The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-08-20
THROUGH LATVIA
INTO RED RUSSIA
BY HULET NJ WELLS
Delegate of the Seattle Central Labor Trade Union
Congress Moscow July, 1921

How long can big city maintain
a show Of pomp and ease without
visible means of support? That is the
thought that strikes one most forcibly
after rough appraisal of the city of
Riga. Riga is large, modern looking
city, with broad streets, shady squares
and handsome buildings. The only
thing that makes it strikingly diff
ferent from an American city is the
scarcity of vehicle traffic in the busi-
ness district and the presence of the
ubiquitous droschky driver with his
matted whiskers and flea-bitten little
nag.
To come from Libau to Riga is like
coming out of the old world into the
new. Libau is the principal city of
Courland, one of the three districts
that make up the state of Latvia. The
othea districts are Latgale, a purely
agricultural section, and Livonia,
which dominates the little country
with Riga as the capital.
1t is in Libau that the misery of
the people is most apparent, though
there is, of course, plenty of it else
where. But there the ragged wretched-
ness of the poor, and the constant
begging of the sad-faced children per-
nit no illusion of prosperity. In Riga
the crowds of well-dressed people on
the main streets create certain
measure of such an illusion. There are
plenty of handsome women in trim
shoes and well-cut clothes, and the
streets swarm with official and mill
tary uniforms. 1t is a chinovnik city
The system that was scourged out OF
red Russia finds a refuge here.
am told by resident that there
can hardly be said to be any industry
at all in Riga except the industry Of
ministering to the official class. An
other native of the country says there
is much discomfort among the farmers
of Latgale. 1t is upon the farmers
that the whole burden of keeping W
the bureaucratic state falls.
I was able to leave Libau day
ahead of the main body Of Russian
immigrants who had come on the
same ship. These are not allowed tt
separate. but are shipped over th'
border as soon as possible, for th'
Latvian government fears their pre-
sence. / hoped by getting away earl!
70 AVOID some Of the discomfort Of tn
miserable service on the Latvian rail
roads.
7 had no such luck. Although ! ar
rived at the depot an hour early
was to late to get a reservation
sufficient space in a compartment
which one may have room enough t
sleep. got a second-class ticke
which should have entitled me to
seat. More tickets had been sold, how
ever, than there was correspondent
room for, so, after a hard struggl
I landed in narrow compartment
one of nine passengers with only sevt
seats, and an all-night trip ahead
ms. The locomotives are wood burne
and jog along at about IL miles
hour with long stops. / didn't sle'
wink.
Experiences Passport Trouble.
At Riga, after trying three hot'
and finding them all full, finaI
got a room at the fourth and W
preparing to fall into bed when
was requested to show my passpo
Now. as was bound for Russia a
was therefore a suspicious person
the eyes of Latvian officials, my pa
port with those Of all the other J
migrants had been taken up at LII
and was to be held until we were o
the Russian border. So here l
without a place to lay my tired he
for no householder in Latvia da
to take stranger in unless he
passport.
So that day I got no sleep, but t
night, through the kindness Of SC
Russian friends, was given a
and the next day ] was herded "
about 800 men, women and child
into an immigrant train.
The train consisted Of freight
Of the small, continental type, wit
few loose planks to serve as Sc
There were about 25 passengers
each car. It was only about 200 We
to the border--a verst is about {
thirds Of a mile-but we spent
nights in the cars, and were held
other full day short distance I
the border while our baggage
examined.