5
10
17
55
60
35
12
41
7
40
25
23
37
30
100
32
45
9
75
19
65
29
7
15
10
75
25
45
155
220
78
90
40
18
31
49
52
27
25
91
169
48
57
17
145
42
61
52
14
38
18
161
50
110
364
526
196
230
105
46
109
13
128
106
66
88
151
367
116
148
32
300
80
180
117
26
3333 193
63
45
Tower
Trout Lake
Virginia
West Duluth ..
•
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
5
12
146
18
Mississippi:
Pecan .
Brooklyn
Harlem
South New York
Van Etten
New Hampshire:
West Concordia
North Brookline
Ohio:
… . . .
Jacksonville .
Warren
Montana:
Butte, Highwood, North Willow Creek. No figures
on these places; work is being carried on with the
aid of Home Mission support.
New York:
•
96
23
8
28
10
Ashtabula Harbor ... 380
Burton
14
Cleveland ...
15
Conneaut
161
Fairport
386
Girard
27
15
76
6
18
148
20
123
94
18
23
10
13
30
158
36
340
14
28
181
381
33
13
90
151
11
11
51
20
380
14
23
380
550
137
24
50
452
73
56
45
155
22
370
128
37
102
40
1,250
42
66
722
1,317
116
73
320
138
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
Oregon:
Astoria ..
Blind Slough
Portland ..
Swenson
•
Pennsylvania:
Bessemer
Erie
Monessen
New Castle
Nanty Glo
Rankin ..
Washington:
Deep River
Seattle
Woodland
Ilwaco
Vader
Aberdeen
West Virginia:
Clarksburg
Weirton
Wisconsin:
Phelps..
Iron Belt
Niemi..
Owen
•
•
107
10
18
3
13
12
75
59
21
8
58
19
9
18
8
7
10
22
19
45
20
49
113
12
41
4
11
15
70
74
17
6
39
23
8
20
6
13
12
20
22
48
18
41
85
5
23
6
14
31
180
100
34
4
53
16
12
17
18
5
10
16
60
71
71
100
100
305
27
82
13
38
58
325
243
72
18
150
58
29
45
31
25
38
102
112
164
138
190
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
30
9
18
Uusi Savo .
29
Turtle Lake
44
North York & Marengo 15
Oulu (Salo) ...
Superior
Westboro
6
25
13
21
25
30
17
66
50
18
Wyoming:
Rock Springs
Canada:
Cobalt ...
Copper Cliff
New Finland
Sault Ste Marie
Total ...
9,378 9,573 15,456
34,441
The Finnish National Synod. This Synod was or-
ganized in Ironwood, Mich., in 1898. The Synod
numbers 24 ministers, 59 congregations, and 7,992
members. The total valuation of church property
is estimated at about $200,000. The Synod is also
engaged in different departments of work. About
four years ago a Theological Seminary was opened
up at Ironwood, Michigan; no preparatory depart-
ment has been attached to it. The enrollment in 1922
was four students. The institution has been closed
since then because of lack of students. Foreign
Mission work is done by giving aid to the Gospel
Society of Finland, which has a field in Japan. A
11
1
48
18
23
30
36
39
76
50
27
13
139
103
40
62
84
110
71
98
120
41
30
240
230
86
140
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
church organ, by the name of "Auttaja", is published
at the printing establishment owned by the Synod
at Ironwood, Mich. A Sunday School paper, the
"Lasten Ystävä" (The Children's Friend), is also
published there.
The officers for the year 1921 were: President,
Arne Wasunta; Vice President, Rev. M. Wiskari;
Secretary, Rev. P. Miettunen; and Treasurer, Erick
Kangas. The Rev. K. E. Salonen has been in charge
of the Theological Seminary.
Finnish Apostolic Church. The churches going
under this name are not organized into any so-called
Synodical system. They are united in doctrine. No
official annual meetings are held, and the church has
no elected officers. The government of the church
rests with the congregations and thus may be said
to be Congregational in organization; but other-
wise this body has nothing in common with the Con-
gregational Church of America. The Apostolic
Church does not believe in a paid ministry and
is therefore nearly entirely dependent on lay-
preachers. They rank second to the Suomi Synod in
number of congregations and church members. It
may be said that some of the earliest Finnish im-
migrants, who came to America from Norway,
Sweden, and the northernmost part of Finland, were
members of this group. This sect is generally known
in Church History by the name of Laestadians,
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
141
taking their name from Lauri Levi Laestadius, a
preacher who labored in the northern part of
Sweden about the middle of the last century. In
America his followers have adopted the name of
Apostolic Lutherans.¹)
1) These facts have been gathered from the Year-book of
Suomi Synod, 1922 and 1923, Year-book of the Churches, 1921-
1922; and the Lutheran World Almanac for 1922, with additions
by the writer.
Mga
The statistics of the Suomi Synod were given in full for the
purpose of showing where Finnish churches are found in gen-
eral. The National and Apostolic Synods are found represented
mostly in the same communities.
Ç
CHAPTER IX.
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS.
(Continued)
d) Societies.
Under this heading it is our purpose to acquaint
ourselves with the kind of social life the Finns are
leading. The most important group of any society
is the intimate face-to-face association of home. It is
mainly the basis for our larger social life. The
Finnish home does not differ materially from those
of other nationalities in America on equal economic
footing. The family generally averages seven or
eight members, some may have more, others less, but
in general the families are of that size. The spirit
of the home is rather conservative and mostly per-
meated by a warm Christian spirit. The children
are brought up to respect and obey their parents
with humble submission. This trait, in my opinion,
has a tendency to develop in the minds of the
children a sort of undue submissiveness to all author-
ity and leadership, and is likely to destroy initiative.
The Finn is generally obedient to the directions and
commands of his superiors, but will also take offense
easily, although he may not express it openly. This
I'v
ť
1
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
143
may be the result of his former political conditions.
and also from the caste system, which has existed in
Finland in some form up to this century. By caste
we mean, roughly speaking, "the rule of hereditary
descent, as in the hereditary nobility of England or
Germany". According to this system, which is a
remnant of feudalism, the population in Finland
was formerly divided into four separate social class-
es or estates. Caste in this sense should not, how-
ever, be likened to the rigid caste system still pre-
vailing in India.¹) It should be added, further, that
by nature the Finn is not submissive, but has a
strong sense of independence and freedom.
The home of the Finns is furnished as well as his
means will permit, and both the husband and wife
show the utmost loyalty towards its upkeep. "To
own a home means liberty", might be said to be a
motto of the Finn. We find that wherever he lives,
his effort is bent towards buying or building his own
home. One further noticeable feature concerning
the Finnish home may be said to be its perfect clean-
liness. Superintendent Gilruth, of the Hancock,
Mich., High School, who has lived for a long time in
communities where Finns are very numerous, said
in a public address, "the Finnish homes are so
clean that I would not hesitate to eat a meal off their
floor."
1) See "Social Organization", Cooley, Ch. XVIII.
