UNDER RED RULE
DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS IN PETROGRAD AUSTRALIAN OFFICER'S EXPERIENCES BRITISH SECRET SERVICE MISSION By Telegraph-Press AGsociation-Copyright (Ecc. April 11, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 9. Sergeant-Major J. G. Gray, of Richmond, Melbourne, formerly of the .Eighth- Battery, has returned from Russia, where ho was engaged in the British Secret Service, mainly in tho neiglibourhood of PetrogTad, which he left a month ago. He describes the conditions as deplorable. There are practically no factories working, and food is very coarse and very scarce. A pound of tea costs six hundred roubles. The great majority of the men are still under arms. Red women guards, armed to tno teeth, are also constantly patrolling the streets. Even the smallest villages Mi ■under closl supervision. Despite tht appalling social conditions, Petrograd is very gay. Trams are running*, and there are the usual theatres. The dancing saloons are filled with vulgar crowds, but gentlefolk are entirely absent. Aristocrats seem to havo almost completely disappeared. A few are occasionally, encountered in humble surroundings in re. mote villages, but tho majority have fled. Many high-born, Russian ladies have taken .refuge in Finland, where they are acting as governesses and clerks. It is impossible to estimate the extent of the anti-Bolshevik feeling in Russia. Sergeant-Major Gray says that people appear to be afraid to express opinions, but open violence and outrages, of which he saw_ many evidences and heard dreadful stories, appear to be less prevalent than formerly. He wore feasant's d"css aud escaped detection, [is carefully manicured nails once aroused suspicion, but a sound knowledge of the Russian language put the Bolsheviks off the scent. He,.with other members of the party, on completion of the mission returned to Finland acioss the frozen Finland Gtilf on skis, and encountered a violent blizzard, the temperature being 42 degrees below zero. While ski-ing l on Lake Ladoga he lost direction for eleven hours, finally reaching a village in a state- of collapse. His condition remained serious for* over n fortnight, even after arrival in ' England, via Heleingfors, at the end of March.
Sergcant-Major Grav, saw service abroad and after the armistice was on the Toll of on Australian boat, when lie decided to join the British lake flotilla proceeding to Lake OAoga. The flotilla consisted of six 35ft, motor honts and four 40ft. ones. Sergeant-Major Gray's boat was manned by four Australians, two South Africans, and a New Zealander. The crew exchanged' a bottle of whisky for an Australian Ensign. They succeeded in capturing the first Bolshevik steamer, the A zed, and hauled down the red flnsr, hoisting the Australian Ensign. On one occasion the so-called "Aussie" boat back-fired, putting her out of action. The vessel drifted nil night long and was posted as missing, but later was discovered by an'aeroplnne and succeeded in returning under her own power. Serjeant-Major Gray, after three months on Lake Onerra. returned to England via Murmansk' when the British evacuation of Russia was undertaken. He had ar. ranged for immediate repatriation to Australia, and was proceeding nn board a boat, his luggage being already aboard, when in response to a telegram he joined t)i" Ru== ; nu secret service mission.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.
BOLSHEVIK RISING AT KIEFF SOVIET GOVERNMENT OVERTHROWN. - (R«. April 11, 5.5 D.m.) Paris, April 9. . The Geneva correspondent of the "Echo de Paris" announces a rising among thn Bolsheviks at ICieff. Many Red notables have been arrested. The Soviet Government has been overthrown, and the members of-the Cabinet have fled.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ORDER OF THE RED FLAG FOR CLEMENCEAU- AND WINSTON CHURCHILL. (Rec. April 11, 5.5 p.m.) Moscow, April 9. The Communist Conference has decided to confer the Order of the Red Flag, the highest distinction which Soviet Russia nan bestow, on M. Olemenceau and Mr. Winston Churchill, in recognition of their "reat work for the international revolu-tion.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. JAPANESE PREPARED TO EVACUATE 'SIBERIA ' HAMPERED BY BANDS OF MARAUDERS. London, April 8. It is understood that official assurances have been received that the Japanese have no designs on Siberia, where they still have three divisions on a peace footing The Japanese are prepared to evacuate the territory at the earliest possible date. Already they have retired from the whole of the Amur railway, leaving detachment to guard certain strategic points. The complete evacuation is hampered by the depredations of roving Bolshevik bands, who are damaging prone.rty and stores, cuttine railways, and seriously interfering with the Japanese movements. In order to secure their base Hie Japanese occupied Vladivostok, and are now matin" efforts to come to terms with the" Provisional Bolshevik Government with a view to enlisting support in suppressing marauders. The Bolsheviks possess great supplies of arms, and are secreliv engaged In arming tlho Koreans and encouraging the formation of the anli-Jaoa'-.ese organisations there.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.
STATE OF WAR AT VLADIVOSTOK. Tokio, April 9. l\. state of war has been declared at Vladivostok. The Japanese, after brisk fighting, disarmed the Russian garrison. -Ahs.-N.JS. Cable Assn.
BOLSHEVISM DYING IN ENGLAND
BRITISH LABOUR DISGUSTED
WITH REDS
Ottawa, April 8. | Mr. T. Moore, president of the Canadian' Trades and Labour Congress, and Canada's Labour representative at tho International Labour Congress held in England under the auspices of tihe League of Nations, has .returned, and says that Bolshevism is slowly but surely dving in Endnjid. where free speech is killing it. English Labour is learning the unsoundness of the doctrine of Bolshevism, not only from those wislhing to discredit the movement, but from the ■Radicals themselves. Labour in Britain is becoming disgusted with tho Ms. and is repudiating tho movement. British workers are undoubtedly rapidly moving l towards control of capital bv the State, especially in regard to the kev industries. Bolshevist soap-box orators abound, openly advocating Soviets for Britain, but nobody pays much attention to them, though any attempt at revolutionary action is •.Illicitly nipped in the bud-Hcntar.
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Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 168, 12 April 1920, Page 5
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974UNDER RED RULE Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 168, 12 April 1920, Page 5
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