The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-06-23
ARE STARVING
BY THOUSANDS
American Officers Find Frishtfu and
PitltM Conditions In Baltic
Provinces Where War
is Raging.
HATEFUL BOLSHEVIKI
Baltic Fighting is Probably Most Saw
age and Barbarous in the
the World
Today.
HATEFUL BOLSHEVIKI
by Frank J. Taylor, United Press
Staff CORRESPONDENT

l[By Frank J. Taylor. United Press
Staff Correspondent
BERLIN. (By mail.)--The boil
shevik fighting in the Baltic prov
inces is the most hateful of all, 40
cording to American officers return
ing from missions there, who tell OF
the CHASTITY almost unbelievable
cruelty on the part Of the bolshevik
mercenares. Neither side Is show
ing mercy now, according to latest
reports.
| A number Of phases are cited to
account for the exceptional bitter
ness of the Courland and Lithuanian
| fighting. The boisheviks 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
officers. Part of the Germans are
from Germany proper. and the rest
are known as Bats"
The Bats are the German popu-
lation of the Russian provinces north
of Prussia. They are descendants Of
a wave of Germans which swept into
the Baltic provinces of Russia in the
thirteenth century. In the course of
time the Germans, though very
come to own practically all the prop
erty.
They are called the Baltic
Barons," 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-
ward Germany in their sympathies
and are hated especially by the boil
shevils Of Russia.
When the revolution came In
Russia, the "Balts" organized and
began a telling campaign against the
bolsheviks. During the last year
they have held the bolsheviks out of
most of the Baltic Baron" territory,
and since the armistice have been
materially helped by the volunteers
recruited in Germany.
Their resistance has especially
angered the Russians, who want to
free the country of Germans. Ac-
cording to Americans who have been
in the region, Trotsky has sent his
best troops against the "Balts." The
bolsheviks have fought like barbara
ans, and according to reports, have
wiped out entire towns, when they
were able to take them, to end the
"Balt" 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 Ameri-
can food commission arrived at
Libau, it found thousands of defense
less women and children put on
islands 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 expon-
ents of any idealism which the boil
shevih 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
ing on both sides The "Balts' have
exploited the people, thereby provok-
ing hatred unequaled anywhere. On
both sides the armies are well fed
from exploiting the land, while the
population is starving.
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 a republic was in
sway.
The Let's for the most part prefer
to belong to Russia, but hate the boil
sheviks, and therefore are fighting
for the "Balts," who have preserved
the numbers and names Of the old
Russian regiments from the region
for the sake of stirring up national
feeling. Some of the "Balts" would
prefer to adhere to Russia politically.
but are afraid of the bolsheviks.
Others are out and out Germans, and
plans are under way for joining the
provinces to Germany when an op-
portunity comes later.
How to distribute the food and
which government to support is a
puzzle to the food missions from the
entente sent to Libau and Mcneil to
care for the populations. On both
sides Of the lines the populations are
starving, while the military organi
cations Of mercenaries are ravaging
the lands.
,wvraN. ~rrHy~~