860D.00/3–2345: Telegram
The United States Representative in Finland (Hamilton) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 24—10:55 a.m.]
128. While all details of the elections may not be definite for some time, the main lines seem clear. The elections were carried out in quiet and orderly manner,39 and the largest number of citizens on record (80 percent of the electorate) voted. There has been a shift from the more conservative groups and individuals and a movement away from support of Finland’s wartime policy and toward orientation to new conditions and in the direction of more friendly relations with the Soviet Union. The Communist Party has registered a substantial increase in strength. The left Parties will have about half of the voting strength. About one-half of the Diet membership will be new.
On the whole I regard the results as being along a constructive line.
As to the reasons for the shift to the left, these include the facts that Finland has been defeated in war and that there was plenty of basis for dissatisfaction over past policy and present economic and social difficulties. There was a serious split in the large Social Democratic Party. The Government, principally through Paasikivi, exercised leadership and pressure for new leaders and new policies based on friendship with the Soviet Union. Clearcut statement of objectives and an aggressive campaign on the part of the Communists and later the Democratic Union40 were important factors.
The new Diet is scheduled to meet on April 6. Current opinion is that Paasikivi will continue as Prime Minister with some changes in the Cabinet particularly to meet reported demand of the Communists for representation therein corresponding to their strength in the Diet. Opinion is divided whether Mannerheim will retire as President. I am inclined to think he will. Paasikivi seems his most likely successor. How alignment will take place between different parties is [Page 612] not yet clear. The Communist Party will be the most close knit and have the most positive program. The Diet will face extremely difficult economic and financial problems. It will also face the thorny problem of treatment of war responsibles. Payment of reparations to the USSR, and other aspects of relations with the USSR will dominate the internal and external scene.
The new Diet will undoubtedly reflect in policy a leftish trend. The fields of government ownership and management and of government control will be expanded. In Finland’s present situation movement along these lines seems inevitable. It is also in the present circumstances probably sound unless the movement be too fast or too extreme.
Repeated to Moscow as my 35.
- In telegram 112, March 18, 10 p.m., from Helsinki, the United States Representative observed: “The absence of uniformed Russians on Helsinki streets has been noticeable.” (860D.00/3–1845.)↩
- A leftist political grouping formed prior to the elections. It was composed of “sixlings”, Communists, a small farmers’ party, and various dissident elements from the Social Democratic Party. The “sixlings” (or “group of six”) contained six Social Democratic Party leaders who had been jailed because of their opposition to the war against the Soviet Union. Released at the time of the armistice in 1944, they were at this time actively opposing the old Social Democratic leaders.↩