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AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
In connection with physical cleanliness we may
refer to the Finnish bath-house with which everyone
who lives among the Finnish people soon becomes
tutupia
acquainted. It is one of the first of the many build-
ings that he builds on his farm. It consists of an
oven, constructed of boulders in one corner of a log
cabin which has only one window, at some height
from the floor, to let in light. A fire is built of
wood and allowed to burn, until the rocks have be-
come intensely hot. The bath is then ready. A dress-
ing room is first entered from the outside, which
leads into the bath-house, "sauna", proper. Buckets
of cold water are thrown over the rocks, which give
forth clouds of hot steam. Some of the older men,
who are well used to the "sauna", can stand an
enormous amount of heat. A bath of this kind, al-
though it may sound crude from our description,
gives one a most soothing and rejuvenating sen-
sation. On Saturday evenings, or when the men
have finished their week's work, they are sure to
go to the Finnish bath-house. It is our belief that
the old saying, "cleâliness is next to godliness", is
not very far from right.
Mål. FeRawATARE,
An unfavorable thing which has been noticed con-
cerning the American Finnish home is that a serious
breach is developing between the older and the
younger members of the family. The younger
members generally converse in English in the home.
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
145
In most cases the older members understand enough
of it to follow their conversation, in general. But
the breach does not result from this, it is rather a
result of different interests and traditions. The young
members, who have been born in America, do not
know much about Finland and naturally do not care
about the things in which the old folks are interested.
In homes where the children have been given good
home training, this feature is not so noticeable, but
where it has been neglected, the results are serious.
The children are ashamed of their parents and of
thir own nationality, a thing which is deplorable
with anyone. What is the remedy for this condition
which does not exist only among Finns, but is com-
mon with all immigrants to a greater or lesser
extent?
We shall try to answer this question partly from
our experience of immigrant conditions, and partly
from facts gathered from other sources. One way
to remedy it, would be to have the older generation
learn English more fluently and take part in the
social activities of their communities. We have
nothing against this plan of Americanization as long
as it is worked out on a sympathetic and intelligent
basis. But very frequently serious mistakes are
made by well-intending but ill-advised social work-
ers. We may be permitted to relate an incident to
illustrate our point, and we feel justified in refer-
G
10
146
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
ring to it, for the other side of the case has been
given wide publicity by different periodicals, for
example, by "The Christian Herald", of New York,
some two years ago. We refer to the "Speak-
English" propaganda carried on in St. Louis County,
Minn., among Finnish settlers. A story is told, of a
young lady who was teaching school in a Finnish
community. She was strongly motivated by the
idea of Americanizing that community, and she un-
doubtedly had plenty of reasons for feeling so. She
commenced by having her Finnish pupils pledge
themselves never to speak Finnish anywhere, neither
at home, nor in school, nor on the playground. Some
of the children became very enthusiastic followers
of her instructions. One girl, for example, whose
father owned a store, refused to sell the customers
anything until they asked for things in English. The
children would not speak Finnish to their parents.
but made them try to express themselves in English.
This, apparently, was considered good American-
ization work by the teacher; to her Americanism
was synonymous with being able to speak English.
Now this plan is open to criticism for several rea-
sons. Let us point out only three. First, it is a
violation of the unity of the primary group, a matter
to which we have referred above. In order that
moral unity may develop, there must be loyalty to
the primary group. Professor Cooley suggests
1
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
147
in his book on "Social Organization", that the
mother is the ideal of moral unity. Therefore,
proper respect of parents must not be undermined
by any educational process. Secondly, it was not
the children but the parents that needed to learn
English. The children were learning it daily at
school, and as we have shown previously, they do
learn it effectively. But were not the parents learn
ing it through their children by this method? We
have no reason to believe the negative, but it would
have been infinitely better to organize an evening
school for the parents in that community, for the
Finnish people are very anxious to learn English,
where an opportunity for it is provided. But the
most serious fault we find with this method is that
it is undemocratic. The parents were being com-
pelled to submit to certain conditions rather than
be persuaded to that viewpoint through voluntary
choice. And in the writer's judgment of Finnish
nature, it failed to create love for America, because
it ignored the important psychological principle of
gaining the confidence of the foreigner. It was the
method of compulsion. And is it a crime, we may
ask, to be able to speak some other language besides
English in America? We have never been able to
understand Americanism as being that narrow. The
breach between the younger and older members of
the family can not be remedied in such a way. The
148
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
thing to do is to promote unity of spirit and in-
terests, and this must be done through education
that is democratic in spirit.
As far as the younger element among the Finns
is concerned, they do not offer any special problem
in Americanization, except that the unity of the
home is often impaired to a more or less degree be-
cause of different interests of the older and younger
members. But where the children learn something
about Finland, its history and social and intellectual
life, there it shows itself in respect for parents and
a willingness to go under the name of their own
nationality, as pointed out before. On the other
hand, the older members have not been satisfactorily
reached through socializing agencies. This fact is
known to be true in the work among other nation-
alities also. Various organizations and institutions
have been established, particularly after the War,
but the consensus of opinion is that they have not
reached the adults in so large a measure as
possible.¹)
We wonder, whether among other reasons for
this is, that it has been a case of approaching the
immigrant from a wrong angle. Self-consious men
with intelligence, resent any idea of coercion or com-
pulsion that is exerted upon them from above. Quite
1) See "The Spirit of Americanization", by Louise La Bella,
Education, April, 1921.
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
149
often the immigrant feels himself subjected to this
treatment and is made to feel his inferiority, be-
cause he can not understand the vernacular. But
when he is approached in a friendly way, the im-
migrant will have a warm feeling towards such a
friend. It would be an experience worth while for
more of us to have an opportunity for travel in a
foreign land, and experience for ourselves what it
means to receive gentle treatment while among
strangers. We feel the importance of this idea for
we have experienced it ourselves to a great extent.
We quote from the article just mentioned in this con-
nection in order to emphasize this important point.
"Abraham Lincoln says: 'If you would win a man to
your cause, first convince him that you are his
friend. Therein is a drop of honey that catches his
heart, which, say you what you will, is the greatest
high-road to his reason, and which, when once
gained, you will find but little trouble in convincing
his judgment of the justice of your cause; if indeed
that cause be a really just one. On the contrary,
assume to dictate, command, or mark him as one
despised, and he will retreat within himself and close
all avenues to his heart and head'." This, we are
sure, is common sense morality, but the thing is,
"go ye and do likewise."
The knowledge and the ability to use English is
of utmost importance to everyone of our citizens.
150
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
Without it we can not communicate properly in our
social life, neither can we take part in the life of the
nation as a whole. It is also of practical value to
everyone to be able to ue it. In this we all agree.
In the bulletin of the Department of The Interior,
Bulletin No. 76, 1919, on Community American-
ization (a book which everyone, who is interested in
this question, should read), we read: "While, theo-
retically, it may be considered that a foreigner may
become a good American in spirit without knowing
our language, it is generally granted that, if there
is to be a community of interest, there must be a
common language for conveying thought." But there
is after all something more to Americanism than
the mere knowledge of English. Language is only a
means and not an end in itself. It is merely a tool.
A man may be able to use English in an eloquent
discourse and yet be un-American in spirit, and a
foreigner may be ignorant of English and yet come
closer to being a real American than the one who
was born under "the Stars and Stripes". "American-
ism is entirely an attitude of mind; it is the way
we look at things that makes us Americans," writes
Louise La Bella.
The writer's own humble judgment finds expres-
sion in the above classic words, and we feel that it
would be a moral wrong not to accept them in our
case. It is necessary to emphasize them further in
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
151
the presence of such Americanzation plans as that
of the Minnesota teacher. We hope to be forgiven
for making personal references, but we deem the
case in hand calls for it. We feel justified in saying
that the writer's Americanism is not doubted by
those who know him. But I wish to add, that there
is another one whose case it is my duty to explain.
