{{Short description|Finnish socialist and journalist (1879–1960)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}}
'''Vieno Severin''' "'''Severi'''" '''Alanne''' (October 23, 1879 – May 26, 1960) was a Finnish-American socialist journalist and consumers' co-operative organizer. He is best remembered as a director and publicist for the large and popular Finnish-American consumers' co-operative in the Upper Midwest region of the United States during the first half of the 20th century.
== Early years == Vieno Severin Alanne, known to friends and family as Severi Alanne, was born in Hämeenlinna, Finland, on October 23, 1879.<ref name="Obit">{{cite news |title=Severi Alanne kuollut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109978149/severi-alanne-1879-1960/ |work=Auttaja |date=June 2, 1960 |location=Ironwood, MI |page=1 |access-date=September 22, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> He was well educated, attending both preparatory school and a classical lyceum in his native Hämeenlinna, from which he graduated in 1897.<ref name=WW>"Severi Alanne," in ''Who's Who Among Finnish-Americans: A Biographical Dictionary of Persons of Finnish Descent Who Have Made Noteworthy Contributions to the Pattern of American Life.'' Fitchburg, MA: Raivaaja Publishing Co., 1949; pg. 8.</ref> After leaving the Hämeenlinna Lyceum, Alanne relocated to Helsinki to attend the Helsinki Polytechnic Institute, from which he graduated in 1902.<ref name=WW /> He remained in the field of organic chemistry for two more years, working as an assistant to professor Gusst Komppa while continuing his post-graduate studies.<ref name=WW />
Upon completion of his graduate studies in 1903,<ref name="Obit" /> Alanne taught as a professor of electro-chemistry at the Helsinki Polytechnic Institute and as an instructor of chemistry and later department head at a vocational school in Helsinki, remaining there until 1905.<ref name=WW />
An opponent of Tsarist autocracy in the Russian Empire, of which Finland was a part, Alanne joined the Social Democratic Party of Finland ''(Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue,'' SSP) in 1905. He was forced to emigrate from the country following the defeat of the Revolution of 1905.
== Career == In the United States, Alanne worked for two years as the manager of a coal mine in Hanna, Wyoming, and for two additional years as a research chemist for the Viscol Company of Cambridge, Massachusetts.<ref name=WW /> He later took a position as an editor of the Finnish-language socialist daily newspaper ''Työmies'' (The Worker), located in Hancock, Michigan.<ref name=WW />
In 1919, Alanne published a major book through the Työmies Publishing House, a large and comprehensive Finnish-English translating dictionary.<ref>''Suomalais-englantilainen sanakirja – Finnish-English Dictionary.'' Editor. Superior, WI: Työmies, 1919.</ref> Alanne's work was so well-regarded that the dictionary survived to see publication a posthumous second edition, published in Finland in 1968.<ref>''Suomalais-englantilainen suursanakirja'' (Finnish-English General Dictionary). Porvoo: Werner Söderström, 1968.</ref>
Alanne found his lasting professional contribution in the field of consumer cooperation, becoming director of the growing Co-operative Central Exchange (CCE) of Superior, Wisconsin in 1920 — a position he held until 1925.<ref name=WW /> At that time, Alanne moved on to fulfill a similar function for the umbrella organization of which the CCE was part, the Northern States Cooperative League, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.<ref name=WW />
Alanne remained at that post until 1936, after which he returned to Superior to work in the educational department of the Central Co-operative Wholesale, the name by which the CCE was then known.<ref name=WW /> His employment there finally ended in 1943 with his retirement at the age of 64.<ref name=WW />
===Political career===
Alanne made one run for public office, serving as the candidate of the Workers (Communist) Party for Governor of Wisconsin in 1924.<ref name=Bluebook>Lawrence Barish (editor in chief), et al., [https://books.google.com/books?id=ExVWAAAAMAAJ&dq=severi+alanne&pg=PA720 "Vote for Governor in General Election, 1848-1990,"] ''Wisconsin Blue Book, 1991–1992.'' Madison, WI: Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau, 1991; pg. 720.</ref> Alanne received just under 4200 votes in the race, finishing a distant fifth out of seven candidates.<ref name=Bluebook />
== Death and legacy == Severi Alanne died May 26, 1960, in Helsinki.<ref name="Obit" /> He was 80 years old at the time of his death.
