Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-07-06
Will MA STARVING
BY The HANDS Of
RUSS RED H0RDES
City, Crazed, Finds Self Un-
able to Resist Power Of
HeartleSS PrOfiteerS
and Robbers.
BY MISS CECIL CHESTERTON.
Exclusive Cable to the International News
Service from The London Daily Express.

BY MISS CECIL CHESTERTON.
Exclusive Cable to the International News
Wilma. (By MaiL)-I arrived here
after SO hours travelling. The city
is wrecked from artillery fire. When
Russia was still in the fighting line
the Vistula way prosperous and gay.
Now it is desolate, the people being
without fuel and food. Motionless
figures sit on the pavement, stupe-
fed from sheer hunger.
Since my entry troops of the Po-
lish army have been sharing their
rations with the population. 1t may
be little, but for a starving people
it means much.
On my arrival | found unheard of
prices being asked for food. A
pound of bread cost 80 roubles-
that is, nominally. Rotten eggs cost
SIS, a pound OF sugar $6.25, a pound
of meat $3.50, butter $3.50 Nearly
all restaurants were closed, but in
one | paid SIS for dinner of soup
and coarse meat. ! asked for piece
of cake, but was told it would cost
SIS. | was glad that | brought my
own provisions from Warsaw, &C
cording to frie DIS advice.
Make $500 Monthly.
Meanwhile the Bolsheviki have
plenty of food amid the misery. All
the members of the party now
known as the communists were
drawing large salaries. A soldier of
the militia draws $500 a month,
while classes exist even more prlvi-
legged in San Gorges hotel. The res
taurant there is opened only to COM
missaries. Communist leaders are
admitted to dinner of four courses
costing $3.75, half the cost. The
manager of the hotel told me that
the Russian government paid the
difference, thus spending enormous
sums for the benefit of selected peo-
pie. This is a characteristic trick
Of Russian communists.
The inhabitants of Wilma tell me
that there is now more corruption
than even in the time of the car.
Bribery will secure everything. Fret
denst, an influential Bolshevik at
Wilma, received brides of several
hundreds of pounds for an intro
duction, without guaranteeing that
he would grant request tor life
passport, or even a smaller favor.
Highway Robbers Day.
lust before the Polish army occu-
pied Wilma the Bolshevik achieved
the acme of oppression. They de-
cided to arrange a.Beggars' Day ON
May |. Every inhabitant was Or
dered to 60 out of his house, leav-
ing the door open. The Bolsheviks
we're then allowed to go into the
houses and take anything they liked.
Following this robbery, the unfor-
tunate people were not allowed to
return home any more. An official
notice directed them to houses in
another part of the town, thus pre-
venting them from hiding any OBJ
jects of value The number of
deaths from exposure was consider
able.
After severe fight the Bolsheviki
were driven from Wilma and re-
treated to the other side of the river,
where they began to rob houses. An
old man bolted the door, which they
were unable to break open. They
started a fire, intending to burn him
out At that moment the Polish
troops appeared and saved his life
All were not so fortunate. In
neighboring house a married couple
we're murdered in a revolving fash
ion.
In another house which the Boil
sheviks looted they decided to put
the whole family to death. One of
them, Jew, shouted to his COM
rades: DO not stain your noble
hands with unworthy Jewish blood"
By this trick he saved the lives of
the Jewish family.
When I arrived Wilma still had
stains of blood On the streets. There
were heaps of shattered glass and
mutilated houses, but the Bolsheviks
were already far away.