The New York herald., 1921-12-25

causes of the Russian famine
that is taking its toll in hun
dreds of thousands is had here in
America. To get at the facts, The
New York Herald sent several
trained observers into the stricken
areas. One of them was Raymond
Swing, staff correspondent in
charge of The Herald's Berlin
Bureau. Mr.. Swings report pre-
sented to-day is human, under
standaBle document that is bound
to enlighten the reader.
BY RAYMOND SWING.
Special Correspondence Of THE NEW YORK
Copyright. 1921 By THE NEW York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Berlin, Dec. Is.
DT HE Volga peasants have proverb.
God commands thee never show
the bottoms of thy bins" For
years, even during previous famines, this
divine behest has been needed, at least to
great extent Reserves were saved for
the next seeding, and enough as well to
tide the great majority over the winter.
The first really drastic famine in the
history of the Volga is the present one,
for this time the bins are empty.
In the great famine of 1891 help was
forthcoming from the district itself. |
met in Moscow an English business man,
former journalist, who had reported the
famine of 1891 for the London Times, and
related how relief had been organized by
the country gentlemen Of the Volga, as
he designated the landowners and how
they had shown great sef-sacrifice in favor
of their peasants.
But now, though certain rich peasants
may have reserves, they are not sharing;
the bottoms of most of the bins of the
Volga are bare Not by the most generous
estimate of the harvest could the district
raise more than one-fourth of the food
necessary to live through till next summer.
Other Causes Caused Famine
Besides Misgovernment
The assertion has often been made that
the famine is the consequence of Bolshevik
is this true. When the Don valley, the
Ukraine and Siberia were cut off by civil
wars the volga had to bear the strain of
feeding central Russia And it was in this
time that the bins were emptied They
were emptied ruthlessly, by requisition,
often by force The Communists in those
days were not organizing the land or in
terested in perpetuating the traditional
methods of distribution. The peasants to
them appeared passive foes, petty bour-
geois," and beyond the pale of reform.
In their hostility toward the peasants
the Communists lost what may have been
the best opportunity to make the great
experiment succeed. If instead of con-
centrating on the problems of industry
they had spent more energy on the prob
lens of agriculture they might have
averted the dismal stagnation of this year.
Not all Bolshevik leaders were blind to
this chance. Lenine pleaded for reconcilia-
tion with the peasants months before the
Cronstadt uprising made the new economic
policy imperative.
Another assertion that the famine has
weakened Boshevik power also is not true
in the way it is commonly understood.
One must have been in Moscow and ridden
ny eApTeSS Train Thirty six HOuTS u
Samara to comprehend how distant geo.
graphically and mentally, the famine is
from the capital. 1t is no exaggeration to
say that Moscow is no more affected polti-
cally by the desolation on the Volga than
Il the ten stricken governments bordered
on the Pacific.
What might the political influence be?
The refugees marching on Moscow? To
march on Moscow from Samara would be
like sweeping to New York on foot from
South Bend, Ind. Might it be concern for
the dying? The Moscow newspapers have
published about the same number of col
umns of descriptions of conditions as those
OF New York. But there is this difference
between Moscow and New York-the Rus
sian capital has become numb to human
misery; II has experienced so much itself.
True, IL is deprived of bread and is told
that its share is destined for the Volga.
And scores of benefit free trade" concerts
and plays are given for the famine victims
And Communists are commanded by the
party TO surrender all their gold, and
workers vote a fortnight's pyok, and even
horserace is allowed, the Government
holding the bets. all on behalf of the suf.
fering. The power of the Bolsheviki lies
to some extent in the submission Of the