International: Stars & Stripes

Twice in Helsinki last week Finns were ominously reminded of Czechoslovakia.

The reminders: 1) in Parliament, right and center parties raised the same question that had precipitated the Czech Communist coup, asked the government if it was true that Finland’s Communist-bossed police had recently been loaded with Communists; 2) a Communist rally was told by Hertta Kuusinen, fortyish daughter of the Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic’s President Otto Kuusinen, that “Finland must follow the same road as Czechoslovakia.”

These somber omens overhung the Moscow talks on Finland’s future. Last week the Kremlin sent a special plane to fetch ailing Finnish Premier Mauno Pekkala, to join the Finnish mission negotiating a “friendship” pact. Finns feared the worst.

While they waited, Easter came, a warm, lovely day. In Helsinki thousands of Finns strolled around the Esplanade gardens. They watched the ceremonial changing of the guard at the Presidential Palace, and grinned appreciatively as the guardsmen marched down the Esplanade while the band played The Stars and Stripes Forever.