The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-08-16
Proletariat Is Praying Change
of Government In the Hope
of Getting Bread.
ECONOMICAL WRECK
Conditions Ripe For Counter
revolution; Only Threats With
bayonets Prevent Revolt.
tHy J. Z. pucKwoRTH.l

heVaL Esthonia, July I5.-"What
keeps the Soviet republic going?"
asked clown at a Petrograd circus.
His answer was in Russian rhyme:
Jewish brains, Lettish bayonets.
Russian stupidity"
This crack brought down the house
The clown got two weeks in the fort
ress of Saints Peter and Paul for his
temerity.
often thought of this incident when
was safe out OF Russia. There was
more than a modicum Of truth in the
Jest.
Led by the clever Jewish brains the
workers and peasants Of Russia have
also taken a terrible revenge on their
oppressors-the capitalists and the big
landowners.
But the workers and peasants are
now heartily sick of the experiment in
Communism. Russia is now economi-
cally a wreck. The 'proletariat is pray
ing for a change of government in the
hope of getting bread
1t is only by bayonets and the threats
OF imprisonment or death that keep
the people from openly revolving. Rus
STA is ripe for a counter revolution.
But the people are TOO stupid or rath-
er stupefied. as a result Of continued
starvation, to make move.
The long and wearisome ride from
Moscow TO hamburg I shall never for
get. Soldiers guarded all the stations.
Soldiers were in all the little wayside
towns. They boarded the train every
hour or so TO examine permits. And
all along the 500 miles peasants were
beseeching us to give them bread
II seemed strange, but numerous So
Wet government officials begged me
almost with tears in their eyes, to help
them get to America.
Soviet Red Cross nurses. railroad
officials, even some OF the commissars
on our train of 500 Swiss refugees. ev-
erybody in Soviet Russia. II seemed
wanted to get out
Scores Of Americans Of Russian or
igin. who gave up their good jobs in
the states and flocked back to Russia
after the revolution in the hopes Of
finding paradise on earth. now find
themselves prisoners in land Of fam
inc.
At hamburg, near the Esthonian
frontier. the commissar In charge Of
our food and the Russian commandant
of the train were both marched off to
the local headquarters OF the extraor-
binary commission between armed
guards.
It was rumored that they had been
discovered plotting to escape into Es-
thonia. We were sorry for them. Their
fate was sealed. All the way from
Moscow these two Bolsheviks had been
eu1ogizing the beauties and benefits
of BoIshevism-camou
I was accompanied all the way
from Moscow by a man / believed 70
lie a spy or gent-provocateur. He
was thrown in my way the day ! was
evacuated from the prison OF the
Vetchaika in MOSCOW. He pretended
to be an Englishman who had been In
prison, too. But he looked so uncom-
monty fat and well that / at once be-
came suspicious.
He seemed particularly ANXIOUS to
find out what 1 was going TO write
when I got out Of Russia. And he
was always inviting me TO hop the
train and return TO Petrograd. ] pre-
tended that my trip had been a fail
ure; that / had seen nothing Of con-
sequence. He expressed astonishment
when got over the front er at seeing
me busy taking notes.
You seem more cheerful now" no
said.
Yes" answered; Il am now on
the safe side OF the line"
Let me here make a confession. !
went to Russia with the friendiiest Of
feelings towards communism In fact.
my intimate friends in New York
called me a Bolshevik.
I expected 10 find that "the great
80 per cent In Russia were compare
lively happy, on top. ] was quite will
ing that the 20 per cent, capitalists, ex-
ploiters, bourgeo.se, call them what
you will. should suffer If the majority
were happy.
am cured.
But perhaps was only parIor
after all
Communism may be beautiful
theory OF government In practice II
is a ghastly fiasco. Nobody IS happy
under il; everybody, both the 50 AID
the 20 per cent, Is hungry 20 the point
OF starvation.
At hamburg we were sheld up six
hours We were taken about a mile
through the woods TO an old farmhouse
and given a final saakedown by me
ordinary commission The men