South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-06-02
LIBERTY UNKNOWN
IN RUSSIA TODAY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE oNE)

main. They had forbidden further
entry OF correspondents but relented
and permitted me to remain a few
days. Like everyone in Moscow,
had perfect liberty except l could
not hire an interpreter, leave town,
take photographs, visit factories or
schools, rent a room or see too much
unguarded. The bolshevik leaders
promised 10 show me the construc-
tive results of their system, such as
factories running under communism
but they made evasion after eva
sion and failed to show me any
thing other than propaganda and
how TO interview leaders bubbling
over with big ideas. as yet INFESTED
Obtains Release of Prisoners.
Taking advantage of a rumor in
Moscow that American troops were
Withdrawing from Archangel 1 man.
aged 10 obtain the release of FIVE
American prisoners of war confined
in Moscow and being exposed to
bOlshevism by means Of lectures
Their propaganda however. did not
deceive them. they were Briant
Hall of New York, Glenn Lezfell, of
Mifflinburg, Pa; Jens Laursen, of
Marlette, Mich; John Triplett or
Hindman, KY, and Freeman Hogan,
of Detroit.
After several days the Yankee
soldiers boarded a first class train
for Petrograd, accompanied by a
wounded British soldiir. We did
not experience the slightest delay
until we reached the final bolshevik
outpost near the Finnish border,
where a 17-year old boy was in com
mand. He refused to permit US to
cross the frontier until assured the
Films opposite would receive US.
This obstacle overcome by a Finnish
courier. the baby bOlsheviki'' next
issued this:
Your papers to leave Russia may
be all right from the foreign office
but they have not consulted me. I
am in military authority here I do
not see why anyone should be per-
mitted TO cross the border You
will have 10 return 10 Petrograd
with trainload Of Firms 1 am send
ing back You cannot leave Russia
unless I say So
Softens Under F9attery
Just before the train pulled out
for Petrogad. carrying 400 women.
children and babies-penniless and
weeping in disappointment because
this whipper snapper commander 5
whim prevented their esca pe-he
softened under the influence Of flat
cry and agreed to release US.
The entire party was stripped and
/ searched inch by inch. Money.
camera, credentials. letters and even
propaganda tracts and copies Of the
wireless proposals 10 the allies which
the bolsheviki foreign office had
sealed up to reach the outside world
were confiscated As we left the
room the bolshevik officials sur
rounding the table were eagerly
grabbing for American banknotes
taken from US. They had permitted
as to retain a few boishevik roubles,
| evidently considering them too val
ueless for confiscation
Reach Finland.
A two mile walk across the sand.
carrying the wounded Englishman.
brought the party TO a bridge over
which the Finnish authorities hospi-
tably received usSand hurried us off
F, 20 the quarantine camp at Terijoki
a small town in inland. % miles
northwest OF Petrograd).
Once safely out OF the country,
one OF the American soldiers elo-
! quently proclaimed his opinion OF
| bolsheviSi in manner unprinta bic.
but which made a great hit with a
| Finn soldier The latter stepped
out Of a group and exclaimed:
Shake on that Those are my
sentiments I used to live in Ameri-
ca"
SPEEDY release OF the party from
quarantine was obtained through ef-
hcient American consular and dip
/ lomatic Representatives. They also
expedited my return TO Paris by
| way CT Sweden.