She is thoroughly an American in spirit, although
she is unable to converse in English. That person
is the writer's mother. She came to America over
thirty-two years ago with her family, to join her
husband, who had preceded her by some two years.
This mother has worked hard for her family. She
has been the heart and soul in the education of her
children. She loves this land of many opportunities
just as much as her children do, although the same
opportunities have not been afforded her. She has
not been able to go to school and learn our great
world-language, but through her many sacrifices the
opportunities have been extended to her children.
Yes, we repeat that it is our moral duty to interpret
the soul and spirit of such Americans, who, because
of various reasons not of their own choice, have
not been able to learn our language. Are there not
many, perhaps, of such mothers and fathers in our
midst? Are they any the less Americans because of
this deficiency? But now to the other groups
under this heading.
Make fly
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AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
Of the societies peculiar to the Finns we may men-
tion The Temperance Societies, The Knights and the
Ladies of Kaleva, Musical organizations, Athletic
associations, and Socialistic organizations, not speak-
ing of other social institutions which they have in
common with other citizens. Concerning the Tem-
perance Societies it may be said that they have done
a noble work among the Finns. The drinking habit
has been a curse to many an immigrant in America,
its appeal has been too strong for many a man who
has found himself friendless among strange people.
The Temperance Societies among the Finns pro-
vided the newcomers with clean social life and op-
portunity for discussion and communication with
their fellowmen. Their work in the early years of
the history of Finnish immigration can not be too
highly praised. They afforded the simple peasant
folks an opportunity for receiving their first parlia-
mentary experience in conducting meetings. Many
of the pioneers in temperance work have developed
into effective speakers. The largest of the grand
lodges of the Temperance Societies is The Finnish
National Brotherhood Temperance Association, or-
ganized in 1885, with headquarters at Ishpeming,
Michigan. At one time it had over a hundred local
societies united with it and nearly ten thousand
members. The importance of temperance societies
in general has diminished among the Finns within
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
153
I
A
the last ten years, partly because, with the adoption
of prohibition, interest in temperance has waned,
and partly because other societies have appeared
which have taken together with temperance other
issues on their program. The Finns have also largely
adopted the Anti-Saloon League method of temper-
ance work, i. e. the churches act as agencies for
temperance work, special societies being thus less
needed where churches are well organized. It has
been said to the credit of the Finns, that the Upper
Peninsula of Michigan made such a good showing in
the fight for prohibition largely because of the firm
stand Finns took for it.¹) And they are still among
the most ardent supporters of law enforcement. They
believe that prohibition law has not created lawless-
ness; it has only brought to the surface our great
laxity in moral questions in general.
We produce further facts in support of this opin-
ion, Raymond B. Fosdick, in American Police sys-
tem, shows by carefully compiled police statistics
that "crime is far more prevalent in American cities
than in the cities of England, France, and Germany.
In 1916 Chicago with its 2,500,000 people had 20
more murders than the whole of England and Wales
put together with their 38,000,000 people" (p. 10).
"In 1915, New York City had approximately eight
times as many burglaries as London and nearly twice
1) See Rural Michigan, Chase p. 167.
154
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
!
the number of burglaries reported in all England and
Wales" (p. 15). Dr Frederick L. Hoffman, compar-
ing the homicide rate of England and Wales with
that of the United States, estimates that the former
is about one-tenth of the latter.¹) It is also a known
fact that the United States has more divorces every
year than any other country, with the exception of
Japan.2)
The 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act cannot
be considered as causing lawlessness; they have only
revealed a lawless spirit in quarters where it was not
suspected. The fact seems to be, though humiliating,
that we are as a nation lawless in comparison with
other civilized countries. Our Americanization work-
ers need to recognize this serious problem and lay
plans for effective moral education. We need to
learn law respect and reverence. This problem con-
cerns the immigrant as well as the native born.
That the Finns are strong prohibitionists in
America is not surprising when we recall that Fin-
land was the first European nation to vote pro-
hibtion, but due to its dependence on Russia at that
time, the law was not ratified by the Czar. Finland
has, however, adopted prohibition since receiving its
independence.
1) Letter to The New York Sun, February 3, 1922, quoted in
the "The Minute Man", February 22, 1923.
of the
2) See "Marriage and Divorce, 1867-1906: Bureau
Census, Washington, 1908, 1909, Vol. I, p. 41; and Blackmar
and Gillin, Outlines of Sociology, New York, 1916, Chap. VI.
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
155
The Knights and the Ladies of Kaleva are secret
orders fashioned after the American secret orders, e.
g. the Masonic lodges, though on an independent
basis. The membership of these organizations is
scattered throughout America. We are not able to
give any figures concerning them, neither can we say
much about their activities as their work is done in
secret. Whether the work of the secret orders can be
said to be un-American, we are not in a position to
decide. But judging by the example shown by our
deceased President and other leading Americans,
there should be no reason for doubt in this respect.
It does, however, appear to us on the basis of im-
partial reasoning that the secret orders may become
un-democratic institutions in the hands of unscru-
pulous politicians who may use them as their tools,
thus creating state within state and thwarting the
will of the people, without offering the public an op-
portunity to know of their contrivances. Many men,
undoubtedly, join them in order to receive backing
from them in their political aspirations. We have,
however, no reason to believe that the orders under
discussion here come under such criticism. But the
recent experiences of our country with the Ku Klux
Klan, for instance, lead us to reflect on such
thoughts. The question concerning secred societies
does not concern the Finn alone; it is still an open
question in our social life.-Besides the Knights and
156
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
the Ladies of Kaleva, some Finnish men and women
belong to other national secret orders; the chief
reason for their joining being mostly a desire for
protection under the benevolent features of these
organizations.
Of the Musical Organizations we name briefly
mixed and male choirs and bands. The Finns are
great lovers of music; they sing when they are sad
as well as when they are moved by lighter and hap-
pier emotions. They possess a wonderfully rich sup-
ply of folk-songs and lyric poems. "Kalevala," the
national epic of Finland, was collected by Elias Lönn-
rot among the Karelians and published as a book
in 1835. It aroused great enthusiasm and interest
in folk-lore and mythology at that time. The epic
was translated into most of the European languages
and our own poet, Henry W. Longfellow, was in-
spired by it. The monotonous metre of the Finnish
epic suited his theme, and so he wrote "The Song of
Hiawatha" in trochaic metre. Page's "Chief Amer-
ican Poets" (p. 158), says on this point: "The metre
was avowedly taken from that of the Finnish epic
Kalevala, which he had read with Freiligrath twelve
years before.¹)
"Kalevala" describes the magic power of music as
used by Wäinämöinen. His might was in his song
1) See also Freiligrath's letter in the London Athenaeum,
Dec. 22, 1855.
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
157
and harp-playing. Even the sun stopped in its course
to listen to the Northern Orpheus, and the beasts of
the forest gathered around him, enchanted by his
ecstatic strains. The Finns have always sung, and
when they came to America they had reason to sing
of their longing for home, and of their childhood
memories and youthful loves, whispered under the
"midsummer-night sun", when nature was awake in
its sleep, and the evening embraced morning without
the shadow of night on its brow. We may say that
nearly every larger Finnish community has had, and
still has, some kind of a musical organization con-
nected with the Temperance Society or existing at
times as an independent institution. Song-festivals
have often been held to which as many as fifteen
choirs and perhaps nearly as many bands have come
from several neighboring states. They have afforded
much healthful enjoyment and wholesome amuse-
ment to large numbers, and we see no reason why
such use of leisure time should not become more
common among all classes of Americans.
