Le Nord : revue internationale des Pays de Nord - 01.06.1944, Page 197

FINLAND’S WAY TO PEACE ECONOMY
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been taken over by the new Permanent Committee for National
Economy, connected with the Ministry of Finance. The question
of a new plan for peace economy was raised in this committee
and a board of commission was elected for preliminary work
under the chairmanship of Mr. Eljas Kahra, chairman of the
Board of Customs.
As mentioned, conditions were again subjected to great
changes and it was very difficult, if not impossible, to foretell
in what direction they were to develop. No one could survey
either the economic result of the world war or an approaching
peace between Finland and Russia. Alternative possibilities had
to be taken into consideration by the Committee when work-
ing out the programme. The Armistice in Moscow in September
1944 was, however, proclaimed before these plans had been de-
finitely shaped — and thereby certain premisses had become
clearer.
The problem of placing the evacuees in productive work
returned with increased demands; the population of Porkala
is greater than that of the Flangö peninsula. Besides the natural
resources of Carelia the nickel mines in Petsamo have been
lost this time. Finally there are the claims for an extensive in-
demnity to Russia which will burden the balance of foreign
trade heavily for six years.
Certain other questions of the future are not yet clear. Al-
though the war is coming to an end, no one can tell with cer-
tainty when peace will be concluded and the conditions thereof,
neither as regards Europe nor the Pacific regions. No one knows
how the plant of production and foreign trade will shape
in the world, in Europe, in Finland. There lies a great danger
in this uncertainty, in all plans for the future, as Finland’s
economy is largely dependent on foreign trade. Possibilities for
settling questions of foreign exchanges and international credits
are quite uncertain. The only fixed point is, at the moment
(November 1944) a credit of 150 million Kr. granted by Sweden.
Agreements have already been made for the import of essential
goods such as food, etc.
The present conditions have caused displacements in the ac-
tual planning. Some questions have again on account of the pre-
sent constrained circumstances demanded prompt and somewhat
improvised decisions. Committees with full authority to settle
the true purport of the indemnity to Russia have been elected