HORRORS IN SIBERIA

Hokitika Guardian, 29 October 1921, Page 1

HORRORS IN SIBERIA

MASSACRE OF CHILDREN

POLISH PIANIST’S TRAGIC STORY

SYDNEY, Oct. 1.0.

"People it, Australia cannot realisethe tragedy that is now being enacted in Siberia,” said Mr Andre Skalski, the well-known Polish pianist, who is visiting Sydney, yesterday. ' Hiere are,” lie continued, “seines ed thousands of my fellow connirymen and women there who are absolutely homeless, workless, and starving.”

Mi Skalski left Win saw when the (lermans approached the city, in July 1<) 15. Alter a short stay in Hussia, lie went east to Siberia ami gave pianoforte recitals in Omsk, Tomsk, Irkutsk mill other cities until the Bolsheviks assumed control, at the end ol 191. • Order, lie said, then gave place to disorder. and lend became scarce and dear. There was a temporary improvement during Kollchak's administration, lint alter his defeat and death the worst features of Bolshevism became evident. The normal cruelty ol the Bolshevik system was accentuated b v the liberation of many thousands uf criminals-—murderers and thieves—from the Siberian prisons. Many ol these found congenial occupations under the Bolshevik administration. The result was a life of uncertainty and horror. Mr Skalski stated that life was unsafe on the streets of Yladivostoek in broad daylight. After touiiug the east Mr Skalski teturned to Vladivostock in 1919. and remained there some months. The guns Of the Allied ships commanded the <d, v and order was maintained. Ihe devotion of the Hussions In music cannot be better illustrated than by the f-ict that even ill those troublous times Mr Skalski was able to give successful iccitals in aid of the suffering I’oles. “Their condition was had even then, nml it is mu.l. worse mm." soul 'skalski, "httt it is 'he children v •»> .utmost to he pitied. Scattered through-j ~„t Siiieria there are thousands •>* I Polish orphans, many uf whom are sheltering iu >l"' starving and, exposed I- the rigours ol the elunate. | Their parents fell victims to n,assume | still vatum. im disease, 'll hild ■« j owe then lives, such as thc.v arc to the merev of the Mongol,alts. Buiiats, ] Chinese. or dapanese. who helped then, from the Bed Cuards. Man.' | perisiied last year in a dremlful nuise .|t Xieolnievsk. c„ the Amur, tin del.ids of Which are only now becoming known, fn.hr Tra ipit-m. known ■•tbe. fiend,” and a woman, Nma I.- , do vs. all children over lour . ve! J |S ° i Were ordered to he oxe,„to«. Joe reason given hoittg tt.s.t U* hongeo.s.e most be dost loved root and branch, am „s children over four years ol age would remember 100 much and would chorMi hatred, it was l.ehc to kill then. So ■heir brains were dashed ouf ngnms. walls, little amts and legs wetc bmlun, anv tinv bodies disfigured beyond recognition. Some survive, maimed am nmiilated. A captain ol a H'ci took the bodies of 30(1 eh,hire,, slam at Nicolaievsk from the wafers o \niur and b,.ri*d them on the it' banks. Attempts are being made U rescue the survivors of that and o Ik atrocities. A committee has formed for the purpose, "huh is tbe Polish children to Japan ( anac.a, fnitetl States of America, and Hm*. • where tltcv will remain until oland is i„ a mnre lit statute receive them than she is at present.” , order to raise funds lor the hie.d auenev for the assistance ol 1 ohsh IV „ Mr Skalski. "ho was a pupil r,V Mas Uojer and Hubert Teieb Muller.; .. pi ..ivo a pinoforte recital at the < •» ‘ • „ iti.toiler to which Urn (love,-nor nnd Hume Maig.m Onvid'O,, have accorded .heir patron-