Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-02-24
HUNGRY RUSSIA
ACAINST''RE REDS"
Ralph Dennis Sums Up Situation in
Starving Country - 80 Per
Cent Factories Idle,

Russia is starving. ANY hungry
people out OF work is against the
government. The Russian people
are hungry today and they are
against the Bolsheviki government.
Ninety per cent of Russian factor
les are idle When the Russians
started the revolution they started
something they were unable to con-
troll. l do not know what is going
to happen TO Russia. If it were
possible to find a platform that will
meet with the approval of every
body-but that is a superhuman
task"
In the foregoing paragraph Pro-
fessor Ralph Dennis, former vice
consul to Russia, summed up the
entire Russian situation for the
audience that gathered at the Mo-
line Y. NJ. c. A. yesterday after
noon. In the crowd that heard the
man who presented Russian condi-
lions as they are today were rep
resentatives of that country, men
interested in the affairs of Russia,
and a number of Socialists.
Il believe very thoroughly in the
pOtentialities of Russia" said DR..
Dennis. With intensive use of the
school house the Russian people
will take their place with the great
peoples of the earth. I'm pro-
soviet, but l am anti-bolsheviki.
The greatest tragedy in the life of
the Russian people is that Russia
should have swung over to another
autocracy. If freed from control
of the bolsheviki, the soviets would
represent the Russians.
The Mensheviki are in favor of
Russia today, but the Bolsheviki
prevent free elections. No criti-
cism of the Bolsheviki government
is permitted. No people has suf-
fered so terribly from autocratic
government as the Russians From
IS to IS per cent of the Russians
are illiterate Eighty-five per cent
of them are peasants who have
been kept in submission. On top
of this So per cent are the privi-
legged classes, who have done moth
ing but have a good time.
Russia was tired of war She
was betrayed by those high in the
L.
food went wrong. Fourteen or fif-
teen million had been called to the
army and the vast majority did not
know what they were fighting for.
THE Mensheyiki wanted to set
things right by evolution; the Boil
sheviki by revolution. 1t was diff
ficult to make the change to gov
eminent ownership, but the Rus
slams just took everything with
compensation. They told the peas
ants to take their guns and go and
take the land; they told the work
men to take their guns and go and
take the factories.
zone factory produced 100000
rubles to employees. They can't
rubles to the employees. They can't
print money fast enough to keep
up with the cost of living. A pair
of shoes or a suit costs from 1900
to 1000 rubles. Every street has
a long line of people waiting to get
food
THE red guard took the food
away from the peasant There is
fighting in Russia today between
the peasants and the workers AL |
bert Rhys Williams (who testified |
before the United States senate las. |
week. says the factories are run !
ming. I say they are not The only |
between the working |
mems autocracy and the autocracy !
of the Romanoffs is that today |
Nicholas Lenine instead of Nicho- I
las the Second is at the head of |
Russia. No people in the world to-
day so love to talk and so hate to
listen as the Russians. If you have
three Russians together you will
have five opinions"
Professor Dennis was introduced
by c. F.. DietZ, Moline attorney,
college friend at Northwestern uni
versity. Last evening Mr.. Dennis
spoke to a large audience at the
Second Congregational church.