of both Victor Gran and Hjalmar Jacobson, to support their bids for public office. After that beginning, moral and financial support were given more and more frequently, and increasingly substantially: in 1939, for example, William Huhtala was given $50. for his campaign fund, the Progressive Party was given a similar sum, $50. was given to help defeat legislation proposed by Weber Carlie, and $100. was given, finally, for Finnish relief. During the winter of 1939 there was more assistance for Finland, a delegation was sent to the capital to urge public posts for Finns, Huhtala was given more money, and Räihälä was given $25. to help him in his election battle in Floodwood. During the war, funds for Finnish relief continued to be granted. After the war, a properly civic note returned to the federation activity, and a report in February 1956, for example, indicates the scope of the Federation's interest at the time: a letter to Governor Orville Freeman, as well as to state legislators Fred Cina, A. I. Johnson and Senator Thomas Vukelich, urging stricter measures against drunken driving and excessive highway speed; urging defeat of the Lien Law; lowering retirement age from 65 to 60, plus increased pensions; a proposal that even smaller cities be granted permission to operate municipal liquor stores, so that profits would accrue to the local communities; a letter to Mr. Johnson, as Speaker of the Legislature, urging that municipal, county and state employees be made members of the Social Security program; a letter to Senator Humphrey, expressing strong support for his proposal that the Electoral College be abolished; a letter to President Eisenhower on the occasion of his illness.

Meanwhile, interest in civic clubs had dissipated in Ely, Gilbert and, for a long time, in Hibbing. Of the federation as a whole, however, a more encouraging report has been made by O. H. Wessman: "The total income has been $4,070; of this sum, $363 have been granted to various campaign funds, $310 to various organizations, and $550 for Finnish relief. In the earlier phases, the board of directors met six times per year and the working committee once a month. The topic most frequently discussed in these committee meetings was the possibility of getting positions for Finns, a major program since there seemed to be no end of applicants for such positions. It can be stated frankly that through the efforts of this federation several Finns have succeeded in finding important positions in state, county and municipal posts. Numerous letters have been sent to the President of the United States, to legislators, to government officials, urging them to support actions we have considered to be beneficial.

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