Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1921-01-13
U. S. SOCIALIST
GREAT SUFFERER
DECLARES SOCIALISM A DREAM
AND DELUSION, AFTER A
VISIT TO RUSSIA

Frank expressions of disappoint-
ment over conditions in Russia, to-
gether with assertions that American
workmen would never pursue soviet
methods are declared by NJ. Schwartz
an American socialist and resident
of San Francisco, to have been re-
sponsible for his 4-months' imprison-
ment in bolsheviH jails in Moscow.
Schwartz and his wife were arrested
on August 9Th and released on De-
cember Sd, and Mrs. Schwartz died in
Reval on December 20, from the eff
fects of the hardships she endured.
Schwartz went to Moscow last
June and attended the second con-
gress of the Third Internationale. He
said in an interview that efforts
were made to disguise the real sit
uation in Russia, but that he had de-
tected the conditions which prevail
ed
81 was broken hearted by what l
saw" he continued, ''and realized
what a terrible misconception my
wife and l had of the soviet govern
ment before we arrived in Russia.
We were cold and could not conceal
our disappointment. The bolsheviki
came to realize our condition Will
helm Diettman, Herr Crisplen, Ern-
est Daumig and Herr Stoecker, four
German socialist leaders, who were
delegates to the soviet congress,
knew that we had visited many sec
tons of the country and that l spoke
Russian. AS a result they asked me
my opinion of the situation. / spoke
frankly, telling them it was unnec-
essary for me to discuss miseries
which were apparent to even a casu-
al observer.
MY frank statements probably led
to our troubles. Later Loris Rein
stein of Buffalo, N. Y, and a promi-
nent socialist leader, asked me when
revolution would take place in
America and how the communist par
ty was progressing there. told him
frankly l did not think American
workmen would ever adopt Russian
methods and that there was no com
munist party in America. He repeat
ed my remarks to John Reed, the
author, who died last fall, who came
to me and asked me to repeat my
statements. l explained to him that
/ did not say there were no commun-
lists in America, but that l had as
serted the communists did not have
a party organization.
ION the night of August 6, at IL
O'Clock, an armed guard came to my
hotel and arrested my wife and me,
throwing US into separate jails. For
two months we received no sugges-
ton relative to the charges lodged
against us. My wife could not speak
Russian and suffered from her soil
tary confinement. At the end of
two months | was called before NJ.
Feldman, chairman of the committee
in charge, who asked me if | would
report TO American workers that it
was mistake that / had been i'm
prisoned, limiting that / would be re-
leased if l should give this promise.
told him l might forgive the wrong
/ had suffered, but was sure my wife
never would, and l asked to see her
after a long delay she entered
She was emaciated and miserable,
and did not recognize me, as l for
merly wore no beard, and now / ap-
peared before her with my face COW
cred with. long gray whiskeTs. |
asked her not to cry and worry and
she Indignantly protested, declaring
she had no tears left, and could not
possibly cry because of the great in
justice done us by the very persons
for whom We had. worked for many
years
IN. Feldman said we would be re-
leased Immediately but there was an
other long, weary wait before orders
were received for us to prepare i'm
mediately to go to the station