The Ocala evening star., 1920-06-22
EMMA GOLDMAN HAS ENOUGH
OF Soviet Russia and at Last Rec
Ognizes the Virtue of
America
Chicago Tribune)

Paris, June 17-On the bureau of
Emma Goldman's room in the Hotel
Astoria at Petrograd, draped over the
corner of picture of her niece, is the
American flag. Emma Goldman, de-
ported from America as an anarchist,
makes no apologies for this flag.
The communist leaders living at
the hotel joke with her little about
it, but Emma says:
"That's the flag of my niece's coun-
try. I'm going back there some day,
for | love America as love no other
land"
She is sick of bolshevik Russia.
When / called on her in Petrograd she
asked:
"What do you think of it? You
have been here six weeks. How do
you feel about it?"
"It is rotten" / replied. "It's so
rotten Pm sick with it."
you're right, it is rotten" she said.
"But it is what we should have ex-
petced. We always knew the MARKHAM
theory was impossible, a breeder of
tyranny. We blinded ourselves to it's
faults in America because we believed
IL might accomplish something.
"I've been here four months now,
and I've seen what it has accomplish
ed. There is no health in it. The
state of socialism or state of capi-
talism-call it what you will-has
done for Russia what it will do for
every country. 1t has taken away
even the little freedom the man has
under individual capitalism and has
made him entirely subject to the
whims of bureaucracy which excuses
its tyranny on the ground it all is
done for the welfare of the workers.
"Where did you find the greater de-
gree of freedom, Miss Goldman?" /
asked, Gin the United States or in
communist Russia?"
"Any form of government is bad
enough" she replied, "but between
this and individual capitalism, the
choice lies with the latter. At least,
the individual has a chance to ex-
press his individuality"
Of all the deportees who entered
Russia with Miss Goldman, only one
or two have assimilated the doctrines
of communism. Miss Goldman, Berk-
man and Novikov, the leaders of the
group, refused to work with the gov
ernment in any way except purely
labor.
eve are studying conditions in Rus
sia," said Miss Goldman, at another
time. eve want to make trip thru
the country districts and talk with
the peasants. Then we will be ready
to speak. We probably will go to
Jail when we start criticising, but
that doesn't matter. We've been in
jail before We canont be true to our
principles and not speak"
Miss Goldman and Novikov refused
places in the reviewing stand at the
May Day procession, nor will they ac-
cept places at any government meet
ing.
spent much of my week in Petro-
grad with them. When l was ready to
leave, she said to me:
"Be careful what you write, if you
want to return to Russia. If you don't,
then hit out from the shoulder and
nit hard. You may be called an agent
by the capitalistic class, by the peo-
pie in America who don't understand.
If you are, tell them we have been
1er four months and now we know.
We have investigated factories, homes
Ind institutions as no newspaper man |
,an be permitted to investigate them,
and we've found them bad. l know,
rom my conversation with you. you
ave gotten at the heart of the mat
er. It's up to you to tell the Ameri-
an people, and tell them straight"