Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-03
STARVED RUSSIANS
FIRE THEIR TOWNS
lnternationaIe lmpugns U. S.
Motives in Offering
Relief
FEAR C0UNTER-REV0lUTI0N
BY the Associated Press

London, Aug. 3.-Iiunger stricken
people in the famine districts Of Russia
are setting fire to their villages before
dCsCrting them for other parts of Rus
sia, according to Helsingfors dispatch
TO the Central News Agency. quoting
persistent reports said to have been
received this morning from the interior
of Russia. Many villages are said to
be in flames.
From the same source il was reported
that great preparations were being
made to deal with the masses of pea
SAINTS now moving toward Moscow.
Many trenches have been dug about the
city, and much war material. including
field guns, has been installed, the re-
ports said.
Russians who visit ships in the har-
bir of Pctrograd are begging sailors to
sell their rations. and one captain is
said to have recently bartered two bags
of flour for n pianofortc.
Questions American Motives
The appeal sent out by the Execu
tive Committee of the Third lntCrna
icuar to the world prolctariat that
plots against Russia be frustrated de-
Clarcs that 10000. 900 people in Russia
are threatened with hunger and death
lDlS year isll next anu lIub luulli'' III
Cvitably accompanied by disease, hat
already weakened the population.
1t dcplores that this blow has fallen
on Soviet Russia when exhausted and
nearly ruined by seven years of i'm
prrialstiC and civil wars. The appca
continues:
'"rhc capitalist states will attemp,
now to make use of the Russian famine
after being defeated by the Red army
and the struggle of the European pro-
letariat in their attack upon Russia
I to rcorgan2c this attack under the mask
of charity and bcncvolenCc.
Suspect Political Motives
After charging that "thc Govern
nentS of England and America desire
! the Russian working classes to permit
! them to exchange piece of bread fol
the opportunity of organizing counter
revolutions on Russian soil, the appea
continues:
The English and American Govern
mCntS now pretend 10 know nothing
about the misery of the Russian peO'
pie. Half furtively. however, they
promise to help Russia. while limiting
| their readiness to realize this promise Il
Soviet Russia will allow her affairs t
be managed by their nominees and thos,
or tnc NuSSluH counter Revolutionary
bourgeOisie.
The appeal is signed by the represcn'
tativcs of twenty -One countries. \ del
cgate named Baldwin signed for Amer
lea. while G.. s. Zinovicff, Governor o
petrograd VI. Bucharin. editor of tn,
Moscow Pravda Karl Radpk, Lcnin,
and Trotzky signed for Russin.
Famine conditions in the Nolgi
provinces OF Russia are very serious
George Chitcherin. Bolshevik MIinistc
Of Foreign Affairs. has declared in
wireless dispatch 70 Vienna. says tn
Daily Herald. VI. Chitchcrin. how
ever. is said to have declared tha
The foreign Capitaistic press i
wildly exaggerating the facts to sui
its own purpose.
| Riga. Aug. 3.-lBy a. P.J-Amer
i lean prisoners in Russia already hav
been released from confinement. accord
ing to unofficial reports at the BOlshe
vik Legation Press Bureau here today
but there was no word as to the numbe
| released or when. how or whore the
will be delivered across the border.
An international committee has bee
organized here to render relief to tn
starving of Russia. This committee
with the international Red Cross or
gnnization in Riga. which is lOokin
after the transport to Russia Of formc
prisoners of war. will maintain rCla
tons with regard TO relief work, be
tween Moscow and Western Europe,
is announced.