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"[Finland] is a little nation, but a great nation. Size is not the measure of greatness. Greatness lies in the industry, the courage, the character of people. It lies in the intelligence, the education, the moral and spiritual standards of a people. It lies in their love of peace and freedom. All these measures of greatness can be expressed in one word—Finland.
"They will make a brave fight. They may be overwhelmed by the hordes whose morals are the morals of Communism, whose methods are cowardly. . . . Even if Finland falls, the day will come when it will rise again—for the forces of righteousness are not dead in the world."
Although soon Republicans were making their denunciations retroactive, insisting that Russia should never have been recognized in the first place ("Why all this tenderness toward Russia?" asked Herbert Hoover) the almost unanimous U. S. condemnation of Russia made it unlikely that the diplomatic steps taken could become an issue of domestic politics.
For 500,000 U. S. Finns, politically uninfluential, scattered from New York City to Grays Harbor, Wash., farmers in Michigan, loggers and fishermen in Washington, iron miners in Minnesota, the week's news was different:
> In Manhattan, where 15,000 Finns live in close-packed Harlem, Representative Bruce Barton spoke to 1,500 Finns at the 22nd anniversary of Finnish independence: "In the endless drama of the universe, Finland has an indestructible part. The Finnish people can be attacked, but they cannot be conquered."
> In Michigan, with 100,000, preparations went on for celebration of Finnish Independence Day this week, and Finns were taking up "raianturva kerays" for Finnish aid. Raianturva kerays means frontier defense canvas, began when Finnish workmen voluntarily gave up vacations to work on forts on the Russian frontier.
> In Oregon, with first or second generation Finns, it looked as if Russia's invasion might influence labor politics. Voting was on in the potent International Woodworkers of America, with a battle revolving around President Harold Pritchett, able left-winger, ally of Harry Bridges, and like Bridges threatened with deportation. Stridently anti-Communist is the opposition in Portland, Ore. Because I.W.A.'s members are scattered in remote logging camps, balloting takes a month. There were only three days of voting left when the Russian invasion began, but out of the northwest camps to Portland's anti-Pritchett headquarters poured Swedes, Norwegians, Finns, to get their votes in before the polls closed.