The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-07-09
HAPPY PEASANT people,
FAR RUSSIAN VILLAGES NOT
HIT BY RETOLTS
Methods Are Anticipated But
Harvests Supply All Mate
rial Wants

Moscow, June 7.-[By The Assoc
lated Press]-The condition of the
rural population is excellent in the
Volga district, owing to the fact that
much which was formerly sold Is now
consumed, as money is valueless, the
peasants being unable to purchase
agricultural implements, seeds. cloth
ing and other manufactured articles.
This was CLEANED by the Associated
Press correspondent who visited the
towns OF Nijninovgorod. Simbirsk.
Samara. and Saratoff, while on a
tour with the English Labor Delega-
ton to Voiga recently.
There Is an abundance Of fresh
eggs. butter and milk in most vii
lagos and in one town, which was
visited, there was 1000 head Of cat
tie for population of 5000. The
system of land tenure varies but in
the majority Of the villages the peas
ants are the actual owners Of the
land, which has been distributed since
the revolution, in equal shares for
each adult inhabitant.
The governments acquisitions are
meeting with some opposition but the
peasants are permitted to retain
thirty two pools O154 pounds) of
flour per capita as a yearly ration
and must deliver up 100 liters (120
quarts) Of milk per cow and ten eggs
per hen per year. Many Of the vii
iages are being organized on a COM
mune basis. notably in the self gov
erning German commune, with the
capital at MaTxstadt. The population
of the German community is 100000.
all Of whom speak pure German after
an absence OF Loo years from their
native country.
:. Care For People. %.
The local government of Marxstadt
Is we'll organized with schools, hospi-
mtnistratfve Offices. and q number
of small industries such as leather
factories, flour mills and turning
shops. The Gemrans have formed and
sent to the front several regiments of
infantry and cavalry, commanded by
their own officers. Politically the vii
lagos have been only slightly touched
by the revolution, party lines are
practically non existent and the gov
local matters. The rich peasants are
disconnected with the present situa-
ton owing to the redistribution Of
land which has deprived them of part
OF their holdings and which is making
the poorer peasants better off than
they ever were before.
Evidences of the governments eff
forts TO modernize the rural popu-
lation appear on every hand by the
establishment of schools for adult
illiterates, libraries, reading rooms
and instruction in the new methods
of agriculture. The food situation in
the towns is fairly good though the
Jack of salt, meat and fats is evident,
but the system Of food distribution
is effective with the speculative
prices, one third to one tenth less
than those in Moscow
Lineup OF Industries. q.
The metal works at Nijninovgorod
are operating with a force of 1880.
who are turning out war material
while the flour MILL canning factory
and several other industries are also
being carried on. The towns of
Simbirsk and Samara are still suf-
fering from the effects of Czecho-
Slovakian occupation under which the
boys under military age have been
conscripted for service in Siberia Ac-
oording to Sverdroff, the assistant
commtssar of transportation. the re-
sumption OF the river traffic to Vodga
VIII enormously increase the supply
Of industrial fuel. 1t is estimated that
120, 100000 pools (of 36.07 pounds) of
Baku oil will be delivered during the
present season, but already 100000
pools of oil has been received In
Nttninovgerod