The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-05-23
STARVATION and ]
CHAOS IN RUSSIA.
Terrible Conditions Prevail Under
Sway Of Reds "
FOREIGNERS SEEK SAFETY
Refugees Tell Of sufferinos and PrI.
vatIons That Seem Almost Unendur-
abIe-steady Stream Of Refugees
Has Flowed Through Finland to
Sweden for the LAST Ysar--Faetorles
Close. Industry 10 Dying and Trans
portation Conditions Are pepIorabIs.

sc l. - 4
portation Conditions Are pepIorabls.
Terrible conditions In regard to food
are reported by refugees from bolshe-
vik Russia arriving at the Finnish
port Of Abo.s The correspondent there
Of the london Times writes that the
intermittent stream of refugees from
Russia which for, the last year has
been flowing through Finland to Stock
holm still continues-French, Belgian,
British, American. Italian. Swedish,
Swiss and Norwegian-all being COM
PEELED to seek safety. 49," .n..
1.-THE sufferings and priyations which
these people have endured in Russia
are ,tndescrlbable,n he says. They
only become fully apparent to them
selves on their arrival in a country
where civilized methods prevail. and
although in Finland food conditions
are considered most serious, the refu-
gees look upon it as land flowing
With milk and honey. %..,
. AT first, on seeing the condition OF
these people, one wonders why they
remained SO long In Russia, but, as In
TIE majority Of cases, leaving Russia
meant leaving home and the results Of
the work Of lifetime, they chung on
In tho hopes that things would turn
for the better, while In many cases
they were prevented from leaving by
the bolshevists until they were able
to procure, q doctors certificate stat
Ing that they were physically unfit.
Russian Money Worth Less. ~, r..
ION arrival in Finland these people
suddenly find themselves as good as
paupers, as the Russian money they
: have with them is practically valueless
and can be seldom changed to Finnish
marks, and then only at ruin0us rates.
Thus the various fconsulates have y
considerable amount of work thrown
on their hands in rcpatriatlng these
people. X
e. II can personally certify to the
gratitude displayed by the refugees
for the slightest help, and In many
cases they are people Of Il position
capable of paying their own expenses
as soon AS they can telegraph for sup.
plies from England. @& &532
.=s s"According to the refugees, the con.
dition Of Russia defies description. All
Petrogratl the streets are deserted and
food is understandable. Dogs and cats
are being devoured, while wooden
houses are being demolished to pro-
vide fuel. rs also wooden fittings and
furniture from houses whose owners
have left.
ain consequence Of the nationaliz;i
ton Of the factories and The subse
quent Inability Of the bolsheristS tc
manage. them. industry is dying. The
factories continue working until avail
able stocks Of raw material are used
the workmrn, are closed down. In
petr0s"ad alone during the hast lHentl
81 factories We're brought to a stand
still and about 60 per ceutof tho
wnrkmrn have already left the town
this despite The fact thlt wages have
advanced some ten times. 49,
"rr:,nS,ort conditions are deplora
bic. and through The HbS"ncr Of capa
BILE trrhl,issti Assistance no repairs te
3. loconlotises ana rolling stock are car
rir,l aiif. ......
l% Grain Harvest Ample.
~ "N'hilr Moscow and rclrocrad are
I Starving. the era IN hurvrstS of 1915 II
the Grail T,lmhoir. l'rnzn and Sara,
taff governments are stored. and II
such quantities That practically til,
Wllule af hoishcvi>t Russia could h,
fed and sufficient left over Tor export.
"A member nf the Society Of Friends
war victims. relief committee STATED
thrt the DoIShrviki were doing thri
best for the children. md That fnul
relief colonies had been established IL
Tu!nh"n. This Is said to be- done viii
the object Of imprinsing- on The mind:
Of the growing generation that the,
Mt least were looked after during tn,
reign Of the holShrviki Children ar,
allowed 10 take part in the manage
ment nf the schools, with results hes
lrf, TO the Imagination.
o THE educated classes are slowly he
ing exterlninsted, and without thei
help the future reorganization and nd
rninistration Of the country will prov,
enormously difficult.
"'rhe Germans are fully aware o
the possibilities in Russia, and AS ever,
Russian with any pretense of education
speaks either German or French th
Germans have n great advantage owe
the British, and will not be slow {,
reap the benefit. Many Austrians ar
becoming Russian subjects, as are, !
is stated. also Germans, in order to b.
prepared for the competition for Rus
sian trade which is bound TO come
The Norwegians, too, are planning an,
preparing for the future, while tn
Swedes are not far behind"
Moonshining Increased in Tennessee
Marked increase in Illicit diStiilin
I'm the Anna Ia chan maintain tprritor