New-York tribune., 1918-07-28
The Amazing, Comical,
Terrible Monetary
Chaos in Russia
VIVID light is thrown on condi-
tions in Moscow by a letter

~ tions in Moscow by a letter
from an American refugee
who reached Copenhagen on May 19
last 1t was written to friend in Swift
zerland. The "Berner Bund" recently
published the following extract from it:
"I think myself fortunate to be able to
inform you that succeeded in making my
escape to this place, although had to leave
in Moscow all my money and belongings.
l have barely recovered from my journey
on which, in order to effect my escape,
had more than once to change my Disguise
and dared not remain for a night at the
place where had spent the day.
"The violent proceedings of the Bolshe-
visit Soviet in Moscow are simply dreadful;
the conditions thereby created beggar de-
scription. Decree after decree, execution
without mercy and at a moments notice!
zone of the first DEGREES empowered the
known that money, bonds, jewels, etc, were
to be found, no matter whether in the hands
of Russians or foreigners. And the 'au-
thorities' went and took. Another decree
gave notice to all owners of safes, private
persons as we'll as banks, foreigners as we'll
as natives, to deliver all the keys, tcketed
with name, street, house number and floor,
to the office for an inventory. In case of
failure the contents of the safes were Sc
questrated.
What, then, was left but to deliver the
keys promptly to the designated Office? The
taking of the inventory proceeded punctual-
ly of course, even with foreigners, where,
for propriety's sake, an employe of the con-
sulate was permitted to look on. They then
took away the keys AS occasion demanded
(and there were many occasions for sucn
demands) they took without scruple any
cash, as we'll as bonds and jewels. Formerly
we had the saying: The Church has good
stomach.' Now they say: The Soviet di-
gests everythng!
energetic protests of the foreigners
finally produced modification to the effect
that every foreigner should be allowed to
parture' If he disposed of more than hun
dreds of thousands, there remained for him
only those 1000 rubles. AS to the rest
goodby! With this thousand he could travel
or eat up the money and then see how and
where he was to starve to death. This is
said to have happened, since the road to
departure to the east was as blocked as to
the west. In brief, all money, bonds and
Jewels are now in the hands of the Bolshe-
wiki, and none of those thus robbed can
cherish a ray of hope ever to see penny
of it.
"When the first DEGREES of this sort
into effect Russians in possession Of great
fortunes hoped to save at least part of their
money and values by transferring them
to foreigners. They thought that the prop
erty of foreigners would be protected by
the consulates. At that time Russian mer-
chants of my acquaintance offered to trans
fer to my name over million rubles, and
these credits in the banks of Moscow
to pass into my hands, while | would have
become debtor to but 10 per cent of the
value. A brilliant deal indeed But when
the good people later realized that the for
eigner was 'skinned' just as the Russian,
this most brilliant deal came to naught.
'In order to be enabled to shear all the
sheep at the same time and with absolute
certainty the Soviet devised an infallible
means announcing that all paper money in
circulation would at given date cease to
pass currency since a new emission of
banknotes to be made. Those who
would be kind enough to bring the old bills
within the set term would get 80 per cent
that is, half of their money. Those failing
to do SO might keep their bills, which, how
ever, would only be good for papering their
dark abodes. / had talk with the director
of the Moscow Bank of Commerce, hoping
to get at least 1000 rubles for l6O,0 900 there
deposited But all loves labor lost.
He declared that he himself had been
strictly forbidden to dispose of more than
he needed for his daily subsistence
Everybody knows that all over Russia
banks have been sealed up and the doors
hermetically closed, so chat no mail is being
delivered and no transactions whatever are
possible. Outside, before the doors, stands
bankruptcy"