The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-22
HANSEN IN RUSSIA
Lieut.. Granstedt, Under Red
Fire, Fed Starving Children.
With Yudenitch's Army in Ad-
vance on PetrOgrad.
ESTABLISHED FOOD KITCHENS
On Way Home To Recuperate
After Strenuous Summer.
Prices at Pskov Fantastic
Bread 35 RubIes a Pound.


New York. Nov. 22.-Andrew A.
Granstedt, until recently a first lieu
tenant in the American army. on spe-
clal duty with tie American Relief
Administration European Children's
1und in Russia, reported at the New
ork office of that organization to-
day. He was forced by Illness TO give
up his work on the Baltic, and is on
ms way to rest and recuperate at his
nome in Kansas
From May 20 to September. 6, Lieu
tenant Granstedt was with Yudenich's
army in the advance toward Petro-
grad, and had charge of the establish
ment of Children's Relief kitchens in
the communities iibere ted from the
Bolsheviks.
At the instigation of the Americans
OF the Hoover Relief ORGANIZATION,
Y Eudenich set up a depa rtment of trade
and commerce in the stretch his gov
ernment created in the small segment
of northwest Russia which has been
reclaimed from Red rule. In reality
this department. is simply a relief
section of the generals staff. and
about the only active duty it has per
formed has been the distribution of
American supplies in the reclaimed
area.
In the three months he spent with
the White army, Lieutenant Grams
tedts operations extended from Narva
on the Gulfeof Finland to Pskov, about
so miles south. In -e towns along
ne started IN al D klLcnenS
for feeding children"the one good meal
a day, which is the basis of opera
tfons by the American Relief Admins
tration European Children's fund.
Some $4,000 of the most needy chill
dren were fed A large proportion of
these were refugees from Bolshevik
RuSsia-starVed, frightened kids,
many of them with no living relative.
Reds Forced Kitchens Out.
Reval and Pskov were the two main
concentration points for refugees.
Lieutenant Granstedt was in PSkov
late in August when the Bolshevik
forces attacked the city. After day
and night of shelling. the stubborn re-
sistance of the poorly-armed and un-
derfed White defenders was broken,
and the city was given up. The chill
drens relief kitchens were evacuated
under Bolshevilz fire. A previous at
tempt, in July. to take Pskov failed,
in spite of TrOtsky's promise to the
Red soldiers of extra issues OF cigarets
and pork and sugar if they should
take the city.
Pskov is characteristic of the Rus
sian cities which have fallen under /
the blight of Bolshevik rule. The city |
used to employ nearly 1900 union |
workers, it was a busy and prosperous |
railway junction. with considera BILE .
manufacturing In July and August |
only 432 men were employed, and dur !
ing one whole month only 62 calls |
1t is a sandy, timbered country. |,
much cut up by lakes and swamps,
that stretches south from the Gulf of
Finland. There is not enough land in
cultivation to feed the people; there
is no market for the timber. and the
nearest food supply lies west of the
boundary of Ethonia, which is Jealous
ly guarded by the Esthonians.
Films Refused to Aid.
After Yudenich's army had pushed
we'll clear of the eastern boundaries of
Esthonia and Latvia, the troops from
these two new Baltic states began to
withdraw; and the failure to take
Petrograd is mainly due to the defec-
tions-and to the refusal of the Films
TO join in the offensive. Between the
Esthonians and the Russians consid-
cradle feeling exists; it is evidenced by
the high prices demanded by the
Esthonians for the limited supply of
potatoes which are shipped across the
border.
Food prices at Ps1ov We're simply
fantastic said Granstedt. For good
bread. when that ceuld be had, one
paid 35 roubles a pound. THESE were
the old Car roubles which have
retained most of their old value. The
cheape bread, for roubles a pound.
was made principally of oar-hulls; bad
flaX-seed bread cost 16 roubles a
pound. Once in a while the butcher
shops had meat, and then one paid so
roubles a pound for pork; chicken
fetched $50 roubles. When butter
could be purchased, the price was