The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-05-31
Women and
Children Starve
By FRANK J. TAYLOR

DLlNbAANs Wy wall - iiS OOloiC-
vik fighting in the Baltic provinces
is the most hateful of ALL according
to American officers returning from
missions there, who tell Of the ghast-
ly almost unbelievable cruelty on the
part of the Bolshevik mercenaries.
Neither side is showing mercy now,
according to latest reports.
A number of phases are cited to
account for the exception bitterness
of the Courland and Lithuanian fight
ing. The Bolsheviks are faced
around Riga, by German volunteer
divisions, with whom a number of
Let's are fighting.
The German divisions are known
as the Baltic army and is supported
from German headquarters. The
campaign is conducted in accordance
with the armistice terms, say the Of
fcers. Part of the Germans are from
Germany proper, and the rest are
known as "Balts."
The "Balts" are the German popu-
lation of the Russian provinces north
of Prussia They are descendants of
wave of Germans which swept into
the Baltic provinces of Russia in the
thirtieth century In the course of
time the Germans, thought a very
minor portion of the population, have
come to own practically all of the
property.
They are called the Baltic Bar
ons," and own everything through
feudal system which has lasted from
the middle ages. The people are
mostly Let's, some of whom are in
favor of the "Balts" and many of
whom are not. The "Balts" lean to-
awrd Germany in their sympathies
and are hated especially by the Boil
sheviks Of Russia.
When the revolution came in Rus
sia, the "Balts" organized and be-
gan a telling campaign against the
Bolsheviks. During the last year
they have held the Bolsheviks out of
the most of the Baltic Baron" terri
tory, and since the armistice have
been materially helped by the volun-
teers recruited in Germany.
Their resistance has especially an
gered the Russians, who want to free
the country of Germans. According
to Americans who have been in the
region, Trotsky has sent his best
troops against the "Balts." The
Bolshevik shave fought like barba-
rans, and according to reports, have
wiped out entire towns, when they
were able to take them, to end the
BAT" influence. 1t is claimed that
more than five thousand were muir
dered when the Bolsheviks took Riga.
Entente officers have investigated
many of the reports of cruelty, and
verify statements that men, women
and children have been victims of the
Bolshevik mercenaries, many of
whom are Chinese. When an Amer
lean food commission arrived at Lii
bau, it found thousands of defense
less women and children put on is'
lands and left to starve because they
favored the "Balts."
The American mission officers,
who are doing their best to get food
to the starving population, blame the
Bolshevik army for the atrocities.
Photographs, too horrible to look at,
show the awful methods of the saw
age mercenaries, who are not ex-
ponents of any idealism which the
Bolshevik leaders may profess, but
are fanatics.
The Baltic fighting is probably the
most savage and barbarous in the
world today, due to the bitter feel
ings on both sides. The "Balts" have
exploited the people, thereby pro-
voking hatred unequaled anywhere.
On both sides the armies are well
fed from exploiting the land, while
the population is starvingS.
Behind the "Balt" army, the gov
ernments have changed from time to
time in localities. At present the
"Barons" are largely in control,
though recently republic was in
sway.
The Let's for the most part prefer
to belong to Russia, but hate the
BoIsheyiks, and therefore are fgh:-
inc for the "Balts,' who have pre-
served the numbers and names of the
old Russian regiments from the re-
gicn for .he sake of stirring up ma
ticnal feeling. Some Of the "Balts"
would prefer to adhere to Russia po-
litically, but are afraid Of the Bolshe-
viks. Others are out and out Ger
mans, and plans are under way for
Joining the provinces to Germany
when an opportunity comes later.
How to distribute the food and