The kind of music they sing and play is also wor-
thy of being noticed here. The musical standard of
Finland is very high; several first-class musical col-
leges, conservatories, and organ-schools are found
in which some of the leading musicians of the world
are associated, e. g. Jean Sibelius, Erkki Melartin,
Selim Palmgren, Oskar Merikanto, Madetoja, Ojan-
-
158
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
perä, and others. Musical standards have been raised
in the country so that one can hear the best classical
music wherever any music is played. This has also
had its influence upon the musical activities of the
American Finns. The choirs and bands generally
render classical music within their range of inter-
pretation. The cultural value of this kind of social
activity must be said to be very high. The music is
selected from the classical compositions of all na-
tions without regard to its national origin, for there
is no creed nor racial distinction in art.
Finnish music has become known quite generally
in America, as is witnessed by the programs of the
leading musical organizations in our music centers,
and the tribute paid Finnish music in best American
musical magazines. A few musicans have also vis-
ited or given concerts in America, and they have
been received with warm praise and admiration. The
Harvard University conferred upon Jean Sibelius
the honorary degree of Doctor of Music, and Selim
Palmgren is at the head of the piano department in
the famous Eastman Conservatory, Rochester, N. Y.
Madame Maikki Jarnefelt-Palmgren an operatic
star, who has spent the last three years in America,
and has given concerts in many of our large cities to
American audiences, is also engaged as an instructor
in the Eastman Conservatory.
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
159
Athletic Activities. It is hardly necessary to speak
here of the athletic interests of the Finns, this fact
being so generally known in America at the present
time. The names of such men as Kolehmainen, Nur-
mi, Ritola, and others, are familiar to all lovers of
sport, of which America has a goodly number. Gym-
nastics of all kinds, including calesthenics, skiing,
skating, swimming, running, etc., have been system-
atically practiced for years in Finland in connec-
tion with the activities of various social organiza-
tions; and physical training has been found in the
curricula of the public schools for a long time. This
fact had not been generally known concerning the
Finns, but the international Olympic games have
helped to acquaint other nations with this sturdy
small nation of the far north. Their achievements
in the field of sports is not limited to the Olympics
that were held in 1920 at Antwerp; they had already
made creditable showing in the previous games. But
formerly they had to appear under the Russian ban-
ner, while in 1920 they were privileged for the first
time to take part under their independent colors of
white and blue. The United States captured the first
place; Finland came second. The results, however,
were a surprise generally to the other nations, for
Finland was able to send only 24 men, while many
other countries had many times that number. The
160
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
press of different countries was unanimous in prais-
ing the work of the Finnish athletes.
The New York Journal said: “America is the vic-
tor of the seventh Olympics, but the largest part of
actual victory goes to another country, much smaller
than ours. Finland, who had a team of only 24 men,
gained fully half as many points as America, al-
though America's team numbered more than ten
times this number. In the history of the Olympics
such remarkable results have never been seen before
as the Finns won in the Olympics of Antwerp.”
The New York American wrote at that time: "Fin-
land surprised the whole world. She gained as many
victories as America. Myyrä made the world's rec-
ord in javelin throw, and Kolehmainen in the Mara-
thon run. According to the judgment of experts
great credit falls to Finland, who had only 24 men
in her team. If she had not lacked a few first class
short-distance runners, she would have hopelessly
beaten all competing nations."
The New York Evening Telegram, just to quote
this final editorial, wrote: "Now when all is over,
it is just and fair that America, who won the 1920
Olympic games so easily, do justice to the one to
whom justice is due. We won only nine first places,
and the Finns, whose team was composed of only 24
men, gained just as many. In the preceding Olym-
pics, in which Finland gained very notable results,
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
161
she was still forced to remain under the Russian flag,
so that the victories of this time were not really
credited to the account of Finland; but now, when
these Northerners have waved their own flag among
the nations for a year, they prove that even the re-
gime of oppression of the Czars has not been able to
subdue their vigor.¹)
Many other large daily papers both of America
and Europe paid tribute to them in similar words of
praise. Our purpose here is not to eulogize these
accomplishments, but rather to point out in the
words of others, a characteristic concerning the
Finnish race in order to understand their social
activities as immigrants in America.
The Finns have been very much interested in ath-
letics in America. It is quite common to find athletic
organizations in connection with their temperance
lodges or socialistic societies. And frequently they
gather together during the summer months in their
annual festivals, where athletic contests and competi-
tions in choir renderings form an important part
of the program. Such festivals have been held in
Northern Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio, Penn-
sylvania, and Massachusetts, people gathering to
them from the neighboring states, respectively. They
have been very important factors in the work of
1) See "Seitsemännet Olympialaiset Kisat", pp. 250, 251, in
Finnish.
บ
11
162
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
Americanization, for the custom has generally been
to invite distinguished Americans, viz. governors of
these states, members of Congress and state legisla-
tures and other prominent citizens, to take part in
the programs as speakers. And it must be said with
due respect to these American friends, who have con-
descended to mix with the Finns in this way, that
they have learned to understand better the social
mind of this class of our immigrant population. On
the other hand, it must be admitted that the great
majority of our native born citizens do not wish to
take part in any activities that have been arranged
by the immigrants, even in cases where some of the
best talent of Finland has appeared. Such a spirit
savors of aristocracy which has no place in demo-
cratic America.
This we consider a problem in the work of Amer-
icanization. The immigrant is often expected to
show interest in various kinds of programs and
meetings that have been arranged admittedly for his
enlightenment and Americanization, and much good
may be accomplished through them. But when it is
done with the spirit of superiority on the part of
such organizers, intelligent immigrants, some of
whom may be found as leaders in every racial group,
are bound to eschew such methods. And a distinction
must be made between different immigrant groups.
Too often it is the attitude of the would-be reformers
CULTURAL LIFE OF THE FINNS
163
that they possess all the desirable qualities which
the immigrant is to learn. The thing to do would be
to get acquainted mutually, and then we would be
better able to judge what the immigrant needs and
in what respect it would be desirable to have him
change.
A little incident, serving to illustrate this point,
occured in the experience of the writer a few years
ago in a certain city in which he happened to reside.
A young American pastor came to the city who hap-
pened to be very much interested in social work
among the immigrants. He had learned that a great
number of Finns lived in the city, so he planned to
work among them. He thought they needed some
social organization to get them together, and that
an athletic association would be most desirable. Ac-
cordingly, he undertook to organize such an associa-
tion without knowing that the Finns already had
two athletic clubs in that city. Not meeting with suc-
cess in his plans, he called on a leading Finn of the
community and there learned the true facts. He
further learned that a good percentage of them were
already attending an evening school in the city pub-
lic school, and were making commendable progress
in their work. The conclusion was, that he decided
to work among some other nationality who did not
happen to be so well organized in that particular
community.
1
164
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
This only shows how badly one can be mistaken
concerning the needs of immigrants, unless he make
a more thorough study of their life and characteris-
tics. They do not always need new organizations,
but those that exist could be made more serviceable
in the work of Americanization by bringing together,
through them, men and women of both sides. Im-
portant questions could be discussed and many racial
difficulties in the community life could thereby be
eliminated. Our social life in many mining and in-
dustrial towns is sadly in need of mutual communi-
cation and intercourse between different classes of
citizenry. This fact should be recognized by every
agency aiming to assist in the work of Americaniza-
tion. Ideal Americanization can not be concerned
with the question of naturalization alone, it must
have for its aim the making of ideal Americans of
all its citizens, native born alike with the citizens
through adoption.
