The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-07-17
Rule in Russia Is That
of Brigands and
"Red Terror"
IS UNlONISM'S ENEMY
LOT Of Russians Is Worse
Now Than During Rule
of the Late Car

t.codon suffers not only as much as
ho 5td I'm the days of the cZars, but,
I, addition, is seeing his country de-
y,sts'od by the red terror.
This was the statement made the
o,bo- day by George Is. Stroomillo,
Dusglan metal worker who, before
,ho revolution, wac leader or the
trade union movement In Russia'
ms story is specially illuminating. in
as,n,l-h as IL Is told, not by Rus
Sian Who emigrated and returned To
ho dlsi'lusioned. but by one who has
,iyeI there all his life and seen the
nnarprs occurring under his eyes.
"Trade unionism IN Russia" he
continued, speaking through an In
1. terpreter, received its deathblow
rrb the coming of Lenin and
Trotzly. 1t was difficult enough
under the regime of the c2ar. Out
ward,y, there were no labor unions.
We were not recognized. We work
"a along sub-rosa methods. quietly
and steadily, organizing a branch
hero and a branch there. The things
We fought for were the same MS the
things that labor unions fought for
and got in other countries. we
wanted free speech, free press and
free organization of labor. That was
rank treason then; II is worse to-
day FOR treason as recognized by the
soviets is punished more horribly
TODAY. Because of my activities in
,he trade union movement during
the DAYS Of Nicholas, I was sent into
exile to Northern Siberia. Because
Of similar activities my comrades
have paid the price with their lives.
lined up against n wall before
ecuad Of merccnarieS.
81 came back to Petrograd from
exile in Siberia in 1917 when Ker-
ensky was in command. My work
among the workers had fitted me for
the labor organization that was
planned at the time and | was APP
pointed n member of the labor board
of the Petrosrai soviet. During the
few months of this transition period
labor did indeed get all the things
for which 1t had been fighting so
many years. il got free speech, 1t
got free organization. Trade union
ism, Il seemed, had at last come In
to its own in Russia. Each factory
chose it's own representative TO sit
IN council with representatives In
other factories. Each factory was
free 20 choose who was TO sit for
Il. II was as though the different
local branches Of one large union
Of workers were gathered together
10 discuss and lcgislatc on the af-
fairs controlling all OF them. II was
real representation.
During this period the Russian
workers STOOD strongly behind the
7 government. They felt that the rev
olution had indeed caused their
emancipation. They felt, moreover.
that emancipation did not mean 4
change Of tyranny. but the granting
Of rights and privileges which had
before been withheld. All this time,
1t should be remembered, Russia
was still fighting on the side of the
allies. The populations suffered
from lack of food and clothing. but
they felt that in time peace would
come and things would change.
International Radicals.
Things did change but not in the
way expected. Lenin and Trot2ky
bringing with them n dissatisfied,
frustrated band of international rad.
icals, came to the fore and used
their tongues and pens, as well AS
their swords TO urge the people to
rally TO their forces and make Rus
STA the home OF the working man
and peasant in deed as well rs name.
Tho factories OF Russia, then de-
working forces, were not running at
full blast The two leaders declared
" = would fill them. Peasants from
the outlying districts of the cities
were called in to take their places
az the side OF the skilled workers.
They were promised money, control
aud bread, especially bread.
Everybody was hungry and in
need and the assurance of his daily
bread made him a man ready al
most TO sell his soul. The peasants,
as l said, came into our factories
\. and declared themselves by divine
decree OF the bolshevlst leaders the
controllers OF the shops. At first
Il used 70 amuse us. They couldn't
90 any OF the work that needed 10
be done. The skill they had waz
mat OF the fields and not Of the
cities. We used to call them the
war trophies and loves of the
TfouEy and Lenin. They were there
Tor ornament and not for toll.
Things went on in this fashion
Tor time, the skilled workers sick
with the horror OF conditions and the
unskilled workers satisfied, mas
much as he had solved the problem
OF iood. In time, however. the latter
began leaving the factories. The
t'"''p''he OF the armed guards were
100 much for them. The rationinR
vhiHh depended on the position they
h"'a grew irksome. An exodus into
IN" country followed. with it went
tN' ,nuE and the machinery Of th'
tof''s' Every man who escaped In
20 mo country would carry with
q MN anything he could lay his hands
On IN tho way of factory equipment
~" would ask them why they did
.hese things, why they carried away
tne very life Of the factory, The
answer was shake OF the head and
ule remark, The factory is ours and
heed these things in some Of our
holshold work.
with the closing OF the factories
zane the starving OF the people. The
sailed laborer who had formerly
maHe the existence OF the factory
poasib!e now found himself on tho
,re,t without any bread, owing tc
ne Tact that the men that had beer
o'.aght In 10 show the world that
.nuustry was being run as the work
ets wanted 10 have II run had de.
eloyed that industry for those who
14o not get along without it. The