The Daily News. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1918. BOLSHEVIK CARNIVAL OF HORRORS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1918. BOLSHEVIK CARNIVAL OF HORRORS.

During the past few days the cables concerning the situation in Russia have presented a dreadfuj picture of the red terrorism of the Bolsheviks who, recognising that ! their tenure of power is rapidly vanishing, and believing that if they go under the revolution will strangle itself or be strangled by forces from outside Russia, have given themselves over to an orgie of bloodshed and vengeance before receiving their coup de grace. The New York World's correspondent states that he is afraid to tell the truth about the horrors in Russia "because the Bolsheviki may take vengeance on the remaining subjects of tho Allies, Avhose lives "hang on a thread." Possibly his judgment in the matter was correct, but he need not have felt any reluctance to divulge the truth, for it would seem impossible for any man or circumstance to add to the .fero-

city of these demented terrorists. Not only in Petrograd, and Moscow, but in every other Russian city, scenes exceeding in .horror >the worst of the excuses of the French revolution are of frequent occurrence. Executions by order of the Bolshevik tribunals being so numerous that maxim silencers are. used to prevent the sounds reaching the people. "When beings like the Bolsheviks realise that unless they rule by terror they cannot rule at all, then we may expect such terrible scenes as those which are now being enacted. It is said that struggle is past the stage of class conflict, and that every other Bolshevik is at tie throat of every other man. It is not surprising, therefore to find the peasants rising everywhere, and that murder on one side is met with executions on the other, also that starvation is rampant. The people are realising that Soviet rule, based on rifles and bayonets, is worse than Czarism ever was, even the highest officials accepting bribes, while the officials in general reek with corruption. All this—and more—is the result of German intrigue, prompted by the alluring prospect of founding an Eastern Empire. Day by day the position of affairs appears to grow more terrible and the more recent messages indicate that the Bolsheviks have no limit to their murderous madness, the latest victims being the Tzaritza and her four daughters, the Dowager Empress, fortunately, being rescued by sailors. It is reported that, on Wednesday, Petrograd was burning in twelve different places, and that indiscriminate massacres were proceeding in the streets. "Whilst these horrors are being perpetrated the Bolsheviks find time and opportunity to bind themselves to Germany with the object of taking the offensive against the Allies—a fitting alliance that shows the depths to which Germany has descended. That the Bolsheviks are utterly devoid of all sense of honor and propriety was exemplified by the attack on the British Embassy at Petrograd, the murder of a naval attache, Captain Cromie, and the arrest of Consul Lockhart. An embassy has, unider international law, , hitherto been deemed sacked, but these terrorists are no respectors of conventions, any more than their German taskmasters. The Bolsheviks' crimes must not be laid at the door of the Russian people. The Bolsheviks alone are to blame, and Britain has evidently taken that view by arresting the Bolshevik envoy in London, by demanding immediate reparation and the punishment of all concerned in Captain Cromie's murder, and by notifying the Soviet Government that they will be held responsible for any further outrages. Surely these ever increasing acts of terrorism must have a stimulating effect on the saner and more patriotic section of the community. They cannot fail to realise that unless the Bolsheviks are stamped out the life of every advocate of law and order will not be worth a moment's purchase. So far as Germany's scheme to attack the Allies is concerned, though it may add somewhat to the present difficulties it should cause no anxiety. The one ray of hope is that the Bolsheviks, as rulers, are at their last gasp, though even this fact is overshadowed by the power these savage anarchists still possess for murder, pilllage and destruction. There are, however, indications that the Social Revolutionists are being backed up by the people, and that the presence of the Allies will hearten up the opponents of Bolshevism to rid the country of the evil forces that have stained Russia with crimes that will long be remembered. Their infamous career has been far too prolonged, and it is high time that the country awoke to its danger. Probably the latest excesses will have this effect, and the example set by the establishment of a sane and presumably stable Government at Siberia be followed throughout the country. It is inconceivable that the present terrorism should be allowed to continue, and but for German backing it might have' come to end long since. Unfortunately German interests are best served by the methods of their Bolshevik tools. We can only hope that in the very near future a change for the better will set in, and once more put Russia on her feet.