CHAPTER X.
NATURALIZATION AND POLITICAL LIFE.
The work of naturalization is a very important
side of the Americanization problem. The newcom-
ers are not only to live among us, but to become one
of us, i. e. part of our political organization, with
certain duties and obligations to the whole and with
corresponding rights and privileges accorded to each
citizen. In the work of aiding foreigners in their
naturalization process, F. C. Butler, author of the
Government Bulletin to which we have previously
referred, suggests that a great field of usefulness
for community committees is open before them
among the foreign born who desire naturalization
(p. 59). These committees could assist the judges
and examiners in many ways; they could establish
evening schools for the prospective citizens, training
them in political matters pertaining to the organiza-
tion of our national and political life, and in giving
them a right understanding of Americanism. In our
knowledge such work has not been done to a very
great extent. We have been more concerned with
giving technical definitions of Americanism than in
166
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
putting our theories into practice. Campaigns for
"100 per cent naturalization" have been generally
our main method of solving this problem. Of this
mode of Americanization work the Bulletin says that
"100 per cent naturalization" and similar drives
should be discountenanced. It should be perfectly
obvious that forced or over-stimulated naturaliza-
tion can result, as a rule, only in mere lip service and
in men who are citizens in name only", (p. 59).
What is the attitude of the Finns towards natur-
alization? Do they show any special interest in be-
coming citizens? Our answer is, yes; they are very
anxious to become naturalized. It may be said that
of those who have been here for a reasonably long
period of time one finds very few persons who have
not taken out, at least, their first papers, and the ma-
jority of them are full-fledged citizens. The writer
knows this to be true from his own experience, his
father having been naturalized about thirty years
ago, thus bringing the privilege of citizenship to all
the members of his family. The same is true in
general regarding all the Finns.
It is humorous to recall in this connection, that
about the year 1909, when Finnish Socialists were
becoming rather numerous, an attempt was made by
certain political leaders in a section of our country
to deny the Finns the right of citizenship on the
theory that they belong to the Mongolian race. A
NATURALIZATION AND POLITICAL LIFE
167
conclusion may be drawn from this, that in the opin-
ion of some, the Finns were becoming naturalized
in too great numbers. Concerning this theory of the
racial origin of the Finns, as was pointed out in the
second chapter, we may say that it does not hold
with the leading ethnologists of the present time.
This theory was first propounded by Mathias Alex-
ander Castren, the great Finnish ethnologist, who
coined the term of "Fenno-Ugric", placing this group
of languages in the great Ural-Altaic group. His
belief was that the Finns had lived in the remote
past on the northern slopes of the Altaic Mountains
in Asia. This theory has been accepted without
much speculation by later historians. Thus we find
that H. G. Wells follows this old hypothesis in his
"Outline of History", and places the Finns with the
Mongolians. Since Castren's time, however, Finland
has been fortunate in having a host of eminent schol-
ars who have gone thoroughly into this subject. As
a result of their studies we may state that the early
habitation of the Finns can not be shown to have
been in the central part of Asia; it must rather be
found on either side of the Ural Mountains, or per-
haps in the valley of the central part of the Volga
River in Russia, where large numbers of Finnish
tribes live even at the present time.¹)
1) Uno Holmberg and others; see also Chapter II.
168
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
Politically the Finns may be said to belong to the
Republican party; though some, of course, choose to
vote with the former Prohibition party or with the
Democrats. But in recent years a great many of
them have become known as strong believers in So-
cialism, and many have voted and labored with
parties having this platform. At the present time
about 40% of the population of Finland are Social-
ists, and it has been estimated that about 25% of
the Finns in America belong to the Socialist party.')
They have become very well known during the last
years, especially during the War; too much so, judg-
ed on the basis of their importance as compared to
all the Finns.
But here again, as is so often the case, the sensa-
tional papers play up the negative activities of for-
eign groups in a strong light, while they are entirely
silent, on the other hand, concerning their positive
achievements for the good of our life in general.
This has happened an infinite number of times even
within the writer's memory. The "Copper Country
Strike" was interpreted in this way) The same in-
cident was repeated in Chicago during the investiga-
tion of the propaganda of the I. W. W. press in op-
position to the War. We may also be permitted to
refer to an incident reported in "The Boston Amer-
Van Cleef, The Finn in America, p. 28.
2) See Chapter I.
NATURALIZATION AND POLITICAL LIFE
169
ican”, in 1920. This paper came out with a glaring
headline on the front page, "150 Finns made to kneel
down and kiss the flag". The incident referred to
happened at Weirton, W. Va. We admit that there
may have been a group of Finnish Socialists in Weir-
ton whose type of Americanism might be suspected
by certain other types of Americans. But why cast
a reflection on the whole nationality because of the
deeds or opinions of a few? Without fear of contra-
diction we may say that "The Boston American" had
never given such prominence to any of the hundreds
of worthy deeds and sacrifices made by the better
class of Finnish Americans. For example, we have
seen nothing of the services of the ten thousand Finn-
ish young men who served our country during the
last War, and of the hundreds who made "the su-
preme sacrifice" for the land of their adoption, or
birth, as the case may have been. Neither have we
seen any credit given to the labors of the scores
of Liberty Loan speakers or campaign managers,
nor to the services of the rank and file of large num-
bers of Finns.
We have given these thoughts prominence here,
not because of any ill-feeling, but that they may serve
in arriving at a right understanding of the immi-
grant. The case does not apply to the Finns alone, it
is common experience to every immigrant class.
"We have been too prone to judge whole groups by
{
170
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
the acts of individuals", says the U. S. Bulletin on
Community Americanization. "The newspapers have
unconsciously and unintentionally helped to give us
distorted pictures of a whole race by closing their
stories of crime with such statements as 'the mur-
derer is a Hungarian' or 'the criminal is a Greek'. If
they cared to do so, they could not infrequently close
with a statement that 'the scoundrel is a native-born
American', but this they do not do. Such statements
have had a tendency to connect criminality in our
minds with our foreign-born people. Obviously, this
is a deep injuctice".1)
The War put to a severe test the Americanization
of our immigrant population. "Only those are fit
to live", in the words of Theodore Roosevelt, "who
do not fear to die; and none are fit to die who have
shrunk from the joy of life and the duty of life.
Both life and death are parts of the same Great Ad-
venture. Never yet was worthy adventure worthily
carried through by the man who put his personal
safety first. Never yet was a country worth living
in unless its sons and daughters were of that stern
stuff which bade them die for it at need." Our
foreign born sons marched together with the native
born on the fields of battle and thereby proved to the
political cynics, who were skeptical concerning the
sucess of our democracy, that we did not compose a
1) Bulletin, p. 11.
NATURALIZATION AND POLITICAL LIFE
171
靠
​heterogeneous mass but that we must be recognized
Thousands of
as an organic and united nation.
foreign born young men made the supreme sacrifice.
Of the Finns some 10,000, according to government
estimates, served in the World War. A great many
of them were volunteers, while others were drafted.
