VEILED HORRORS IN RUSSIA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 1, 26 September 1918, Page 5

VEILED HORRORS IN RUSSIA

GLIMPSES OF DREADFUL SCENES

SPECTRE OF FRIGHTFUL WINTER FAMINE

London, September 24. An almost impenetrable veil liides the chaos in Russia from the rest of Europe. The only news comes -tragmentarily and intermittently from tlio Allies' ofßcinl agents and from occasional refugees whg reach Scandinavia after abandoning their belongings and bribing their way into security. ThtH givos few of the details enacted, but enough is known to show that Russia has sunk to a depth of anarchy, in which incendiarism; murder, and infamy of all descriptions arc • running in mad riot. Reliable accounts estimate the murders in Petrogjad alone at 500 a day. There is no sign of the appearance of any stabilising element, and there is a terrible prospect of anarchy and disorders, already far exceeding tho worst of the French and other, revolutions, proceeding unchecked. ' i ' It is estimated in Paris that seven million Russians are- irretrievably doomed to starvation during the coming, winter, in which an absolute breakdown of the distribution of coal and firewood promisos to be one of the lessor evils. ■ •'..■•■ Reports from Copenhagen state that Petrograd is subsisting mostly upon rats, dogs, and mice. This may be an exaggeration, but there is no room to doubt that unbelievable horrors are .being suffered and perpetrated by the starving and unemployed populations. The British are trying to eeoure the release of British residents, including Mr. Lockhart.—Aub.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

REPORTS OF APPALLING SCENES CONFIRMED . . Washington, September 24. . The J&ate Department has received confirmation of the appalling conditions in Russia. There is ruthless slaughter of officers and leading cifeens, who are shot in collars at night with jjuna muffled with silencers. The French and British Consuls-General at Moscow have been arrested.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ' . ■ HUNGER SUICIDES IN MOSCOW. I (Rec. September 25, 8.40 p.m.) ! London, September 24. A message from Moscow statee tl'at 1800 journalists are starving in the city, and hundreds , of famishing' people aro committing suicide every day. A later Bolshevik wireless message states that the food situation at Moscow is improving. Two hundred and ninety-seven wagon loads arrived within two days.—United Service. THE WAR ON'THE BOLSHEVIK PESTILENCE , (Rec September 25, 8.40 p.m.) London, September 24. Reports from Vladivostok state that M. Avksentielf presided at a conference of raembere of the Constituent Assembly, and decided to follow General Garda's army and form a united Government purged of Bolshevism. This has been accepted by the Siberian Duma and the Omsk and Samara Governments.—United Service. . . A PAGE FROhTtRAGIC DIARY : EX-TSAR'S DARIC HOURS. London, September 24: An interesting picture of the life of the late Tsar after his abdication, is gleaned by fuller accounts of his diary, published in Bolshevik newspapers. The diary records the Tsar's sorrowful arrival at Tsarskoe Selo in 1917, where sinister-looking non-commissioned officers were occupying the great court of the palace. The Tsar found his ohild: ren lying ill with measles in a room with no light. He montions .burning his papers and sorting his possessions in view of liis proposed departure for England, and shows how reluctantly he submitted to Keronsky'e request that he should only spend the. meal times with his family. The oxmonaroh expresses disgust _at the studied insolence of the soldiers, r-nd records: "Our idiots' decision to celebrate May Day by holding processions and flying red flags."' . Other entries are in a tone of resignation and sorrow at Russia's dark prospects.,. Finally the Tsar joyfully .and thankfully 're- ■ cords on Juno 19 the news of the successful offensive ou tho south-western front.—Reuter. i.