SOVIET RUSSIA.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 July 1925, Page 4

SOVIET RUSSIA.

GLIMPSES OF “PARADISE.” (By S. Eggert, a newly arrived refugee, in Sydney paper).

People who have no idea of the conditions of a Bolhevisl regime, and have never enjoyed the delights of the Bolshevist’s “paradise,” are forced to ask themselves. “Are these indeed the fuelsß Js all this true or false? Is it the same throughout all Russia- However much one may Ik 1 prejudiced in favour of these ideas of Bolshevism, the relentless exactness ot the indictment .with all the evident e of a court of law-names, places and dates—forces conviction, in spite of oitesell. It, is not hv any means possible to find out what is the feeling and the mind ol the people upon any question. Liberty of public meetings or ol G,,. Press does not exist. But it is possible to feel plainly the extreme dissatisfaction with ti:e existing regime. It is quite clear also that with the exception nf the few privileged ones

whole masses of people suffer dreadfullV from hunger, cold and various abasements. The only cum fort loft for manv of them is the hope that, the prevailing conditions cannot last very ninth longer. Russia is not yet emerging from her suffering. On Ibe contrary, the present tendency is towards a new reign of anavchism. The So\ tet (lovernment is always ready to lie ill,out the trade between Soviet Unssia and the “Allies" to the representatives who are coming to Russia lor trade purposes in steadily increasin'; numbers. , The men in real control ot Sovud Russia are families, with all kinds ol pasts. Impudence gained lor them the leadership, and they have made tbeinselves masters of till of value that had remained from destruction, to use’for their own benefit and pleasure. I nn; arose a ruling class which, although a small minority, has lightly gripped om majority with a “Red" list. "World revolution is their liope and their ideal, ami their propaganda directed to that object is more sietivo «nd lc* lluui over it v,ns. A NOTH Kit VAMIMHK. At the hegiuuing the Russian worker liked the new order of things; lie believed he was really master of the situation- hut when the hunger rations tin-

l HJII . 1 ‘ * del-mined his physical power, anil the ((inscription of labour Listened him with a stronger chain than ever to his working bench, lie began to doubt hi* emancipation—began to remark that :t.i-;iiii some “vampire” was sucking away his physical strength, hut more hiirsldy. inure rudely than before. The worker bent Ins head and cursed, hut under Ins breath only. It is more dangerous to curse ;doltd Hum it was in the obi days. There is Cheka, i.e.. Secret, Service. organ of unlimited power of Solid Republic, the Russian terror under the Soviet Government, the witufoil killing without trial of all siispoe - ed of anti-Bolshevist thought, the cruelties. especially towards women, ol liren I ions and ignorant soldiers (the Brutal soldiery of Bolshevism), the looting of private homes, the starvation of poor and helpless people, the occasional futile anii-Bolshevie risings by the fanatical social-revolutionary parly, into which some of the loyal ollicers were drawn in the hope that a hi""' might he struik at. the Soviet regime. These risings were easily sitl'tirosseil. and with great cruelly, and the leva ollicers captured were at once shot dead. One’s hair siamls on end with remembrance ol the horrors ol the tot - t ures. Victims, victims, and victims they were so many ihal tliev the ground like locust s. fit ream* ol blood flowed till thev formed rivers. This was repeated throughout Russia. Children were separated from their parents, brothers from sisters, husbands from wives, they wandered, weeping hopelessly: thousands of carriages were ■•mashed to matchwood; the railway lines became overgrown with weeds; bridges were destroyed or hlow.ii up by the lied army. The people saw their ehurelies despoiled and dishomnited . erucilixes wore torn down and smashed, and BaCcahatialian orgies took the place of worship in the houses ol Chid ! CONTAGION SR It KADI NO. And so that is the progress of the great Russian Revolution,--millions of smashed up lives. But, the most catastrophic part about it is. that this cimtagimi lias spread, and continues to spread furl her and ever further. May

Ip you will call Ibis a Hole "I pessimism. Ini mankind al ihe 11 t I jm<■ ha:, no pride. Where i-. i oiumoii- ■ y The people <an find nothing hotter to do than to shoot one another, v. Itilsl tic rest of the world I- looking on with indifference. In tact, in the eyes of Mil rope, the intelligent elas-es ci Russia are vermin, which must lie exterminated in any manner. Nevertheless. the world's pride should forbid Midi a slate of affairs to null iiitio. To kill the most pure and holy for the sake of Millie doubtful trifling civic advantage and the so-called grandest hopes of huniaiiily! The general happiness of mankind was to lie found tine,n the graves of mankind! Manv strange and exciting adventures I had since I left Pel rograd. and went through Siberia and Rus-ia. but memory of the Soviet "Paradise ’ cannot be forgotten. Two incidents which ! d- -rrih ' reveal strikingly the mentality of the Russia ii masses. The first i- i lie blowing ini of u vodka fsoiril) factory at Orenburg (Eastern Russia). The whole place was simply swarming with a crowd of people of every description, and every one of litem, male and female, under-aged and adult, carried sotne tori of receptacle nail, battle, glass, pitcher or teapot. With a greedy fury they were breaking the barrels containing the spirit, and were drinking this nearly pure alcohol. Having satisfied their thirst, they were tilling their receptacles to tarry them hack for a stock at home. Any number of neople. adult and children, bad their limbs frozen during (heir drunken sleep in ths* cold. Smite ol them lost, ineir hands, others had their faces frozen, so that they looked more like turnips, with lto trace of eyes or nose, or any attributes of the bowman race. X-arlv five thousand were Irozen to death. It lmd been found advisable for the Soviet flovermnent. (inst. after evacuation of Admiral Kolchak’s army) to blow up the factory, and for seven days and nights the soldiers were clearing the blazing depot of these raving, crazed human beings. The people wer-- completely off their heads. They threw themselves flat on their stomachs, and tbits r iifitnie ! the maddening liipiid. Afterwards the report showed that well over 15.000 had been horned, killed, or wounded. Tt was a great. a great festival KUay Ist. permission was given by the Soviet Government) ended with a funeral pyre of liberty. Net. long ago Russia had a record of illiteracy; that is, as one of the most backward nations in the world. And it was so. under Czar ism. And . . . now ? For years it was described by world-artists as “a bear that walks." a big. hulking beast, powerful, surely, but unintelligent. The old Russia is dead : the now Russia is starving. Reaction will soon enne: but when is hard to say.