New-York tribune., 1919-01-24
Supreme War Council Is
Told Lcninc Has Gained
Support of Old Rivals
By Frederick Moore
Ne1c York Tribune
Special Cable Service

Special Cable Serrtcc
Copyright 1919. New York Tribune lnc>
PARIS, Jan. 23.-The decision of the
Supreme War Council to call con-
ference of Russians followed a full
inquiry into the actual condition Of
Russian affairs. Competent witnesses
of high standing were called.
Evidence from these and other rela-
bic sources shows that though the
Bolsheviki were losing power appre-
ciably toward the end of the year-so
much so that Lcnine was reported to
have proposed to the executive COM
mittec Of the Soviet congress to sur
render to the Allies forthwith, pro-
posal defeated only by narrow mar
gn--reccntly their power has been in
creased by the addition of certain ele
ments which dislike foreign intervcn-
tion in Russian affairs.
Fear that intervention necessarily
would be accompanied by counter
revolution, or even the restoration of
monarchy, led the social revolutonists
Of The Left, some OF the Mensheviki,
or minority Socialists, and even &
number of the cooperative unions to
declare that in the event either Of in
tervention or of a counter revolution
they would support the Bolsheviki.
~
The Bolshcviki have further
strengthened their position by build
ing up the Red army, which is now es-
timated to have enrolled 100000 well
equipped men under complete dis
cpline because of high pay and as
sured rations. This is Lenine's strong
card against an uprising of his un-
armed opponents.
Withdrawal of the German armies
also has helped to buttress the posi-
tion Of Leninc by enabling the Bolshe-
wiki to rcoccupy a large part of the
territory they surrendered at Brest-
Litovsk, while the German revolution
and the possible spread of revolution
to other western countries have great
ly increased the self-conhdence of the
Bolsheviki and added greatly to their
prestige in the eyes of the Russian
masses.
The great powers have also to con-
slider Russia's economic condition.
which has been disastrously affected
by the Bolshevik policy of clinging to
a dictatorship of the proletariat,"
armed suppression of adversaries and
occasional outbursts of systematic
terrorism.
According to information before the
Russian economic affairs
are always the same, namely, record
Of progressive starvation and financial
ruin. Chaos prevails. Supplies of
coal, iron and foodstuffs from the
Ukraine and the Urals have ceased.
The government rationing system
seems to have broken down utterly,
except in Moscow and few other
places. Petrograd and Northern Rus
sia depend entirely upon their own
resources for food. Trustworthy in
formation gives the daily death rate
in Petrograd from starvation as 1000.
This and removals have reduced the
city's population in fourteen months
by more than half.
Railroads in Straits
The transportation system is not
far from absolute paralysis. The rail
ways are out of repair, and there is a
serious lack of fuel. Many manu-
featuring plants have closed, while the
output of those factories still in op-
Grafton is less than half of the pre-
revolutionary standard II
Government finances depend upon
The printing press. 1t is estimated
that there arc $4,000 900 rubles in
paper money in circulation, and the