The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-05-09

| -" VI 0uuCTH9S dHu TIT
vatlons That Seem Almost Unendur.
able-steady Stream of Refugees
Has Flowed Through Finland to
Sweden for the Last Year, actories
Close, Industry Is Dying and Trans
portation Conditions Are Deplorable.
Terrible conditions in regard to food
are reported by refugees from bolshe-
viz Russia arriving at the Finnish
port of Abo. 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 conlinues-French, Belgian,
British, American, Italian, Swedish,
Swiss and Norwegian-all being COM
PEELED to seek safety.
1.-THE sufferings and privations which
these people have endured In Russia
are indescrlbable," he says. "They
only become fully apparent to them
selves on their arrival in 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
the majority of cases, leaving Russia
meant leaving home and the results of
the work Of lifetime, ~they chung on
in the 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 a doctors certificate stat
Ing that they were physically unfit.
Russian Money Worth Less.
"On 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 ruinous rates.
Thus the various consulates have a
considerable amount of work thrown
on their hands in repatriating these
people.
Il can personally certify to the
gratitude displayed by the refugees
for the slightest help, and in many
cases they are people of a position
capable of paying their own expenses
as soon as they can telegraph for sup
plies from England.
According to the refugees, the con-
dition of Russia defies description. AT
Petrograd the streets are deserted and |
food is unobtainable. Dogs and cats
are being deyoured, while wooden
houses are being demolished to pro-
vide fuel, as also wooden fittings and
furniture from houses whose owners
have left.
I'm consequence Of the nationalist
ton of the. factories and the subse-
quent inability Of the bolshevists to
manage them, industry is dying. The
factories continue working until avail
able stocks of raw material are used
up, and then, much against the will of
The workmen, are closed down. In
Petrograd alone during the last month
" factories were brought to stand
still and about 60 per cent, of the
workmen have already left the town;
his despite the fact that wages have
advanced some ten times.
Transport conditions are deplora-
Die, and through the absence of capa-
'le technical assistance no repairs to
locomotives and rolling stock are car
led out.
Grain Harvest Ample.
while Moscow and Petrograd are
tarving, the grain harvests Of 1915 In
he Ural, Tamboff, Penza and Sara
on governments are stored, and in
UGH quantities that practically the
Whole of bolshevist Russia could be
ed and sufficient left over for export,
"A member of the Society of Friends
'ar victims relief committee stated
hat the bolsheviki were doing their
est for the children, and that four
slief colonies had been established at
amboff. This is said to be done with
he object Of imprinting on the minds
the growing generation that they
least were looked after, during the
sign Of the bolsheviki. Children are
lowed to take part in the manage
tent of the schools, with results best
IT to the imagination.
'The educated classes are slowly be-
g exterminated, and without their
clip the future reorganization and ad.
Illustration Of the country will prove
difficult.
The Germans are fully aware Of
e possibilities in Russia, and as every
lssian with any pretense Of education
'eaks either German or French the
ermans have great advantage over
Q British, and will not be slow to
ap the benefit. Many Austrians are
coming Russian subjects, as are, It
stated, also Germans, in order to be
epared for the competition for Rus
IN trade which IL bound to come.