Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-06-03

nypslessness and chaos which over
wnelmed the wel-to-do and ofncial
s ~;a !, IN the Russian revolution are
vivldly portrayed from the STANDPOINT
Of a Russian woman in q ietter "a.
ceived by her former classmate in this
The writer is a daughter Of
a RUSSIAN diplomat who was connect
ea with the Russian embassy in
washington about twenty years ago
ana a widow Of an officer in the Rus
san army who was killed in the war.
Russia, crushed by exterior and
interior enemies, justly despised and
abhorred by the great countries that
once trusted her. Is ruined and disap-
pearing," she wrote. MY country is
ceasing to exist. 1t was bad nourh
before the March revolution. when
U unhappy, half-witted emperor,
unaer the influence of his German
VIE. seemed to do everything posi-
PIE to make people lose patience. We,
nave a thousand anonymous poten-
n lower ones lured into supporting
them by money, money and money.
Inc present government has abol-
1shed all laws, all courts, the police,
land ownership. all private real estate
IN towns. all distinction of castles and.
grades in the army and navy. They
nave seized all the banks, are opening
al the private safes and confiscating
all gold and silver found therein
though it had never been said before
mat 1t was criminal to nave 1t.
OF course everything they decree
Is so mad that it is quite sure not to
last forever, but the chaos they make
will TAX centuries to forget. The
country is going back to a savage
state. And we will not live to wait
for better times. :
~. CAN p,,eoio a. rr,AR>~oAl.- ~~vo~,,
DAY brings new surprises that show
that there is but one way out Of it
the grave. On the ground of liberty
they abolish all laws, judges attor-
neys and substitute for it peoples
courts Of Justice with only soldiers,
workmcn or peasants, often quite IL
literate and always without the
slightest knowledge of court proceed
ings. taking the places Of h former
ION the same ground they abolish
all police, let loose all the criminals
from the prisons, arm them, consti-
tuting from their number together
with workmen. deserters and hooli-
gans a red guard and fill the prisons
to their utmost with all those, who
crave for order and will not work to-
gether with them towards the total
ruin Of the country.
"On the pretense of equality they
abolish all grades in the army and
make all posts elective by the simple
soldiers. In most places it is under
stood Is complete determination,
lynching of the officers. who. for be-
ing better educated. are under sus-
picion of being 'counter-revolution
ary.' The highest posts are occupied
by elected soldiers who very often
can hardly sign their names, and the
former officers are made simple sol.
diers with a soldiers pay of $3.50 9
month and ordered to the lowest
tasks: cleaning of the barracks, cook
ing food. taking care of the horses.
"Our great country could only exist
when all the wheels of the govern.
everything is a perfect chaos. Every
body was willing to throw over the
Czaristic government, but not in or
der ito change it for this one. Of loot
anarchy and reason toward oul
allies! Oh. the shame, the disgrace
and the folly of it!
1.-THE army which now consists o.
ago killed. without any sense Of duty
morals and discipline, see their &C
quired freedom in the freedom tt
go home when they want to. And sc
all the trains, all the stations. are at
tackled and destroyed by this horde o
savages, who kill engineers, it 1
seems to them the train goes to slow
~. who martyrize the railwaylagent
who8te them0f the impossibility o
starting their train for there is anoth
er one coming towards them in thu
same time AS this human flood goe'
home without any organization every
thing is looted and destroyed.
Some months ago. / was believing
myself to be quite well off. ] have
house in P%etrograd. Last spring :
was offered $125.000 for it. but wa
advised not to sell and go over t
America to have my little girl becom
a happy American school girl. Nov
II have on hand about $4,000 an
no other resources: the house. Xix
: other private property. is being con
fscated. the revenue going to, tn
government. that is to say to tn
private pockets Of the usurpers. TIL
government bonds-annulated Gro
pudiated) and even if I had not NOR
money-believe me therc is nothinI
to buy.
"Petrograd will begin to die from
hunger one Of these days. And thos
who are the authors Of it are sure t
escape at the last moment abroad an
live happily afterwards with the mil
lions they will have robbed, an
leave the country to its dreadful fate
Life in P~etrograd is horrible-al
the criminals, all the workmen an
demoralized soldiers rob the fey
that still bring some kind Of prod
ucts. In the very heart of the cit,
in daytime, you have your clothe
Ao,~a, oee x,o,,< hork ~1ifera11v Jus