PETROGRAD'S AWFUL STATE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 166, 9 April 1920, Page 7

PETROGRAD'S AWFUL STATE

WITHOUT FOOD AND FUEL.

Interesting facts concerning the chaos and deplorable conditions existing in are given in a letter received from "that city by the Finnish Consul in Australia. The letter states:— "You can hardly form an idea of how we are living here at the present time. It would be impossible to recognise Petrograd—the city of two niillion peop c, which was effervescent with life in tne old days,' but is now dead. In the daytime one sees only pale and haggard faces in -the streets-starving people .in search of something to eat. -ywr b p.m. even this little sign ot life dies' down, and the whole city :s enveloped in darkness. Electric light is i.ofc used for more than a couple of hours during the day, and then only in a. few parts of the town—many places having no light at all, and the people 'here compelled to live in darkness the whole of the time. One candle w»ts from 200 to 300 roubles—if procurable. The two ot kerosene is from 400 to 500 roubles pel pound, and ic is almost unobtainable owing to the restrictions on the sate ot this commodity. . . r , . "In addition to all this, there is the cold, which is terrible iust now, because the whole city is without fuel. \V« fortunately have been able to get hoUl of some, and can in this way at least keep ourselves slightly warm. Sometimes we are a'ble to liwt our rooms to about 50 deg. Fahr., and many people envy us this comfort, as the majority cf them can 0n.1'7 raise the temperature ra 'to about 40 deg. Fahr—and even this is only the lot of the more fortunate, as the temperature of 'die homes of most of the peopb is as low as 4 deg. to 8 (jeiY. below zero —and oven lower —and-yet these people are still living. I would never have believed it possible that lru- ■ man beings could endure such hardships. The death-rate is, of course, very,high, and thousands die of starvation, disease, and cold. Typhus is rampant, •nd claims innumerable victims. You cannot imagine how miserable and cruel the struggle is here even to maintain an exis.ence. It is heartrending to see all this indescribable suffering everywhere. The poor starving anil fm*n p"«p!<? «sl! 'heir last possession in order to keep themselves alive. They are compelled to utilise all the furniture, such as tables, chairs, and cupboards, as fuel for cooking their food. JTanv houses are without water, because the Vatcr-pioes are broken owing to the extreme cold; and in one house where there are about 100 people residing the sanitary arrangements are out of orderperhaps yon ean realise the sta.e of things there. The same conditions exist in many houses. , "Food is at a fabulous price. the greatest trial is the cold. We sit in onr rooms in our overcoats ami furs, but our hands are most affected. The misery and clmos in this citv arc awful beyond all description, and if we do not receive assistance very soon the greater nart of the population will 'be # wiped out.