In this connection it must be admitted that a few
mis-informed Finnish Socialists refused to register
in the draft and were looked upon as slackers. But
generally they changed their attitude when con-
fronted with sound arguments. Other Finns took
an active part with other Americans, in keeping the
home-fires burning, by serving as speakers or war
loan workers or in filling important positions in
social welfare work among the soldiers. In the
North Central States they were organized under the
Foreign Language Division, as a Finnish Depart-
ment with headquarters at Chicago, having a di-
rector of their own for the 7th Federal District.
The Finnish Lutheran Church was also a member of
The National Lutheran Commission for Soldiers'
and Sailors' Welfare.
For the better understanding of important social
duties and the Americanization question, there was
organized by Finnish men about this time The
Lincoln Loyalty League at Duluth, Minnesota, which
later moved to Chicago, Illinois, because of its more
central location. This organization was instru-
172
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
mental in organizing public meetings in several
states for the discussion of the principles of
Americanization and the importance of natu-
ralization. It created a lively interest in the
Americanization question through these meetings.
and literature.
The objects of the League are expressed more def-
initely in the following words, quoted from the
By-Laws of the said organization. We read: "The
objects of the League are to aid, encourage, and
instruct Finnish-born residents of the United
States to become citizens thereof; to aid, encourage,
and instruct citizens of the United States of Finnish
birth and their descendants in the discharge of the
obligations and in the maintenance of the privileges
of American citizenship; to disseminate among all
residents of Finnish descent, whether they be
citizens or aliens, a knowledge of American
principles and ideals and to imbue them with the
American spirit, and generally to foster in them a
loyalty to and a love for the United States, its
government and institutions."
Coming back to the discussion of Socialism among
the Finns, we must try to give some explanation for
its existence. It would take more time than we have
at our leisure to go into this matter thoroughly.
Socialism is not found among the Finns alone, it is
becoming more and more common in the industrial
1
NATURALIZATION AND POLITICAL LIFE
173
life of all civilized nations. We do not attempt to
find justification for it, for in our opinion it can
not be justified. But there must be causes for it;
it has not not fallen down from the clouds, it is
earthly and has earthly causes for its existence.
Prof. C. H. Cooley, of the University of Michigan,
gave a very clear and fair explanation of the state of
confusion and seeming anarchy in our modern
society.¹) Our country as well as many others has ex-
perienced very rapid changes in the development of
means of communication. Modern inventions have
made travel comparatively easy; telegraph, tele-
phones, radio, etc. have brought us in very close touch
with the whole world; newspapers and books have
become the common property of all. These and other
factors, which might be named, have brought about
a very serious period of transition in our modes of
life and thinking. Primary groups have become dis-
organized to a great extent, resulting in a general
state of confusion and contributing to the develop-
ment of individualism in a marked degree. Everyone
must choose for himself at a time when established
customs and standards are changing. But this in-
dividualism has tended to become selfishness.
That this is true, can readily be seen as a fact in
our industrial life. The industries are not organized
1) Lectures on Sociology, 1922.
174
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
on broad democratic bases, the individual often be-
comes a mere tool without much chance for the de-
velopment of his personality. The principle pre-
vailing in industry is competition. This in itself
is not wrong, but the competition should be regulated
"in the interest of justice and service" to all con-
cerned. "Now it is largely a condition of private
war regardless of the interests of the individuals
and society." It is thus "a merciless exploitation of
weaker classes" and "builds up conditions for
profiteering". What we need is "team-play" that is
motivated by the interests of society at large. These
thoughts of Prof. Cooley give us a fair interpretation
of the present day industrial conditions, which are
found to lie at the root of many of our perplexing
social questions.
Harry B. Fosdick gives us a more definite under-
standing of this ideal in his book, entitled, "The
Second Mile".1) In this book he relates an incident
that took place during the World War. A certain
British boat was torpedoed by a submarine, and the
sailors were thrown into the ocean. A life-boat came
to the rescue, but four men were unable to find room
in it. They were left. While the boat was pulling
away, these men gathered up their courage and
cheered those who were being carried away to safety.
That is going "the second mile"; for instead of
1) See Gospel of St. Matthew, V: 41.
Hung
NATURALIZATION AND POLITICAL LIFE
175
finding fault with their condition, or complaining of
other contributary causes, they showed the highest
spirit of team-play. When capital and labor can
cheer for each other's success and wish them "God
speed", it is then that industry experiences "high-
er control".
It must be further stated that Socialism among
many Finns can be traced to the political oppression
that Finland has suffered at the hands of Russian
autocrats. It was immediately after the "February
Manifesto" that the emigration from Finland in-
creased so rapidly, as seen from our statistical charts
on page 57.
We can offer no better method for combating the
spread of Socialism than the one suggested by the
Government Bulletin. "There is a negative school
of Americanization abroad in the land. It would
Americanize America by 'fighting Bolshevism' by
word and laws, by more police power, more re-
striction, more espionage. It is right that our Nation
should stand on guard for the principles on which
it was founded. But no campaign was ever won
merely by the zealous punishing of the minority. The
America of the future will be built not by our fear
for it, but by the belief of one hundred million
citizens in it. Bolshevism is the natural fruit of
ignorance and injustice. Let us therefore bend our
176
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
efforts to the eradication of these causes, and the
effects will disappear of themselves".¹)
But to come back to our main theme. Are the
Finns getting anywhere in the political world? It
might be said that the political life is no criterion on
which to base an estimate of any race. We do not,
however, wish to deny the importance of politics in
a democratic state, such as we live in. Greater re-
sults might be expected of the Finns than they have
shown thus far. But it must be remembered that
they are comparatively recent comers, and that it is
very difficult for the older men to acquire anything
like perfect control of English, which is a necessity
in political life. This naturally places them in the
position of "the rank and file", generally. Of the
younger men and women, however, many have risen
to important positions in city, county, and state
politics. At random we can point out a few offices
that have been filled by them, e. g. the cities of
Eveleth, Minnesota, Hancock, Michigan, and Fair-
port, O., have had Finnish mayors; Miss Mayme Kau-
konen, who served in the last named position, was
the first woman mayor in the United States; the vil-
lage of Red Jacket (Calumet), Michigan, has also a
Finnish supervisor at the present time. Many other
city offices have also been filled by them at different
1) Bulletin, 1919, No. 76, Community Americanization, pp.
16, 17.
NATURALIZATION AND POLITICAL LIFE
177
;
times in different states. The towns of Calumet, and
Hancock, in Michigan, as well as Nashwauk, Min.
nesota, etc., have had Finnish postmasters. The
state legislatures of Minnesota and Montana have
had Finnish members; and now we can point to a
Finnish member in the Congress of the United
States, he being elected from St. Louis County,
Minnesota.
Qu
It may be said of the Finns as is true of many
other people, that some of the best and most in-
fluential men in other fields, have no political
ambitions, politics being looked upon as a political
game., in which no honest and upright citizen would
wish to be engaged. This however is not right. By
the practice of such opinion, politics often falls in
the hands of unscrupulous political "bosses" and
demagogues. But political bosses must be relegated
with their mediaeval theories where they belong, and
the public must be educated to appreciate its rights
and to discharge its duties in accordance with our
democratic principles. Loyalty to the society ought
to keep any citizen from denying the State such
service as is in his power to perform.
12
!
