Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1919-07-03

When starvation threatened to pro
duce serious rioting In PetrOgrad OF
Moscow, Lehlne's government sane
toned the distribution of just enough
food to take the edge off the temper
of the crowd.
Reign Of Terror.
All the while an army of 200,ON
men (the Red Guard) committed acts
of terrorism in an effort to maintain
bolshevik supremacy and prevent
counter-revolution. The army was
built around 10000 to 10000 Lettist
sharpshooters and 5000 Chinese mer
cenaries who were the only faithful
elements in these troops. The re
mainder of the 100000 members In the
Red Guard were admittedly sick of the
whole business and only prevented
from returning to their homes by the
knowledge that once out Of the army
three meals a day would become
thing of the past.
To half of the army food was the
only thing demanded Of the govern
ment. The remaining so per cent-the
promises and food, but also demanded
some money. So Lenine and TrotzkJ
allowed these soldiers a wage Of 6O(
rubles monthly.
This Red Guard was the force with
which the all-Russian committee
against revolution prevented any other
party coming into power. There were
25 political groups all told that wert
anxious to grab the reins of govern
ment, but the Red Guard, acting on
orders of the all-Russian committee
wreaked bloody vengeance on any
clique that endeavored to make itself
heard.
When the peace conference proposed
calling a meeting Of delegates of all
Russian parties to be held on Princes
island in the sea of Marmora, neal
Constantinople, 1t was definitely known
in Paris that the great body Of the
Russian public was sick and tired of
bolshevik rule, and that the interior
of Lenines soviet system of govern
ment had started to crumble. 1t was
condition of the Princes island meet
ing that military enterprises of the
bolsheviki should be stopped. 1t was
the idea of the American section of the
peace conference to encourage truce
between the clashing Russian elements
for the sake of Russia's people.
Turn to Germany.
Lenine had a vision of the hand
writing on the wall-of the downfall OF
his autocracy-when Germany broke
diplomatic relations with Petrograd
But Trotzky, partner in most of LIE
mines plans, put forward scheme OF
perpetuating the Russian rule Of ter
ror. Trotzky saw In a German revolu
tion and acceptance of bolsheyik rule
enrichment of the bolshevik inner cir
Gle. Germany had a fairly prosperous
merchant class whose property I'm
der bolshevism would go largely tt
bolshevik leaders. Eventually, Trot
zky saw bolshevik world-and pow
er and gold for the firm Of Lenine
Trotzky & Co., specialists in the ruina
tion of nations. Trotzky, with his plan
won over Lenine, just after the Ger
mans severed connection with the so
viets.
While hundreds died daily in Petro
grad from hunger and from bullets o:
the Red Guard, the Moscow presses
were busy printing the leaflets tina,
portrayed bolshevism as the remedy
for all political evils of modern times
"Down With the Old Civilizationr
was the slogan Of the Moscow ant
Petrograd followers of Lenine ant
Trotzky. This cry was the natural de
velopment of bolshevik government
which officially proclaimed on January
13, 1918. private possession of the
land is abolished forever and the en-
tire agricultural area is to be dis
tributed between the working people
free of payment.
"All banks are henceforth property
of the state.
"a Red army of workmen and peas
ants is to be formed to maintain or
der. All loans to the cZar's govern
ment by the bourgeoisie merchants,
bankers and professional men) are
to be cancelled"
These regulations, given out as OIL
cial proclamations in Petrograd, were
but the beginning of the bloody bolshe
vik regime.
Truth May Never Be Known.
1t was the start of over a year OF
terror for Russia. No one will know
until years have passed, perhaps never
what toll In dead bolshevik rule
brought. No human mind can measure
the misery brought to noncombatants
While the Red Guard controlled Rus
sia and when delegates were invited
to the Princes island convention by the
peace conference to thrash out SOUND
program for a new Russia-allied an6
American groups in Paris, especially
the American Red Cross, were plan
ming relief expeditions to start the
moment access could be gained into
Russia.
1t was agreed that medicines,
physicians, food trains and frst-aid
materials muse be rushed to stricken
centers at the earliest possible date.
This was the kind of Intervention in
Russia that officials of the associated
powers hoped to see come out of the
future.