New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-23
Not More Than One in l 900
Russians Killed, Friend
of Bolsheviki Declares
Attitude Toned Down
Socialist Writer Admits He
Left Russia Before Worst
of Atrocities Occurred
e Toned Down
Neac York Tribune
WASHINGTON rurenu

Washington Eureau
WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.-An admis-
sion that there have been many atroci-
ties under the Soviet government in
Russia and much hard and cruel action
by its tribunals was made before the
Overman committee to-day by Albert
Rhys Williams, ex-preacher, Socialist
writer and lecturer and former en-
ploye of Leon Trotzky.
Mr.. Williams coupled this admission
however, with strong defence of the
Bolsheviki. He declared the atrocities
had been greatly exaggerated and in
a thousand in Russia had been killed
by the Soviets. He also laid great
stress both on the high ideals of the
Bolshevik leaders and on the difficulties
with which they had had to contend. He
said they were attempting a great SO
cial and governmental experiment that
might produce q form of organization
better than anything now known; that
they had not had a fair chance, and
that the experiment should be allowed
to work itself out. He dismissed the
theories and plans of the Bolsheviki
far more willingly than he did their
practices. He also admitted that he
had left Russia before the worst atroci-
ties, which occurred last fall.
Don't Need Violence Here
ist principles, during which he declared
that he did not advocate violent revo-
luton in this country, nor believe it
would abc necessary in order to bring
about his ideals, and in general took
more moderate tone than either of
the previous apologists for the Boil
sheviki and than he has himself been
reported to have taken previously.
He admitted, after his testimony, which
will be concluded Monday, that he was
toning down his attitude, apparently on
information from radicals that the coun-
try is not ready for an extreme propa-
ganda. In fact, there has been q notice
able drawing in of the extremists about
the hearings since they began, and sew
eral people have taken pains to assure
members of the committee that they
are not SO radical as has been reported.
They don't seem so anxious as they
we're to be hooked up with the Bolshc-
WIKI one Senator remarked.
Mr.. Williams began his statement
by review of the distress in Russia
under the Kerensky regime and it's
failure to remedy this. This regime,
he calimed, really started the reign
of anarchy and chaos. The only group
that realized that the deep unrest Of
the people demanded radical reform
programme, going into the whole
social structure instead of being con-
tent to reform the political organiza-
ton only, were the Bolshevik
He admitted frankly that he spoke
for those people, whom, he claimed,
represented the great mass of Rus
slams. The anti-Bolshevik witnessed,
he declared, spoke for the better
classes, whose distress they had wit
had been prejudiced. He dismissed
Nine. Breshkovsky's indictment of the
soviets as that of a disappointed poll
tician, whose followers had been taken
away from her, and did not refer to
that of Mr.. Christoffovitch who had
spent his whole life among the work
ing classes.
IF believed one-half of all these
charges that have been made against
the Bolsheviki were true" he said, 81
would be in favor Of the whole Boil
shevik outfit being thrown out. |
know there have been horrors enough
have seen enough OF them But
believe that if the Bolsheviki fail it
will be with clean hands and clean
hearts"
Goes Back to Car
As an offset to the Bolshevik hor-
rors. moreover, he cited the sufferings
which the Russian people had gone
through under the Gar, the prelimi-
nary attempts Of the Soviet leaders
TO grant an amnesty to their old en-
mics, and the counter atrocities COM
mitted by the White Guard and coun-
ter revolutionaries.
"Ackerman, correspondent of 9Th,
he oh &c
patch telling of trainload of 2,10t
hclsheviki. captured by the White
Guard, and sent across Siberia. Oal,
800 arrived. On the way eight hun
dred starved to death, died of disease
and neglect, were shot trying to escape
or committed suicide
You have heard the story Of tn,
five grand dukes who were bombed t.
death in the well. Against that | Sc
these eight hundred. SO far as my sym
Iathy is concerned, it is with thes
Eolshevikl, who, after all, are the PEG
pie that Rave done the zeal work If
Russia, rather tnan with the Crane
fukes, who have always lived softl,
ana corruptly on tn sweat Of thes
.sme workers.
Altogether, he declared. w to July
Of last year not more than $4,000 peo
pie mad been killed in battle or BY ex.
ecutlon by the Soviets than ono
"a thousand in all Russia He adj
'n',tcd that there was a food scarcity
ana that The Bolsheviki were largely
10 Diane but said they had been able
10 escape responsibility BY "passino
me DUCK TO the Allies for shutting n
IA. aA, - ,nssioerian railway. He also
@umitted that there had been vrea-
oeai oil footing, But said the only ~ 80
$500 ------------------s--------.--