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Show Prpfiiiii - ... . ... : u f . : - ' . 1 --.v. x -s : V -n r ; v . ? iv-' V; : Rv' Y- v ' v i - - -1 . J ' - -. o ' I n - n . ; y v " a Esthonian Nurses and Patients at Typhus Hospital in Narva. (Prepared by the National Geographic Society, "Washington. I. C.) ESTIIOXIA, with which the United States' has been nejjoliating a comniercial treaty, should be of especial interest to Americans. Ameri-cans. Not only is it one of the foungest republics, but its formation marked the emergence to sudden independence in-dependence of a people who, through fOO years of crushing bondage, kept ullve their dream of freedom and were feady to put it into realization when the opportunity came. World attention has been focused so closely upon storm centers of central and southern Europe that comparatively compara-tively little has been heard of the . new nations carved from Eussla along .the Baltic sea. But with the gradual resumption of commerce between Russia Rus-sia and the outside world Esthonia and its neighbors, Latvia and Lithu-nnla, Lithu-nnla, will assume a more important aspect, either as barriers or as gateways gate-ways to interior Russia. From the eighties of the last century until the World war period Esthonia bore the double yoke of czarist laws administered adminis-tered by German officials. One must go far back into Esthonian iilstory to trace the origin of this duplicate du-plicate despotism. Like the Finns, to whom they are closely related, the Es-thonians Es-thonians or Esths, a race numbering a million and a quarter people, retain re-tain many characteristics which bespeak be-speak their Mongolian origin. They are long-armed and short-legged, have broad faces, are usually beardless and have slightly oblique eyes. They probably came to their present land between the Sixth and Eighth centuries cen-turies from a former home along the middle Volga far to the east. Other relatives of the Esths, though more distantly related than the Finns, are the Hungarians, far away In south-tentral south-tentral Europe. The first record of the Esths in Europe Eu-rope reveals them as a daring, predatory preda-tory people of the Baltic whose piratic pi-ratic outrages enkindled the wrath of Danish kings as early as the Twelfth century. In 1194 and 110G Canute VI sent a strong expedition against them, and forced a number of the lawless bands to accept Christianity and allow al-low themselves to be baptized. Hardly had the warlike proselyters left the Esthonian shores, however, when the inhabitants reverted to barbarism and their heathen practices. Ruled by Teutonic Knights. A quarter of a century later Walde-mar Walde-mar II was more successful. He subjugated sub-jugated the northern coastal region and brought the inhabitants under submission to the Danish crown. It was never a willing submission, however, how-ever, and for more than a hundred years the inhabitants gave their conquerors con-querors endless trouble until in 1343 Waldemar IV decided that they were "not worth the bother," so lie sold his interest In the rebels and In their land to the Brethren of the Sword. The latter, unable to subdue the Esths, called on the Teutonic knights who were gradually spreading their net of power northward from Teutonic lands. They went In the role of Christian crusaders and remained more than six centuries as overlords and masters. The lot of the Esthonlans became that of serfs. In the Sixteenth century both the nobles (they came to be called "Bait barons") and the fortified towns of Esthonia placed themselves under the Protection of the Swedish crown, but they were forced to acknowledge a new master after Peter the Great's successful wars against Charles XII. In the last half century the Russian Imperial government made .systematic etforts to Russify I he Esths, trying especially to abolish the Esthonian 'anguage to which the people have clung tenaciously. Harsh regulations s to the use of the language in the schools did not serve to wean the people peo-ple from their own tongue, however. ne characteristic which has served to preserve the Esth language through 'he centuries has been the people's 've for poetry, and they have rare aturai gift for versification. The Russians also undertook by strenuous methods to gather the Esths into the fold of their orthodox church. The rugged endurance of this northern north-ern people, their vitality and spirit, is sufficiently shown by their bearing up under oppression that was both religious reli-gious and political, and from the political po-litical standpoint, both Prussian and Russian. Perhaps their Mongolic descent de-scent helps account for that. Progressive in Agriculture. Before the World war Esthonia had become one of the most progressive regions, agriculturally, In Russia. Though situated In northern Europe, the country is tempered by the far-faring far-faring Gulf stream. Another thing of American origin the potato has made its deep mark on Esthonia, and it has even been called flippantly, "the Potato republic." As a source of alcohol alco-hol the potato has been most Important Impor-tant economically to the country. Every Ev-ery large estate has its own distillery, and before the World war great quantities quan-tities of the potent liquid were exported. ex-ported. Russia was reluctant to have Esthonia Estho-nia set up housekeeping on Its own account. The country, about as large as Xew Hampshire and Vermont combined, com-bined, blocks a considerable section of western Russia, wdiereas It formed before a natural outlet for the larger country. The Esthonian railways have already played an Important part in moving produce to and from Russia, Rus-sia, and If conditions become stabilized in the latter country, Esthonia should regularly collect a tidy sum as a transit agent. Since the Esthonians are such lovers lov-ers of liberty, yet had been so downtrodden down-trodden by the "Bait barons" until almost the end of the World war, violent vio-lent readjustments were inevitable. First came the Russian revolution. The Esthonians demanded and were given home rule. - Then followed the Bolshevik coup; a Bolshevik invasion, which was fought back ; a German invasion in-vasion ; more fighting with the Bolsheviks Bolshe-viks ; and finally the establishment, with Finnish and British assistance, of an independent state. Then the new republic set about what its leaders lead-ers described as "righting the wrongs of 700 years." The Esthonians, making mak-ing up 92 per cent of the population, seized the great estates of the Baits (who constitute lMs per cent of the population) and parceled them out among peasant proprietors. The country's coun-try's agriculture was thus placed on an entirely new footing, but the most recent statistics seem to show that production Is holding its own. Reval th Chief City. Reval, known to. the Esthonians as Tallin, is EsthoniVs greatest port and city. It has existed for 700 years. With Ilelsingfors across the gulf, .it formed tsarist Russia's gateway and first line of naval defense to Petro-grad; Petro-grad; but to Esthonia, its commercia. possibilities seem brightest. As first seen from shipboard, Re-val's Re-val's skyline Is an epitome of the forces that have been at work upon Esthonia. On a bill which rises above the town is a citadel wall reminiscent of the Germans who took the country I by the sword. On this height, too, are the homes of many of the Bait nobles who have descended from the German Invaders. From the same hill a clump of Gothic steeples pierces the sky. recalling re-calling the Swedish invasion and the Lutheran religion, which most of the Esthonians profess. Wit bin the circle of sharp spires are the queerly shaped, gilded domes of an orthodox Russian church, speaking of the efforts at lius-sificatlon lius-sificatlon which never bore much , fruit In the lower town are the homes i of the Esthonians the stratum from which the people have literally risen to take over the affairs of their conn. . tTn addition to Its agricultural actu-oiu'ie actu-oiu'ie Eihonia has numerous industrial indus-trial possibilities. Already some oi its wate.-power is barnessod. and at Xar-va, Xar-va, on the Russian border, s one ! ti,e larsest cotton mills in the Much of the land is still coverrd forests, and the timber """' 1 ' Industries are Important. Million., or tons of oil shale exist In the coum.y. |