The evening leader. (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) 191?-19??, 1919-03-31
Russia Condition
Bad To Worse

! bladlVoStok, Feb. 21.-(Correspon-
dcrce of The Associated Press. 1.-The
fundamental principle of the Bolshe-
Wiki that the soviets as organs of rev.
dictionary dictatorship must be the
strict expression af class government
is undergoing marked changes, accord
ing to member of the Moscow, all
Russian central cooperative associa-
ton. He summarized the situation
when he left Moscow as followi,:
Russians of the intelligent class
were being induced to work in the So
viets and in other organizations for
restoration of the normal course of
life. The anarchit terror which had
prevailed since October had been stop
ped and arbitrary executions, in some
cases, had given way to preliminary
legal Investigations and trials.
The intelligentzia and some of the
officers, under the influence of hunger
and want, had relinquished the tactics
of sabotage. Others who were inclin-
! ed to do likewise were vacillating on
account of doubts as to the durability
o fthe soviets and because they feared
the consequences under a new regime.
The economic policy was ESSENTIALLY
the same as before. Naturalization
of ammunition factories and of fiIiasI-
Icial institutions was continued For
mer administrators of factories parti-
clpated in the management as mem
bers of factory committees. Small en-
! terprises had been left in the hands of
their owners who worked in contact
with factory committees of their dis
tricts. Many factories and mills were
closed. Life was sustained by draw
ing upon wealth previously accumu-
lated.
1t was then reported that the soviet
army would be increased to three mil
lion men by spring. 1t was being
transformed into a disciplined army.
Army committees had been abolished
and former officers were being attract
ed to service. The system of election
of officers was being supplanted by
appointments by chiefs who had full
charge of directing operations. Com
nliSsars represented the soviet politf-
cal authority.
& Public education was superintendent
by a commissariat and by special
body composed of representatives of
educational sections of labor organi-
cations. Many new schools were be-
ing opened. Science and art were be-
ing adapted to the understanding of
the masses. A great deal of ardor and
temperament were shown but very lit
tie system. The Moscow university
which formerly attracted hundreds of
workingmen was attended only by
dozens.
The attitude toward cooperative or
ganization has changed. Owing to the
results of disastrous experiments
which have destroyed private CONNER
cial enterprise and failed to replace it
with something else, the bolsheviki
have begun to regard the stability of
the cooperatives with good will. Spe-
Icial DEGREES have been issued protect
ling them from soviet interferences.
lThey are receiving big orders for the
supply of various districts with arti-.
cles of necessity. The turnover of
capital of the Central Cooperative as
ISOLATION for the year exceeded one
billion rubles. The soviet government
has proposed to the association to I'M
dertake to supply the whole country.
The workers cooperatives asserted
thei right to direct the activities of
the association and succeeded in elect
ing one third of the directors.
! The national bank, the financial CEN
ter of the cooperatives, has been ma
Itionalized, but measures have been
taken to "render realization of the re-
form less painful" All employees have
been retained and the direction is en-
trusted to a conference of coopera-
tives, corresponding roughly to a
meeting of stockholders. Under
such organization normal banking op-
erations may easily be restored
The relator concludes with sum-
mary of the general situation which