CONCLUSION
The large problem we have endeavored to study in
the course of this volume has by no means been ex-
hausted. Our hope is that in one way or another
we may have contributed to a clearer understanding
of the life of this small, but in many ways interest-
ing, group of our neigbors. The Americanization of
the Finns has not yet been completed, many
problems still present themselves to us, while others
have just been begun to be discovered, but then it
is to be remembered that the great problem of
Americanization is a living process, and like
Americanism itself, is still in the making. America
is being made every day, and each racial group may
be considered as carrying a little mite, at least, to
the altar of true idealism and the spirit of our
country. Some may contribute cultural riches the
value of which may be inestimable, others, again,
mental and physical qualities that are needed in
building up a great nation.
We have found the Finn to differ from us in
many respects. Some of these differences may be
viewed with interest, and may be considered as con-
tributing in a positive way to the welfare of our
we
(
CONCLUSION
179
country; others may awaken us to a study of the
underlying causes of these phenomena, many of
which are seen to present themselves in the social
life of many modern nations. The past history of
the Finns, however, proves to us that they are not
strangers to the great ideals that have received rec-
ognition in the life of America. They have been
under the influence of Western civilization for
hundreds of years; they have labored and fought for
political and religious freedom for centuries in their
native land. And as a result of this Finland is to-
day a Republic with one of the most democratic
forms of government found anywhere. She can
boast of a fine national system of education and high
percentage of literacy. Her people have become
hardened to endure difficulties and obstacles to a re-
markable degree, and they possess physical strength
equal to that of the healthiest races.
The fact of heterogeneity in the composition of
America, however, is a problem which must be rec-
ognized as needing further attention on the part
of statesmen and educators who have the welfare of
our nation at heart. It is necessary that all the in-
habitants understand our ideals and form of govern-
ment, as well as the general spirit of our life and in-
stitutions. For this reason everyone should learn to
communicate in English. The immigrant should be
provided with an opportunity of learning English,
180
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
the importance of which he should be made to see
both for himself individually, as well as for the
society at large. This can be best attained through
cooperation with the immigrant, rather than
through compulsion. Even with the unity of language
connecting the people, the fact of heterogeneity is
seen to present a problem in a democracy. There
should be unity in spirit and purpose as well as in
outward form and life of the nation. The great
ideal of true democracy is on trial in America, and
it might still be repeated, with Lincoln, that "the
test is whether any nation so conceived and organized
can endure".
But on the other hand, it can not be expected that
the immigrant should immediately forget his own
language and a feeling for his kin and native land.
We do not believe such a thing to be in accordance
with natural laws. A person who could forget his
native land soon, would be likely to have just as
superficial a respect for America. The assimilation
of an immigrant into American life may be com-
pared to a mighty river, for example the Amazon,
flowing into the Atlantic ocean. The flow of the
river can still be detected many miles away from its
mouth. So it is with an immigrant who comes to
America. He is still influenced to a large extent,
even after his life has flown into the great ocean
of Americanism, by his heredity and the social
CONCLUSION
181
current of his past life. It is only after a consider-
able length of time, many generations, perhaps, be-
fore he has entirely lost all trace of his racial origin,
and to expect him not to betray his racial character,
in the first or even second generation, does not show
good understanding of sociological laws governing
the problem of assimilation. "Not that man should
be feared", says Prof. E. A. Steiner, "who bears in
his bosom an affection for two countries, but he
who does not love any country at all".¹)
That the love of America does conquer in the lives
of immigrants, we have no reason to believe the op-
posite. Teutonic or Scandinavian or Finnish blood
may flow in their veins, but yet they come gradually
to feel themselves completely one with all this
country, possesses, that is worth living and dying
for. They may utter with Ruth, that Moabitish wo-
man of precious memory, of long ago, "Thy people
shall be my people, and thy God my God."
And why should it not be so? For "underneath
the surface of American life, often rough and care-
less, there lies this widespread feling: that human
nature everywhere is made of the same stuff; that
life's joys and sorrows are felt in the same way
whether they are hidden under homespun and calico
or under silk and broadcloth; that it is every man's
duty to do good and not evil to those who live in
1) "On the Trail of the Immigrant”.
182
AMERICANIZATION OF THE FINNS
the world with him".") This idealism is that of true
democracy, made possible by Christianity.
"America is a brotherhood. Men of many races
have chosen to become members. We who are al-
ready initiated through the accident of birth or
choice by immigration are now to extend the hand of
fellowship to the later comers. Upon the tact, skill,
and diligence with which we do our part will depend
in no small measure the future of America. But
though it is difficult for us yet to picture definitely
what we wish to produce, to visualize the composite
American of the future, it is necessary that we
formulate some idea, set before ourselves some fairly
tangible objective, so that our efforts may be ef-
fective". And true Americanism may, finally, be
said to mean "the lifting up spiritually as well as
materially of the members of this commonwealth-
the foreign as well as the native element." It is with
this purpose that we have tried to present these
facts concerning the American Finns.
2) Spirit of America, Van Dyke.
Agglutinative languages, 28
change from,
Agriculture,
schools, 76, 77.
Aho, Juhani, 127
Ahlman, Lauri R., 131
Alexander I, 31.
Alexander II, 32.
Amalgamation, 18.
American Journal of Sociology,
115.
American Scandinavian Review.
85.
Americanism, 14, 20, 21 f., 147,
150 f., 182.
Americanization,
Back, John 120.
Bancroft, George, 20.
Bath House, Finnish,
INDEX
145, 146, 148;
gaining, 130, 131; problem of,
90 f; factor in, 109, 112, 118.
Americanized early, Finns, 52.
Amerikan Suometar 60, 121.
Anti-Saloon League, The, 153.
Aristocracy of intelligence, 114.
Aryan 28; Mythology, 128.
Athletic activities, 96, 159,
161,
162; Olympics of 1920, 159, 161.
Automobile worker, 85.
Auttaja, 140.
(6
Sociology, note, 154.
Bolshevism, 34, 175.
89;
Sauna",
144.
Bennett, James Gordon, 116.
Blackmore & Gillin, Outlines of
Burman, V. M., 120.
Burton, Pres., M. L., 92.
Business Assoc., Finnish, 86.
Butler, F. C., 165.
Boston American, 168, 169.
Boston News Letter, first news-
paper, 115.
California gold fever, 52.
Castren, M. A., 167.
Chamber of Commerce, Hancock,
111.
Chase, Prof. L. A., 38, 84, 90, 124.
Cheremissians, 24.
Christian Herald, The, 96.
Church, see Suomi Synod, Finnish
National Synod, Apostolic Luth.
Civil War, 53, 54.
Clark, Francis E., 96.
Colleges, Finnish Students in,
105; see Suomi College.
Commercial life, 85.
Confusion in modern society, 173.
Cooley, Prof. C. H., 114, 146, 173,
174.
Co-operative organizations, 86 f.
Copper Country, 53, 84; Strike,
168.
Crimean War, 52.
Cubberly, History of Educ., note,
97.
Cygnaeus, Uno, 97.
Dana, Charles A., 116.
Danielson-Kalmari, 33.
Delaware, colonization of, 30, 52.
Democratic arty, 168.
Edmonson, Prof. J. B., 110.
Education, 94; system in Finland,
94.
Edwards, August, 119, 120.
Emigration, effects of, 46; from
Germany, 47; from Ireland,
47; from England, 47.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 26, 27,
36, 37, 47, 51 f.
Engel, Ernst, 49.
English, the learning of, 103 f.
Erick IX, King, 128.
Esthonians, 23.
Evening schools, 103.
Factories, 81 f., 83.
Fairchild, 40.
Farmer, the Finn as a, 37 £., 77 1..
their number, 79.
February Manifesto, 32, 42, 175.
