Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-16
NOTABLE BOOKS
OF THE SEASON
Some Truths About Russia

When NJ. Alexander Schwartz went TO
Russia in 1920 to attend the Third
Internationale as n delegate from the
Communist wing Of the Socialist party
of America, his mind was open. He
was born in Russia. His father was
executed for completely with the Nj
hilists. Mr.. Schwartz lived in Russia
till he was thirty fve years old. lie
served his term in the army, where he
was converted to Nihilism, and he re-
enlisted for another term because he
thought he could advance the cause
better in the army than anywhere else
and he rose to the rank OF ylieutenant,
Then he was arrested and exiled 70
Siberia as Nihilist. He later escaped
TO America. II was thus as man
familiar with old Russia and in sympa.
thy with the new Russia that he iett
America. In THE Voice of Russia
(E. p. Dutton & Co.. this former hus.
sian Nihilist and American Communist
condemns the Bolshevist rule mercl-
lessly. 1t has replaced one tyranny py
a much worse tyranny. he says. Men
are shot without trial. There Is free
dom for no one save for those In favor
with the Bolshevists and this tavor
is liable to be removed at any time
Mr.. Schwartz, who speaks RUSSIAN,
got into conversations with the peop,is
In various parts of the country, ana
found them discontented and misled;
They had been told that the social
revolution was going on In the rest Oh
the world, including the United staSes'
and they were disappointed when MT.
Schwartz told them that little or no
progress toward revolution had been
made in this country, but that the
contented workmen were earning good
wages and could get all the food they
wanted. 1t was about food ana ciotn
ing that the people were most curious
They were in rags themselves ana staIV :
ing, and living In the hope that when
the revolution had succeeded elsewhere
conditions would improve for them. He
found that John Reed, who was IN
Moscow, was represented as the head
Of a powerful Communist party IN tne
United States, which was almost READY
to take over the Government, and that
Reed himself encouraged this view.
When the Bolshevist Government dis
covered that Mr.. Schwartz and his wife
had been talking with the people and
learning something on their own re.
sponsibility and that they. were no'
enthusiastic in their public remarks
about the new regime they were botn
arrested and put into prison. Nc
charge was ever made against them
After four months Of suffering In in,
sanitary quarters with inadequate food
and no medical attendance they were
released. Mrs. Schwartz within n few
days after her release died from the
effects OF her imprisonment:
Mr.. Schwartz. who, with his, wife,
had been an active Socialist worker in
America for a number of years, went
to Russia, hoping to find evidence to
prove that his theories would work on
a large scale. But he was grievously
disappointed. On his way home he says
he stopped in Berlin and told the widow
of Karl Iiebknecht what he had seen
in Russia: "She looked at me with
tears in her eyes. I shall never forget
what she said. What will happen to
the world now. for we can no longer
believer II any one has been misled
by Bolshevist propaganda he will find
good corrective in this book.