Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-06-03
Russia Crushed by
Interior Foes and
NEnen,;es Without

New York. June 3-The distress,
shapelessness and chaos which over
whelmed the well-to-do and official
classes in the Russian revolution are
wildly portrayed from the standpoint
Of Russian woman in a letter re-
ceived by her former classmate in this
country! The writer is daughter of
"a Russian diplomat who was connected
with the Russian embassy in Washing
ton about twenty years ago and a
widow of an officer in the Russian army
who was killed early in the war.
Russia. crushed by exterior and in
terror enemies, justly despised and abb
horred by the great countries that once
trusted her, is ruined and disappearing"
she wrote. my country is ceasing to
exist. 1t was bad enough before the
March revolution, when our unhappy,
half witted emperor, under the in
fuence of his German wife. seemed to
do everything possible to make people
lose patience. We nave d thousand
anonymous potentates the top ones
paid by Germany, and the lower ones
lured into supporting. them by money,
money and money.
THE present government has abol-
ished 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
have seized all the banks. are opening
all gold and silver found therein though
it had never been said before that 1t
was criminal to have it
"Of course everything they decree
is so mad that it Is quite sure not to
last forever, but the chaos they make
will take centuries to forget. The
country is going back to savage state.
And we will not live to wait for better
times.
"All Russia Is suff1cating day
brings new surprises that show that
there is but one way out of 1.-THE
grave. On the ground of liberty they
abolish all laws, judges, attorneys. ano
substitute for i it peoples courts o,
Justice with only soldiers, workmen OF
peasants, often quite illiterate and
always without the slightest knowledge
of court proceedings, taking the places
Of the former judiciary.
ION the same ground they abolish
| all police, let loose all the criminals
from the prisons, arm them. constitut-
ing from their number together with
lworkmen, deserters, and hooligans a
red guard and fill the prisons to the
UTMOST with all those. who crave for
order and will not work together with
them towards the total ruin Of the
country.
"On the pretense of equality they
abolish all grades in the army and navy
and make all posts elective by the
simple soldiers. In most places it is
understood as complete determination
lynching Of the officers. who, for being
better educated, are under suspicion OF
being nter-fevolutionary Inc
highest posts are occupied by elected
soldiers who very otter can hardly sign
their names, and the former officers
!! are :.ehe simple soldiers with soldier
nav Of $3.50 month and ordered to the
lowest tasks; cleaning OF the barracks
cooking food, taking care Of the horses.
"our great country could only exist
when all the wheels Of the government
were working in harmony. Now every
thing is a perfect chaos. Everybody was
willing to throw over the Czaristic
government, but not in order to change
It to one Of loot, anarchy and treason
toward our allies! On, the shame the
disgrace and the folly Of 1t.
"The army which now consists OF
Young boys (the regular one is long ago
killed. without any sense of duty,
morals and dicipline, see their acquired
Yreedom' in the freedom to go home
when they want to. And 80 all the
trains, all the stations. are attacked and
DESTROYED by this horde Of savages, who
kill engineers, IL 1t seems to them the
train goes to slowly, who martyrize the
railway agents who tell them of the
impossibility Of starting their train fol-
there is, another one coming towards
them on the line. AS this human flood
goes nome without any organization
everything is looted and DESTROYED.
"Some months ago ! was believing
myself to be quite well of. have
house in Petrograd. Last springN was
offered $125.000 for it, but was advised
not to sell and go over to America tic
have my little girl become happy
American school girl. Now-I have on
hand about $4,000 and no other resour-
Ices; the house, like other private prop
erty, is being conf1scated, the revenue
$1,000 ~ El5t