The Times of Wednesday publishes from its Helsingfors ccrrespondent an
interesting review of the Session of the new Finnish Diet. It is the only legislative body in the world to which both men and women are eligible, which is elected on the basis of universal adult suffrage, and is not controlled by a Second Chamber. At the last Election fifty-six per cent. of the voters in the towns and fifty per cent. in the rural districts were women. Nineteen women were elected to the Diet.. The results of the Session are very small, with the notable exception of a most drastic Act for the total prohibition of spirits, wine, and beer. Alcohol may be kept in Finland, according to the Act, only for medical and technical purposes, and for the use of the Russian troops. Even the use of ecclesiastical wine in the Communion Service is forbidden. No one may keep alcoholic drinks in his house unless he can prove that they were in his possession before the Act was passed. The police are given full rights of search. Penalties vary from a fine of £4 to penal servitude for three years. There is no provision for the loss of capital in breweries, distilleries, or licensed houses. In vain the Opposition argued that smuggling would be revived, " deletion " would become common, and authority would be brought into contempt because the law would not be supported by the people who alone could make it workable. The Times correspondent thinks, however, that there is no csbarice of the Czar giving his sanction to this extraordinary measure.
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