To General Mannerheim
To all news agencies
To be publicly announced
To the Finnish People




Inflamed by a few unscrupulous individuals, some Finnish citizens, supported by foreign bayonets, have risen in rebellion against the Diet and Government of Finland, and by violence prevented it from carrying out its functions, thus endangering the new-found freedom of our country. The Government is compelled to use all available means to crush this treasonable movement, and for this purpose, the Protective Corps, created for the maintenance of order, by authority of the Diet, has been placed under a single command, that of General Mannerheim. The Government orders all loyal citizens to give General Mannerheim and his troops all the assistance he may require.

The misguided citizens who have risen with armed force to destroy the constitutional order must immediately desist from their criminal intentions and surrender their arms to the forces of the Government.

Should they not realize the criminal nature of their actions and surrender, they must understand that their attempt is in any case doomed to failure. Government forces have already seized a large part of the country and are approaching the towns situated in the south and southwest. No resistance will avail against them in their fight against traitors to the freedom of our Fatherland.
January 28, 1918

The Senate of Finland
P.E.Svinhufvud
Arthur Castén        Jalmar Castrén
Kyösti Kallio          O.V. Louhivuori
Onni Talas.
Source: C. Jay Smith, Jr. Finland and the Russian revolution 1917 - 1922. Atlanta, Georgia. 1958.

Back to documents of 1917-18.