South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-03-21
World IS Learning
Truth About Russia

As authentic news begins TO come
out OF Russia. il grows Increasing
~ evident that the horrors, cruel
ties and foliies OF the revolution
have been exaggerated. The bOlshe-
viks have been guilty of lamentablo
eXcesses. without question, some or
dered by the govern meut and others
breaking out spontaneously In isO-
lated communities, but there does
not seem TO have been anywhere
near so much blOOdshed and gen
eral craziness as the American pub
lie has been led to believe.
An intelligent and trustworthy
correspondent who has been in Rus
STA for some time investigating con
ditions for the New York World.
reports that perhaps as many as
: 10000 human begins haze been eX-
ccuted since Nov. z. 1917. He says:
Doubtless many have been tor
tured as well as massaCTed. But
from my many talks with the white
Russians. among them numerous
Out-and-out czarists, / cannot be-
lieve that there has been even
small percentage OF the frightful
and senseless atrocities with which
the bOlshevikl have been charged"
The same correspondent calls at
tention TO two great constructive
enterprises the bOlsheviki are now
carrying on, one against disease and
the other against ignorance. so
cialism must kill the louise" he
quotes Lenine as saying, "or the
louise will kill socialism" The
drive against disease IS sadly ham
pered by lack OF medicines. The
drive against ignorance seems to be
making amazing progress. Here.
says the correspondent, the bolshe-
Wiki show themselves at their best:
Their educational program is
nothing short OF magnificent
llliteracy is being overcome with
astonishing rapidly, largely
through a system of education
instilled into the red army.
- Education is mpulsory for all
children from eight TO 10, and
all are not only taught, but fed
clothed and housed at the
states expense. Where there
were seven universities under
the car, there are II under the
soviets. When Petrograd had
population OF over 2,000 600
persons. 80 percent could not
read ard write Today there
are only 60 900 illiterates out Of
a little more than 100000 per
sons left i'm the capital. Like
everything else under soviet
management tho educational
scheme is better on paper than
In practice But not even the
bolshevikis worst enemy could
deny that Russian children are
actually getting more education
today thar they ever had. Spc-
Cial instruction I'm the arts and
sciences has also received
marked impetus during the
revolution. Particularly dram
attic art Is on an extraordinarily
high plane. In one week i'm
the course of my stay in Mos
sow. Shakespeare was played i'm
o different theaCcrs, and all OF
them We're self-Supp
though of course mathematical.
10 is not only due TO Russia. as
a matter OF fairness. TO make such
truth known along with less admir-
able things but 10 is the policy of
wisdom. The sooner il is recoE-
niZed that Russian n0lsheviki, what
ever their faults. are human beings.
not entirely different from normal
men and women IN their general
aims. aspirations. virtues and pas
sions the sooner it viii be possible
go aualyze bOlshevism clearly. and
understand its real weaknesses
which are CcOnOmiC-and take
proper measures 90 counterfeit its
destructive influences