The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-03-05
TR0TzkY AND
LENINE SOLD
THEIR LAND
To GERMANS.
Mrs. J. J. Somerville, Who
Spent Year in Russia, Says
Bolsheviki Leaders Be-
trayed County Tells Of
Propaganda.
ARRIVES IN RICHMOND

The present condition in Russia ID
due to an insidious spreading of Ger.
man propaganda, which began before
the revolution, Mrs. J. ]. Somerville,
who returned in January from years
stay in Russia, said Tuesday Mrs.
Somerville Is the guest of her reIa.
tives. Mr.. and Mrs John Hasemeier,
134 South Seventh street.
Her husband, who was formerly con.
nected with the Richmond Y. NJ. c.
A., has been doing association work in
Petrograd and, according to the last
news received from him, was still in
Russia.
Whether they did it Intentionally
or not l can't tell,' Mrs. Somerville
said, 'Fbut Lenine and Trotzky have
betrayed their country. The Russian
soldier is good fighter, but he is as
simple-hearted and trusting as child
He has been betrayed TO Germany by
his leaders, who told him the soil was
his and urged him to take possession
of the land and stop fighting The
Germans tried to disorganize Russia
just after the revolution, but they were
unsuccessful because of Kerensky."
Before the Revolution
Pro-German influence was felt in
Russia even before the revolution.
Mrs. Somerville said. 1t was learned
after the deposition of the car that
supplies supposed to be sent to the
men at the front were prevented from
reaching them by ministers in the
cars cabinet. Hospital supplies were
kept from the Russian soldiers at the
base hospitals, and they died from
want of care. The Russian soldiers
fired into the German trenches only to
learn their cartridges were blank.
Everywhere they were betrayed to the
Germans by their own government
Lies were spread among the Rus
sian soldiers, Mrs. Somerville said, in
order to disorganize them. In July
the Germans told the Russian soldiers
that the war was over and that Petro-
grad and Moscow were in flames
The soldiers started back to their
homes, but were stopped and told the
truth before they reached Petrograd.
An attempt to turn the Russian peo-
pie against the Americans Is being
made through German propaganda.
The Russian soldiers are told that the
Americans are coming in to seize
their industry and commerce.
In War For Profit.
Terrible stories are told the simple
peasant soldiers concerning industrial
conditions under which American la.
borers work and the Russians are told
that the same conditions will be
brought to Russia. They are told that
America is not oding any OF the
fighting, and is merely IN the war for
profit.
A Russian soldier who was on a
train with Mrs. Somerville and a
number of other Americans express
ed naive surprise at the manner of
people the Americans were.
Il did not know Americans wero
like you" he said
They told me Americans were ter-
rible people"
The food conditions are causing un.
rest in Petrograd, according to Mrs.
Someville. The population lives
chiefly on black bread, potatoes, tur-
nips and carrots. Meat is almost pro.
hibitive in price. The supply to Pet
rograd has almost been cut off from
southern Russia, and conditions are
growing worse. With every revolu-
tion the value of money changes and
it is difficult to keen in touch with
the money value of the country.
III d lcLISl ISCtlNcu lIUul HcT nus
band. dated Dec. 81, Mr.. SomeryiIle
said the night before at the opera four
German officers in full uniform occu-
pied a box. The next day, he said
there was a demonstration for peace
in the capital.
Garry White Ones Now.
'The people are marching down the
streets where they marched when the
revolution was declared" he wrote.
but now mingled with the red flags
there are white ones"
The Somervilles Were in Petrograd
during the revolution and witnessed
the demonstrations that marked the
downfall of the monarchy.
The soldiers went over to the peo-
pie" Mrs. Somerville related, "and the
mounted police put on the uniforms
lcontinued On Page Nine.1