The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-06-03
BY G. ii. MEWES,
(The staff photographer for Lon
don Journal, who, after nearly
four years in Russia, left Pc



(The staff photographer for a Lon
don Journal, who, after nearly
four years in Russia, left Pc
trograd a month ago.
I have just arrived in England from
Petrograd, where have been, almost
continuously, since 1914.
l watched the first stages of "sa-
cred unity" for the war 1 assisted
at early campaigns of partial triumph
or defeat for Russia. l saw the
Tsardom overthrown and the begin
ming of the confusion.
Then 1 had five months of Bolshev-
ism. AS a result seem to have lived
Ia century. To come out of Russia
into England today is to emerge at
bound from the Middle Ages to mod
ern times
, People talk of the French Revolu
ftion and compare it with the Russian,
But Russia is not Gas France was)
highly-civilized State, traversed by
doctrinaire notions of human better
ment and the rights of man. 1t is
huge formless mass, which was held
together only by authority, and the
symbols of authority, in Church and
State. The symbols have gone. The
mass relapses into chaos.
The revolutionaries overthrow the
first symbol or pillar-the Tsardom.
They are now hard at work trying to
overthrow the other-the Church.
Each Bolshevik writes atheist on
his permit or passport. In Cronstad
Cathedral they have pulled down the
great figure of Christ and put up a
iy,o%
~ spierre indeed, installed a prostitute
in Notre Dame and instituted Feast
of Reason for the Republic. The
French people at heart were shocked.
But they did nothing. 1t may be
that the Russian is at heart shocked
But he can do nothing. He submits.
He submits because it is the reign
of Freedom. Freedom is a person
with a red cap.
Freedom has transformed ordinary
life in Petrograd something in this
way:
1t is day towards the end Of
March, 1918, and I am looking from
my window into the square be-
low.
see little groups of soldiers
dictionary soldiers-stopping tn"
passers-by. / imagine they are ex-
amining their documents.
But the first passer-by is removing
his overcoat. The second is sitting on
the pavement while a soldier gently
but firmly removes his boots. A lady
comes round the corner in a fur
coat. She is quickly relieved of it
One man in a temper throws all he
has in his pockets out on the snow
There is a scramble amongst the
soldiers.
1t is s o'clock, and as I have only
Just got up I may be dreaming. Fol-
corroboration 1 go to some friends
British officers-staying in the house
They join me and we see the hold
up" in progress. Suddenly there is
sharp crack. Someone is shooting
The robber band takes to its heels
This is the reign of Freedom.
A Nightmare of Anarchy.
Robberies by broad daylight, exor'
bitant prices, the daily bread allow
ance, a quarter of pound per per
son, and a bread mostly straw ant
water, butter forgotten, restaurant!
with meagre dinners at thirty rou
bles. Night life (apart from rob
bing) there is none No one dare
go out at night. The theatres begi!
at and end at 1880. To compensat'
themselves for the vodka self-denia
ordinance of the beginning, the Rel
Guards go about on wine-smashin!
forays in private cellars. They drinl
what they can and destroy what the,
can't drink.
-, Dof rFyt1i
have covered up their diamonds witt
little bits of cloth and sewn them t
their dresses in the form of rougl
buttons to preserve them from tn
common pillage. In the midst o
the universal freedom the Republi
cans must, of course, be free to anne
whatever they take fancy to.
Petrograd is in a state of famine
The only people we'll fed there ar
the staggering German officers. OF
ten 1 used to see poor, ragged half
starved Russian soldiers, who ha
fought ard suffered in the war, slim
by one of these overbearing super
men.
And the Bourge oisie, the famet
much written-abo 1ntelligentsia =
what does it think? What is it dc
ing?
It apparently doesn't think. An
it certainly does nothing. The Ru!
sian is half oriental. Oriental fata
ism is in him. Tomorrow or ne.
cay-who knows ?-the Germans wi
be here to rescue us from Freedom
The Intelligentsia have developed q
inordinate respect for the German.
And meanwhile we are not goin
10 continue fighting for British car
halism." A phrase 1 heard half
aozen times a day at least While oil
areamers sympathize with them the
Ipeak thus of us.
For the rest ask: What have tt