PETROGRAD TO-DAY.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3482, 10 May 1920, Page 7

PETROGRAD TO-DAY.

.i...._..,..__.. l;\' Ti-lhl GPJP OF FATALISM_ “Piermarini,’,’ the correspondent of the London Evening News, who, at great personal risk, penetrated into Red Russia, and saw the workings of Bolshevism on the spot, describes in his fourth a'"rtix?ie the two aspects :01’. life in Petrogi-ad-—th'e lbriliant sham and the grim reality. He says:—--The theatres are full. Yes; but for the thousand privileged citizens who spend a pleasant evening millions and millions are suffering. A visit?“ to the suburban ziart of the city inhabited by workmen, or, still more, an exciirsiofi to the country close to Petrograd, provides the most striking contrast to the still brilliant capital. ' 3 This false brilliance is largely due to the fact that Russia’s Wealth is now in the hands of the chiefs of the Bolshevist movement—-and they have not even the tact to hide from the great. public how they squander the riches they have gained at the price of the ruin of their motherland. Of all the sights of Petrvograd, the one that impressed me the most was the number of funerals and of palaces transformed into hospitals. Religious funerals. have been abolished in Russia; but when one of the funeral cars passes along tone invarfifbly sees mixed up with the few followers 5: bearded man in civilian clothes marching at the back of the ‘coffin. He is the pi-lost. who, without sacred gar-llll-Pills or-gikons, takes to the place of rs-t-st _one of the numberless victims of the t_vphus epidemic. But the largest part of the victims .:-_ro c-ax:-iod an 13' in lorries, either from hosgitalsor -from the Qrivate

houses in the popular suburbs, Where famine, dirt, and lack -of hygiene are “ more evident and tragic. This. is the real reverse of the "official” Petrograd, of the Nevsky Prospect, and of the spacious central squares, this is the real grim face of Russia under Red rule. The very value of the Word Dearth is changed. Indeed now the whole of Russia. has :1 mentality very much. like the one that possessed us who fought in the war when we were in the most advanced trenches, and in our: _ most, savage moments. _ Eat the whole ration, for in an hour’s time a shell will have posibly blown you to bits. Look with dryeyes on the sc"a‘f'Eered remains of 3 « “bal,” for that’ possibly may be ‘ your fate, too! Russia is in the grig of Fatalism, as we were. This, I believe, is the real reason; of all disasters to the armies of Kolt.-4 ehak, Yudenitch, and Denekin. I firmly believe that, in spite of simplified history, every Russion labourer who has to work and struggle for his dinner and is not getting it out of his new place in ‘the Soviet} Republic, has long ago realised that; it would have been ineompax-nhl_v better to stick to the old system. with all its faults, and that the new mass ters are a thousand times worse than; the old ones.”