Finland, colonization of, 29; ex-
ports from, 44; independance of,
34, 43; missionary society of,
130.
Finnish, Press, 114; history of,
118 f., 125; mythology, 127;
language, 104; congressman,
106.
Finnish Apost. Luth. Church, 140.
141.
Finnish Bulletin on Immigration,
60.
Finnish Lutheran Book Concern,
121, 130.
Finnish National Luth. Synod,
107, 122, 131, 139; officers of,
140.
Finnish osbtinacy, 39.
Finnish White Army, 34; Red-
guards, 34, 41.
Finno-Ugric, 22, 167; family-tree,
25.
184
Finns, in the mines, 71, 73; in New
England, 79; physical features
of, 36.
Fischer, J. R., 33.
Fishing, 85.
Foreign Language Division, 171;
Press, 116 f.
Fosdick, Harry E., 174.
Fosdick, Raymond B., 153.
Fredd, Matt, 118.
Gillin, J. L., 43.
Gloria Dei Church, 31.
Grönlund, 119.
Gustavus IV 31.
Gustavus Adophus, 30.
Haapanen, Alfred, President, 131.
Harding, W. G., President, 107.
Hearst, William Randolph, 116.
Hermanson, Professor R., 33.
Hjelt, Edward, 33, 56.
Hoffman, Fredrick L., Dr., 154.
Hoikka, J. J., Dr., 119.
Holmlund, Jacob, 121.
Homes, Finnish, 100, 142 f.;
breach in, 144 f.
Hungarians, 24.
Illiteracy, 94 f.
Ilmonen, S., 31 f.
Immigrants, 163 f., 170.
Immigration, effects of, 49; po-
tential value of, 19, 49; size of,
52 f.; Commissioner General of,
United States, 40; to Canada,
58 f.
Ingram, T. A., Doctor, 47.
Intelligence, racial, 102.
Jasberg, J. H., 83, 121.
Jeffers, Fred A., Supt., 99.
Johnson, Amandus, Professor, 31.
Kagey, Charles L., 95.,
Kalevala, Finnish epic, 18, 23,
103, 127, 156; Knights of, 152,
155 f.; Ladies of, 152, 155 f.
Kangas, Erick, 140.
Kanteletar, 103.
Karinen, Fred, 120.
Karjalainen, K. F., 25.
Kaunisto, A., 25.
Kautsky, Karl, 45.
Ketonen, A., 120.
Kilpi, O. H., 19, 43, 89.
Koti-Home magazine, note, 85,
102.
Kuusisto, Victor, 131.
Lahde, J. W., 119.
Lapps, 24.
Leinonen, Alex, 118, 121.
Liberty Loan speakers, 169.
Lincoln, Abraham, 20.
Lincoln Loyalty League, 171.
Livonians, 23.
Logging, 72, 80 f.
Longfellow, H. W., 18.
Longshoremen, 83.
Lutherans, percentage of, 128.
Lönnrot, Elias, 23, 156.
Malthusianism, 43.
Manchu, 27.
Manual training, 97.
Mayo-Smith, Doctors, 47.
Mechelin, L., 33.
Miettunen, P., 140.
Military Service, compulsory, 41.
Mongolian, 27, 166.
Mordvians, 24.
Muikku, A. J., 118.
Music, 102; quality of, 157 f.; or-
ganizations, 156 f.
National Lutheran Commission
for Soldiers' and Sailors' Wel-
fare, 171
National Lutheran Council, The,
130.
Naturalization, 60, 165 f.; attitude
of Finns to, 166.
New York American, 160.
New York Journal, 160.
Nicholas II, Czar, 41.
Niemi, Clemens, A. M., 112.
Nikander, J. K., Pres.,
120.
110, 119,
Non-Partisan League, 119.
Nordberg, Bruno, V., 92.
Norway (Norwegians), 40, 45, 53.
Nylund, August, 119.
Occupational statistics, 88.
Ohio, first Finns in, 55.
Ostiaks, 24.
Outlook, The, 13.
Pacific railroads, building of, 55;
panic, 55.
Palmgren, Selim, 158.
Palmgren-Järnefelt, Maikki, 158.
Park, Robert S., Prof., 115, 116,
117 f., 123.
Park-Miller, 19.
Paulsen, F., Prof., 38.
Penn, William, 30
Perky, 87.
Permians, 24.
Pesonen, Emil, 121.
Philadelphia,
30, 52, 53.
Pohjalaiset, 45.
Political offices, held by Finns,
176 f.
Professional careers, 91, 93.
early history of,
Prohibition in Finland, 84; among
Finns, 153 f.
Public school, 98, records of, 98;
number of Finnish children in,
98.
Pulitzer, Joseph, 116.
Päivälehti, 119.
Quarries, granite, 81.
Radical papers, Finnish, 123 f.
Rauanheimo, Akseli, 59.
Religious instruction, 107, 121,
125.
Republican Party, 168.
"Republic of Finland, The", an
economic survey, 26.
Riippa, Adolph, 120.
Roman Catholic Faith in Finland,
27, 128.
Roosevelt, Theodore, 15, 170.
Royce, Prof. J., 38.
Russkoye, Slovo, editor of, 117.
Russian Finns, 54; revolution, 33.
Russo-Finnish conflict, 33; see
Slavophil.
Saari, J. E., 120.
Saarinen, Prof. Eliel, 92.
Salonen, K. E., 140.
Samoyede, 28.
Scholarship, 99, 101, 102.
Scientific Monthly, note, 59, 75,
81.
Segregation, 90 f.
Shipbuilders, 85.
Sibelius, Jean, 158
Sillberg, Isaac, 121.
Slavs, 41; Slavophil,
the move-
ment of, 32.
Social Economic Magazine, note,
88, etc.
Social Capillarity, 45.
Socialism, 124, 168, 172 f; method
of combating, 175; see Bolshe-
vism.
"Speak-English" propaganda, 146
f.; clubs, 103.
Steiner, Prof. E. A., 180.
Suomi, meaning of, 22.
185
Suomi College, 106, 107, 110, 111.
Suomi Synod, 106, 110, 119, 121,
129, 131, 132 f.
Swedes, 29 f.; Swedish-speaking
Finns, 35.
Syrenians, 24.
Talbot, V., 21.
Tarkiainen, V., 28.
Tarkkanen, M., 41.
Teachers, Finnish, 55, 93, 100, 106,
112.
Societies,
Temperance, 84, 153;
103, 122, 152.
Thirty-Years' War, 30.
Tietosanakirja, 25, 26, 28.
Tigerstedt, Professor R., 26.
Tolonen, K. L., 120.
Turkish language, 27.
United Lutheran Church in Amer-
ica, 130.
University, of Michigan, 93, 110;
of Helsingfors, 110.
Ural-Altaic group of languages,
27, 167.
Urbanism, 89, 90.
Uusi Kotimaa, 119.
Van Cleef, Prof. E., 72, 76, 78, 81,
89, 90, 100, 123.
Van Dyke, note, 181.
Vepsas, 23.
Voguls, 24.
Votes, 24.
Votiaks, 24.
Waineman, Paul, 39.
Wargelin, Isaac, 131; John, 110,
131.
Washington, George, 107.
Wasunta, Aarne, 140.
Wells, H. G., 167.
Wiskari, M., 140.
Watson, John C., Supt., 101.
Wundt, W., 38.
Yellow press, 116.
10:21 kv
6., 8., 116, 46.2)
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