FAILURE OF RUSSIA

Hokitika Guardian, 9 October 1920, Page 3

FAILURE OF RUSSIA

ITALIAN SOCIALIST’S REPORT. (London times service—copyright] (Received This Day at 8.4 U a.m.) ROME, Oct. 7. The report of the Socialist Leaders who returned from a visit to Russia, describing the* result of Bolshevism, says the peasants derived more advantages than damage from the revolution. On the other hand, the life of workmen became worse in the cities and they have fallen into material misery. The Government was incapable of a supply of the minimum indispensible necessities. Speculation was rampant and all industrial, and commercial organisations were destroyed. It was useless to cherish illusions regarding, exports, as all transport was disorganised. The communists number only six hundred thousand, out of a population of sixty million, but they were masters of the political, economic machine. Prac tical results had not answered the ideal promises regarding revolution. The capitalist regime had been destroyed, but nothing was substituted. The report concludes: —“In the name of humanity all must help these simple people to emerge from suclx a miserable situation, and to recognise the fallacy of their simple conception of life.” The report is more significant because it is signed by Labourites who jvere originally sympathisers of Bolshevism.