==Electoral history==
{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Gubernatorial Election, 1924<ref>{{cite report|chapter-url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1925 |title= The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1925 |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1925 |location = Madison, Wisconsin |editor-last= Holmes |editor-first= Fred L. |accessdate= February 2, 2020|chapter= Election statistics | pages= 481, 562–563 }}</ref>}} | colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| '''Primary Election, September 2, 1924''' {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = John J. Blaine |votes = 230,985 |percentage = 49.57% |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Arthur R. Hirst |votes = 157,138 |percentage = 33.72% |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = George Comings |votes = 36,666 |percentage = 7.87% |change = }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Martin L. Lueck |votes = 21,347 |percentage = 4.58% |change = }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Socialist Party of America |candidate = William F. Quick |votes = 18,401 |percentage = 3.95% |change = }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Prohibition Party |candidate = Adolph R. Bucknam |votes = 1,484 |percentage = 0.32% |change = }} {{Election box total |votes = '''466,021''' |percentage = '''100.0%''' |change = }} | colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| '''General Election, November 4, 1924''' {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = John J. Blaine |votes = 412,255 |percentage = 51.76% |change = -24.60% }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Martin L. Lueck |votes = 317,550 |percentage = 39.87% |change = +29.27% }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Socialist Party of America |candidate = William F. Quick |votes = 45,268 |percentage = 5.68% |change = -2.53% }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Prohibition Party |candidate = Adolph R. Bucknam |votes = 11,516 |percentage = 1.45% |change = -3.00% }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Communist Party USA |candidate = Severi Alanne |votes = 4,107 |percentage = 0.52% |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Independent Republican (United States) |candidate = Farrand K. Shuttleworth |votes = 4,079 |percentage = 0.51% |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Socialist Labor Party of America |candidate = Jose Snover |votes = 1,452 |percentage = 0.18% |change = -0.12% }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = |candidate = ''Scattering'' |votes = 205 |percentage = 0.03% |change = }} {{Election box total |votes = '''796,432''' |percentage = '''100.0%''' |change = +65.29% }} {{Election box hold with party link no swing| |winner = Republican Party (United States) }} {{Election box end}}
==Works== * ''[https://archive.org/details/suomalaisenglan00alangoog/page/n4/mode/2up Suomalais-Englantilainen Sanakirja – Finnish-English Dictionary]'' Editor. Superior, WI: Työmies, 1919. <small>Reissued 1968 as ''Suomalais-englantilainen suursanakirja'' (Finnish-English General Dictionary).</small> * ''Osuustoimintaopas: Käsikirja Amerikan suomalaista osuustoimintaväkeä varten'' (The Cooperators' Guide: A Handbook for Finnish-American Cooperative Members). Superior, WI: Cooperative Central Exchange, 1921. * "The Story of Co-operative Central Exchange," in ''Northern States Cooperative League Yearbook, 1925.'' Minneapolis: Northern States Cooperative League, 1925; pg. 68. * "Through the Critical Years with the Central Exchange," in ''Northern States Cooperative League Yearbook, 1928.'' Minneapolis: Northern States Cooperative League, 1928; pp. 129–137. * ''Fundamentals of Consumer Cooperation.'' Superior, WI: Cooperative Publishing Association, 1932. * ''Kuluttajaosuustoiminnan perusteet'' (Basics of Consumer Cooperation). Superior, WI: Cooperative Publishing Association, 1937. * ''[https://archive.org/details/manualforcoopera0000alan Manual for Co-operative Directors]'' Superior, WI: Cooperative Publishing Association, 1938. * ''Englannin kielen ääntämisohjeita'' (On pronunciation of the English language). Porvoo, Finland: WSOY, 1956.
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Alanne, Severi}} Category:1879 births Category:1960 deaths Category:American Marxists Category:American people of Finnish descent Category:Massachusetts socialists Category:Members of the Communist Party USA Category:Members of the Socialist Party of America Category:Michigan socialists Category:Minnesota socialists Category:Wyoming socialists Category:Finnish lexicographers Category:American lexicographers Category:Emigrants from the Grand Duchy of Finland to the United States