The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-12-14
Deplorable Conditions in Russia
Told IN Letter Of Reconstructionist

The American Friends service COM
mittee. which has charge OF tho TO
construction work Of the Friends in
Russia and France, has received let
ters from Russia which depict the de-
plorable conditions prevalent there.
The following are quotations from let
ters that came from Russia by way
OF Paris:
Theodore Rigg and Esther White
were sent down from Buzuluk, in
Samara, where nearly all the Friends
work up to the present, has centered,
to Moscow, to see what could be done
to relieve the situation. They had q
most adventurous journey on the Vol
ga. especially when they passed
through the zone of fighting between
the Bolsheviks and Czecho-Slovaki.
Transport in Russia Ia now so diff
flcult that instead Of bringing food to
the hungry, 1t is often easier to take
the hungry people to the food. Last
year when the harvest in Samara was
bad, six hundred refugees we're sent
to a district OF western Siberia which
did not lack bread; this year. the
Friends hoped to send children from
Moscow to Samara, where the harvest
is said to be the best for twenty years.
This scheme had to be abandoned be-
cause of the state of unrest in the
country. A second plan had already
been undertaken by the Peregovsky
Society. together with the Tolstoy So
ciety, aided by several of the great CO.
operative societies. 1t had placed out
$40 Moscow children in country dis
tricts such as Tamboof and Voronec.
where it was still possible to buy
bread.
"Rigg. Miss White, and Catchpool
paid flying visit to these centers, in
, the course Of which they spent night
on the roof Of train under decidedly
damp weather conditions The colo
MES reelected good deal Of credit on
the workers who had charge Of them.
considering the shortage of funds and
the haste with which the scheme had
been put into execution. The children
although in many cases poorly clad,
were greatly improved In health. But
it was evident that the majority of the
colonies would have to be reorganized
and new buildings found il the work
was to continue through the winter
months. The Friends saw the Komuc-
pea OF the Soviet Department which
had control Of the children's priyuts
in Moscow. He received them kindly
enough. and agreed that If they would
take over two colonies of eighty child
rem each, he would provide the child
rem with clothing. boots, and material.
,,'I trust" says Rigg. that we may
yet be able to prevent the greater pro-
portion of the children from returning
to starving moscow"
I'VE can now hope to bring barge
loads of -four from Samara by the
Volga, to be distributed in Moscow to
children under fourteen years Of age
The money for the barges Of -four will
be provided by the Soviet In return
we should ask the Bolsheviks to allow
us to take out from Moscow a quantity
of cloth suitable for winter clothing
for the children of Samara."
Members Of the Society Of Friends.
because Of the clearly recognised non-
political nature Of their wark, have i'm
mense opportunities for work in Rus
STA which are not open to non-Friends
at this time. We are trusted by the
Czecho-Slovaki and respected by the
Blsheviks ais. We can act in the ca.
pacity Of go-between where other units