The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-11-23
SAYS DOLSHEVISM
IMPOSSIBLE FOR
ADOPTION IN j. S.

NEW YORK, Nov. 23.-"Bolsho-
vism is the only thing for Russia, but
would be impossible in the United
States" That is the opinion of Ben
tamn Schlessinger, president of the
international ladies' Garment Work.
ers' union. He has lust returned from
a tour OF Russia--the first trades UNI
lonist to make such tour since the
Root commission.
He further declares that conditions
in Russia are infinitely better than
reports of correspondents and relief
workers would indicate; that while
there is a lack of food, starvation
does not prevail, and that the condi-
ton Of the Jews, while economically
bad. is no worse than that OF their
Gentle neighbors and Is infinitely
better than 1t ever could be under
the old regime.
When he was asked whether the
cooperative garment manufacturing
shops, which the International La
dies Garment union has decided soon
TO establish, would be modelled after
the clothing factories in soviet Rus
STA, he shook his head and said:
We are going to run our cooper
alive factories in the American trade
union way and in no other way"
Schlessinger, however, had much
to say in praise Of Lenine.
al spent couple of hours with
him. said he, and must say that
l was pleasantly surprised by the
spirit of friendliness which we both
began to entertain toward each other
from the very outset. When l sat in
his study, speaking with him about
the future of revolutionary Russia,
failed to observe even trace of that
severity which we encounter when
ever we read a book or a statement
by him. | have seen in him a great
deal of intimate comradeliness and
streak of fatherly tenderness. And
in the course of, our conversation |
even told him that he would have
made a splendid teacher of little chill
dren."
Schlessinger said he was in Mos
cow more than two weeks and did not
miss an opportunity to study the
present situation in Russia. He
spent some time with Tomsky, the
chief of the federation of all Russian
trade unions. He said he talked with
several known opponents of the
bUlSHcNiht+ SuCIl dS h oil wv ohA iiS
met prominent socialist leaders in
other countries.
Russia" said Schlessinger, docs
not need money at present, and not
even clothing. What Russia requires
most is machinery to reconstruct her
industries, and this should be kept
in mind by all those who intend to
help Russia. :.
while there I became convinced
more and more that should the pres
ent government of Russia be now
overthrown, the Jews of Russia would
be drowned in rivers of blood. That
the soviet government is a true pro-
tector of the Jews is admitted by all,
even by those Jews who are not sat-
isfied with the soviet government
and who are grumbling about it and
are discontinued with it. Even these
admit that soviet Russia Is the best
and safest place for the Jews in
Eastern Europe"
Schlessinger admitted many short
comings of the soviet government,
but held that these were only so when
the country was to be judged by ideal
Or even normal standards. He agrees
with other investigators on many
points, such as the numeral minority
Of the communist party proper, the
character of the present
government and the question of
whether the, government was repre-
sentative of the people.
But" he said Russia is going
through a revolution. Russia is at