The Neshoba Democrat., 1921-07-28
PHILADELPHIA, MISS. THURSDAY. JULY Is. 1921

share in production and distribu-
tion, is the foundation of the Soviet.
Everybody works for the govern
ment. The farmer raises wheat and
turns 1t over to the government
and the man In the factory turns
over what he makes. The sala,y.h all
workers alike is s 900 rubles u month
representing one cent u day In our
money! Frooma Kasdan works In
an Office; her brother works on u
railroad. In addition to this salary
daily tickets are issued entitling the
bearer to 80 many pounds OF meat
and bread. There are no stores; In
each little town they have been wip-
ed away, and one big central COM
lnissary In each town takes the place
OF many stores. At the comnissary
the tickets, or provision cards, are
redeemed. But the full amount OF
food is never given because there is
not enough.
In the cities the people suffer most,
and their populations are being deci-
mated. The farmer is so much bet
ter off than he was u few years ago
that he seems content The peasant
under the old order was little better
than a slave. The land was owned
by wealthy landlords, and the pea.
SAINT class was reduced to a condi-
tion of serfdom. This land has been
taken away from the former owners,
and parceled out among the pea
SAINTS. They have q garden. raise
something to eat, and then when the
wheat is harvested they spirit some
Of it away In secret place where
the officers cannot findit. They steal
this out when hungry, or smuggle 1t
into town, and exchange 1t for rags.
They never take money; 1t 10 always
traded for something they can use;
cloth, shoes or the like. OF course II
they are caught they are severely
punished, because the wheat they
raise does not belong TO them. 1t be-
longs to the government; they are
entitled to their share only.
Mr. Kasdan informs ns that pun
ishments are not as severe as they
were when the Bolsheviki first got
the upper hand, Early in their ad-
mlnistration they would shoot one
down II he merely looked cross-eyed
at the government. They terrorized
the country. Men were shot down.
for the most trivial things, and with
out trial. Now they feign sort
hearing. At first there was no secu-
rity OF person. life or property. Wo-
men were ravished: pandemonium
reigned. Conditions have been
ameliorated. OF course, polygamy is
freely practiced, an orgy Of licenti-
BUSINESS prevails, but there must be
consent.
MIR. Kasdan Is conscious OF Russia's
latent resources, but bied by two
successive forms Of government, he
sees little hope until complete ex-
haHstion. Only then does he think
that new Russia will arise upon
the ruins OF the old.
MIR. Kasdan left Harbin, China,
three months ago. He stopped a
time in Louisville. Kentucky, where
his brother IL In business. He cannot
say too much for America. He had
read much about our Southland
years ago; about the Civil War. His
trip South has been an agreeable
surprise. He expected to find vast
wilderness, and thought 1t would be
scorchingly hot. He was surprised
to find white men working In the
fields. He expected to see few whites.
and did not think anyone but a ne
gro could Withstand the work In the
sun. He likes the friendly feeling 30
noticeable here to a stranger.
His brother here is indebted to him
for giving him d trip year and a
half ago. He had written his BROTH
er In China that business here was
good. Louis kasdan wrote back
that he had better prepare for a
slump. That the bottom had drop
ped out there, and that America
could not escape 1T.
In addition to his children In Rus
sla he has two sons In Harlin. One
OF them is tutor, the other is study
ing law. He came to the States by
Seattle, but leaves for New York In
a few days At New Haven. Connect
icut he will visit q nephew whois at
tending Yale College, and a sister
whom he has not seen for twenty
seven years. AS soon as he can get
his family out of Russia he viii set
tie esomewherein America, the worlds
great melting pot.