SOVIET SAVAGERY.

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 49, 15 May 1930, Page 11

SOVIET SAVAGERY.

WAR ON RICH PEASANTS

'No more staggering account of Stalin's present .rule of blood and terror has yet appeared in print than that published) recently by the ' Sotzialisitcheski Vyestnik" from its underground correspondent in Russia (states the BerIj&a correspondent of the "Daily Tele-

graph^') According to this writer, at least forty of the more prosperous peasants who, as often as not ,owe their comparative affiioence to greater sobriety and indus-. try, are massacred in cold blood every ■day.

Moereover the diurnal tale of victims is constantly increasing and is likely to go on doing so for some time to come.

The massacre of the "koulaks" as the Bolsheviks caJl all peasants who for one reason or another they have decided to destroy or ruin, is being carried out in interpretation of a secret circular.

This document of the existence of •which the rank and file of the party has no knowledge is itself based on the decision (published on 2nd February of the Central Executive Committee of the Bolshevik party to " dekoulakise" Rus-

scia.)

This circular instructs all local authori "" ties to divide the koulaks' living within their jurisdiction nto .three categor-

In. the first three of these .classes must be placed all "koulaks" who have been openly active against Bolshevik authority or are known, as secret counterrevolutionaries. The member of this category must be immediately arrested jajidi shot, without any reference to the ■central authorities. l

It is specially impressed on the provincial authorities that they must carry •out this order without hesitaton, since .such action may mean the anticipaton of "koulak" lisings and at any "rate, will ■deprive a possible insurrection of its aatural and most capable leaders.

Into the. second category of "koulaks* fall those who regularly employ hired labour. The property of peasants of this -class is to be confiscater in its entirely .and handed over -to the "collective farms" by which the Bolsheviks are attempting to enforce agrarian socialisation.

It may be explained that the "sue•eess" of this "collectivisation" has been much greater than was anticipated. Hearing that membership of one of these privileged and pampered organisations may ere long be the only means of keeping body and soul together, the peasants have almost stampeded into the collective farm, with the result that, in many places the Bolshevik Government has 2>een unable to supply them with the promised stock and implements. This •odfneulty is apparently the main reason for the '' rtekoulakisation'' policy.

The ••'koulaks" of the second class are to escape with their lives but they and their families are to be banished to the norther provinces and there •employed on forced labour in the fields forests and mines. '

Into the third category ale. to be placed all.other peasants whom the rulers of Russia may tliiuk it expedient to char acterise a.s •'koulaks." They, too. are to

be deprived of all their- property with the exception of one pair of boots and one change of linen per head and are to be~ driven out of the districts in which

they have lived. But, homeless and destitute, they are otherwise allowed freedom in the choice of a suitable spot in ■which to starve to death. • •■''■"■'

The above particulars the correspond^ ent reports as? fact but he qualifes as "persistent rumours" the statements that mass suicides have set in among th.c "koulaks" classes, and that there have, "been many eases of entire. families plunging into holes in the ice on the frozen lakes and rivers or hanging themselves on trees in the forest . In many districts the local Bolsheviks are at a. loss what to do with the families of the murdered "koulaks" who wander from village to village and thus form a living agitation against the system of dekoulakisation." In every village, cays the correspondent, "there are at present being ,played out such heartrending tragedies. The hopelessness of the situation of the "koulaks" and their families, doomed to death, starvation and exile, is so obvious that the country districts have been completely "well-informed quarters connected with

the rural administration definitely count

Pa peasant rising in the spring and er." At present ,of course, pracj all Russia is still deep under and ice.

PREPARING FOR A REVOLT

The fear of such risings is evidently the reason for a "purification of the army" which has been, carried «ut on Stalin's orders and is now approaching completion. This time the purge has included the rank and file as well as the officers. In some units as many as 40 per cent of-the peasant soldiers have been, discharged and replaced by special levies of unemployed from the towns and the impoverished elements in the villages.

11 The Soviet Power must be able to trust its army," Stalin has pronounced and the force is being deliberately redaicea: in size and strengthened in ' ' redness" so that it may become "a Communist Praetorian guard" and a trust-ed-instrument for employment against Russian people.

But, significantly, add the correspondent, Stalin's policy every day arouses ever greater discontent among the Communists and the number of adherents of the Right' opposition is continually increasing. 'But the Right opposition no longer desires "organisational formulations. ' * It fears that greater activity- on its part might finally wreck the party, which is now in such a condition that it could not survive further controversy, to say nothing of the formation of groups within itself.

Several Bolsheviks from different sections of the party told the correspondent in effect the same story. "To remove Stalin from his post now wouldl mean to destroy the united j>arty. Common fear 'Stalin is at present the only cement that holds it together." But \rhen asked whether they thought that such a situation could last all these.Bolsheviks replied '-'Of course not. We know that a split in the party and a change of policy are inevitable, but we don't Avant-these things to be the work of our hands.". , ■.•.""..-

If this tale had come from a less trusworthy source- it would have been open, to/grave suspicion. But for years past the reports from Bussia printed) in the official organ of the Mensevik party have been both molerate in tone and accurate in substance. Even the present report, with its bloodcurdling facts, appears at the end of the paper in almost microscopic type without any attempt by headlines or display, to draw the reader's attention to it..