76
apply to the Council of People's Commissioners with the demand that the latter will immediately take effective measures for the prevention of the participation of the soldiers in the deeds of violence against Finnish citizens, as well as their further interference in the internal affairs of the country.
"To the Foreign Powers.
"Although the Russian Government have, on the 4th instant, officially acknowledged Finland's political independence, no effective measures have yet been taken for the withdrawal of the Russian troops from the country. On the contrary, Russia still supports numerous divisions of troops in Finland which, simultaneously with consuming the scanty food of the country, are not only a hindrance to the maintenance of order and security in the country, but also, in co-operation with the most turbulent elements of the population, commit murder, incendiarism, and other outrages. This circumstance receives its peculiar significance not only by a few misguided soldiers or divisions of soldiers taking part in these crimes, but also by the fact that the representatives of the Russian Government resident here directly contribute to the prolongation of this state of affairs, intolerable to an independent country, by giving permission for the distribution of firearms and ammunition belonging to the Russian State, to the masses that take part in the disturbances, and by preventing the establishment of an effective police force obedient to the orders of the Government. Thus, according to communications received by the Government of Finland, the commissioner for military affairs of the Russian Government on the 23rd inst. issued orders for the soldiers stationed at Viborg to disarm the Protective
