Research: Topics: Business & Labor: The Lusk Committee
The Lusk Committee
L0033. Finnish Information Bureau Seized Files, 1918-1919. 1.7 cubic feet.
Arrangement: Organized into two subseries: Subseries 1, Original Seized Records, 1918- 1919, 1 cubic foot. Subseries 2, Photostatic Copies of Seized Records, 1918-1919, 0.7 cubic foot. Both are arranged alphabetically by topic.
Finding Aids:Folder list.
While civil war and revolution were occurring in Russia, Finland, long under Russian dominion, revolted and declared independence. In January 1918, the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the People's Republic of Finland came to power as a declared socialist government. Though short-lived, it established the Finnish Information Bureau in New York City as its official, though unrecognized, mission in the United States. The mission solicited support for this Finnish government and also promoted the interests of the Russian Soviet regime to which it was closely tied. The committee asserted that the Finnish Information Bureau went beyond seeking support for the Finnish government and that it really was promoting revolutionary doctrine in this country. The committee subsequently raided the bureau and seized a number of files in order to gather evidence about the bureau's suspected subversive activities.
This series contains original and photostatic copies of these files. The majority of the records consist of correspondence between Bureau Director Santeri Nuorteva and supporters or prospective supporters of the Finnish or Soviet causes. A large portion of the correspondence consists of letters from Nuorteva to United States officials describing conditions in Finland and Russia and appealing for their political support. There is also correspondence regarding the many requests for Nuorteva to speak at local Socialist Party meetings throughout the country. In addition to the correspondence, the records contain texts of speeches, articles, reports, and press releases pertaining to conditions in Finland and Russia.
Some documents are in Finnish. Only a small portion of the photostatic copies duplicate the original records.
