Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-02-12
new YORK men
AIDED RUSSIAN
BOLSHEWlSTS,
SAYS SlMONS
Declares He is Convinced
that Yiddish Element Made
the Move Successful.

the 3olshevik movement in Russia
| was attributed to aid from the lower
east side of New York, by Rev. G.. A.
! Simons, formed head Of the Methodist
| Episcopal church in Russia, testify
ing today at the senate judiciary u b
committees inquiry into lawless agi-
tation in the United States.
The witness also said the predomi-'
mating influence on Belshevik propa-
ganda here was the Yiddish element
Of the East Side. He explained that
he was not in sympathy with anti
| Semitic movements. and that in stat
ing mis- views, meant to cast no refec-
ton Upon Jewish people in keneral.
Referring to Bolshevism, DR.. SIM
ons said:
II have a firm conviction that this
agitation Is Yiddish and that one Of
its, bases is in the lower East Side Of
New York. I don't ,think the Boil
shevik movement in Russia would
have been a success except for the
support it got in, New York on the
East Side" e
Immediately after the Kerensky
revolution early in 1917. DR.. Simons
said, sentiment in Russia was pro-
Ally. but within a few months.
when the Bolshevik movement de-
veloped, a strong pro-German current
developed, with more than half the
agitators Jews, including many from
New York.
The witness said a woman a MEM
Der of his church and a teacher in
Smolney institute. Petrograd. head
overthrow Kerensky, frequently saw
German officers at a council table
with Bolshevik LEADERS. He added
that the woman reported seeing Ger
mai documents bearing German
stamps on the table and hearing Ger
man spoken more frequently than
Russian. Mr.. Simons suggested this
language might have been Yiddish in.
stead Of German.
DR.. Simons declared that before
Russia entered the war.he heard that
been placed by Germans in the hands
of labor leaders in Petrograd to
cause a strike in industrial plants and
thereby cripple Russia after war
opened. This strike was put down
by the old regime. d.
Dr.. Sinions said he now was having
investigated a report coming to him
on apparently good authority that the
governing community Of the Northern
Cummune in Petrograd in December,
1918. contained only 16 true Russians,
LVO lcIoO4S HUN A<SW 1OEh, Oilc
American negro calling himself Prof.
Gordon.
Dr.. Simons said he frequently visitA
ed the Rand school Of social science
In New York to buy, his literature
which he described as some Of the
most seditious stuff: L, have ever
found He added that, 10 out Of 20
persons at this school were Jews.
The witness told the committee
that Bolshevist agitators persistently
followed him when he delivered lee
lures on Russia and frequently dis
tributed pamphlets entitled Seventy
Six Questions And Answers on Boil
shevism in Russia, written by Albert
Rhys Williams, one ofthe speakers at
q recent meeting in Washington,
J which prompted the senate commit
tees new inquiry.
Questioned about the American
negro in Bolshevist councils called
Prof. Gordon" DR.. Simons said in
the United States he had been a pugi-
list and in Petrograd a doorkeeper at
the American embassy. Later he as
sumed the title Of professor of physi-
cal culture and boxing. At one time,
DR.. Simons said. the negro wanted to
marry a Russian LADY, and asked
him to perform the ceremony.
American propaganda in Russia
seeking to explain real motives Of the
United States in the war irritated the
B~oishevists, the witness said, and
Russian agitators posted bills refer
ring to the flesh eating, blood drink
ing Allies
Most real Bolshevists have hatred
fo- England and the Allies and af-
lection for Germany he added, al
though many displayed a(tendency to
maintain friendly relations with the
United States.
The witness said he often dressed
like 9 Russian workman in Petrograd
and circulated among the crowds
there to study the Bofshevik move
ment. The average man harrangued
by. %agitators. he testified, was ignor-
ant and entirely correct" to all agi-
tators, regardless Of the doctrines
I than nraaohod