The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-13


year of its existence. On the 7th of
November. 1917, the Bolsheviki over
threw the provisional government.
They promised at that time, bread.
peace and socialism. What they have
given is hunger, war and tyranny.
The results of Bolshevist rule can
be summarized as follows:
In 1911 the mortality rate per 1000
was 81, but in 1919, 10. The birth
rate has dropped from 20 per 1000, to
Is. Five thousand children are dying
in Moscow every month for lack of
food. The enfeebled population be-
comes the prey of disease and cpl
denies. Within two months of 1919,
242,115 persons were stricken with
typhoid fever in Pet-ograd alone.
In the cities the population is get
ting one-fourth pound of bread mixed
with straw per day. In the country.
out of fear for Bolshevist acquisitions.
they are curtailing cultivation and
concealing the grain. Hunger not
only does not cease, but increases each
day. A new terrible winter threatens
town and country.
The soviet power intended to store
in European Russia in 1920, 224 mil
lion pools of grain, but succeeded
in storing only million. 1t intended
to store III million pools of potatoes.
but stored only 4 million.
To hunger there is added cold.
There is no fuel. In the cities they
are burning furniture, fences and
wooden houses. There is twelve times
less fuel stored than is necessary. The
people are freezing. There are no ar
ticles of food, nor clothing, nor tex
tiles. There is no footwear nor other
apparel. A suit of clothes in Russia
costs 25,O rubles. One pair of boots
in furnished to one out of five per-
sons in a year in the cities. In the
country this is not to be had.
Warfare does not cease. The soviet
power fought during these three years
against Finland, Latvia, Esthonia, the
Ukraine, Turkey, Poland, Armenia and
Siberia. The north fought the south.
brother against brother. Along the
most remote borders of Russia, at the
| frontiers of Persia. Afghanistan, In
dia- and Asia Minor, everywhere the
Bolsheviki have kindled the fires of
war. Hundreds of thousands of killed,
wounded. MANNED. such are the re-
suits of the peace" policy of the Boil
| sheviki.
Notifications are incessant. Mil
lions of people are in arms. Inhuman
discipline has been established. Milf
tarism rules in the soviet republic.
Ever new and new wars are threat
ening the people.
All liberties have been abolished.
No press outside of the government
press is in existence. Free speech has
been throttled. No freedom of assem-
bly,, nor freedom of striking exists.
All socialist parties are in hiding
The whole power in the country be-
longs to the central committee of the
communist party, Lenine declares
that AN individual dictatorship is
needed"
The Bolsheviki proclaimed "All
Power to the Soviets.'' But those So
VETS that do not please the autocrats
at Moscow are dispersed with bayo-
nets. Instead of elections, there are
often simply appointments from above.
The prisons are overlooking. Dur
| ing the past year las, 900 persons were
arrested. All of Russia is in the pow
er of the extraordinary commissions
which are imposing their verdicts of
vengeance without let or hindrance.
The country has been drenched in
blood. Within three months of 1919,
1850 persons were shot in Russia.
During August 1920, 1883 persons.
The secret service, espionage and
stool-pigeon system have been re-es-
tablished.
Organizations of labor have been
| dissolved. The numbers of the work
ing class are decreasing; from $780,
600 the Russian proletariat has
reached 100000. Labor las been
militarized. Industry is destroyed.
The output has decreased to one-fifth.
War is raging between town and
country. Punitive expeditions are sent
against the peasantry for pacitication
and acquisitions. The land problem is
not solved.
| 1t is the children of this nation that
we are asked to feed. Are the results
that it is possible to attain worth the
effort? If the people of Russia sub
NIT to conditions which entail star
walton upon their children, is it our
business to interfere 1t Is not as tho
the land had been unproductive or
crops had failed. The country has not
been visited by fire. flood. tornado or
earthquake. Russia's plight is the re-
suit of her own deliberate action.