THE DARKNESS OF RUSSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 120, 18 June 1909, Page 3

THE DARKNESS OF RUSSIA.

AN EXILE'S STORY. .Th- L A Boranoif, a prominent workl tr in the Russian Social Revolutionar.v movement, addressed a not too numer- : uus but very responsive audience at the ! rheane Royal. muuth > evening. *>r. Boranoif, a grauuate in science and medicine at the universities of St. Petersburg, Dorpat and Uerlin, tells some astounding facts concerning tliat vast country, Russia, whom a.l our lives we liave been taught to liatc, and tjie telling made one's blood boil. Whilst 'making frequent apology lor his lack of knowledge of our language, Dr. Boranoif reahv speaks English with surprising Unency, the only trouble being that sometimes his thoughts travel ahead of him, and the Russian idioms freely translated lit strangely into their Anglo-Saxon setting. iir. J. B. Roy presided. The lecture was not one continuous narrative. It aimed at the giving of a slight idea of the difference existing between thie land of the free and Russia, still unslaved in the bonds of superstition, ignorance, idolatory, with the bribery' and corruption of an unhealthy despotism. The state of Russia may be gained front his declaration that the Czar is supreme in everything, head of the Greek Church, and it is his policy and of all his minions in the ranks of priests' and police and all in authority to keep the people in ignorance. There are schools,, .but the. children are not taught to read or write. They learn the catechism, how to venerate an ikon, to pray for the Czar, and learn all his many and various self-assumed titles, haw to kiss the priest's hand, and fo forth. The masses' of the people are led to believe in all sorts of devils of

the priests' creation. Every room in every house has its idol, and ibeforc each burns a little lamp. The priests tell the people that when the lamp burns out the devil comes in. Incidentally, the oil for the lamp is purchis'ed from the priests. Priests and police join forces in extorting dues from even the poorest people. "The Greek Church . hi Russia," said the lecturer, "is a factory of crime," and he proved it. The Russian priesthood and the people generally persecute -the Jaws unmercifully, giving out that they are avenging the death of' Christ at the hands of the Jews. The lecturer said he had seen (fcore* of little Jewish babies killed and Wrn limb from limb at the order* of the . church, *Of justice there is none for ' the iommon .people, and verdicts are bought and>sold. - Dr. Boranoff told a thrilling story cf his apprehension for producing a newspaper, and of the subsequent atrocities. He was thrown into a filthy, loathsome prison for weeks, and then transferred to a dungeon at St. Petersburg below the turbulent waters' of the Neva. It was practically dark, he had no company but the rati, 'and often his cell floor was covered with water. His food was of aged ryebread and aged, rotten fish, with a little water. To torture him, the water was then the bread. The thirst <was agonising. At intervals, hj» was taken to the investigation chamber and flogjged with the knout in order to make, him reveal the names and whereabouts of his' confederates. For nine months this misery went on. The greatest torture he had,to submit to was .mental torture. Hft was chained to tie wall. A young girl was chained to the other wall, and partly stripped. He recognised in her a friend. She was flogged with the knout, and the strain on his nerves was too great. He was , just about to cry out and save her when she told him' to hold his tongue, and he did. There was no respect for Women in Russia, and,this was a sample of .which the whole of womankind .should be proud. Then followed the itory of his exile to Siberia, and some sidelights on the shocking condition of affairs there existing. "Red Sunday" was touched upon, when the streets of St. _ Petersburg ran red with the blood l of innocents who had been betrayed by Father Gapon. But, he prophesied, for every head that fell to the Czar, a ' thousand rose for truth, justice, and ( love at humanity. He made an earnest appeal that people of all nations should - protest against the tyranny of' Russia. i f A vote of thanks to the chairman ! concluded the meeting. Dr. Boranoff ' Jill probably pay a return visit to New 1 Plymouth.