The Washington herald., 1922-01-29
BOLSHEVlKI FIGHT
BRIBERY IN OFFICE
FITHFIRINC SQUAD
Attempt to End Grating
By Swift Executions
- After Trial.

MOSCOW. Jan. 2s.-with fierce
ness that recalls the previous TRADE
on piliagers and street bandits
which made Moscow's streets the
safest in Europe after nightfall.
the Boisheviks recently began a war
against corruption among public
officials.
They are proceeding against the
dishonest officials as they did
against the bandlts-with the firing
squad. Death in the Cheka's execu-
Jon cellar within forty-eight hours
after conviction Is the penalty
awaiting grafters caught and con-
victed OF bribe-taking or embezzle-
Ipent of government funds or stocks
Twenty-Five at least have been
shot in Moscow during the last
month, including one group OF
nineteen at once, and hundreds
have been arrested. One single
haul recently Melted 500. the Mos
cow Soviet having given the Cheka
categorical order to Jail every
body with any responsibility in an
entire department-the housing de-
partment.
.Heartrendlng Scene. Follow.
We intend to keep on shooting
until the grating stops" a Judge
Of one OF the higher revolutionary
tribunals remarked to the corre-
spondent.
The difference, however, Is that
while the bandits were frequently
stood up against a wall right on
the, spot where captured and imme-
diately shot, the grafters are tried
publicly in open court partly on the
theory that the greater the. pup
lieity the greater the object lesson.
Intimate relatives-wives, mothers
and children OF the accused-and
mere spectators are admitted i'm
PARTIALLY. Many heart-rending
scehes follow announcements of
verdicts in the courtrooms.
Bribery Deep-Rooted.
In trying to uproot bribery and
corruption, the Kremlin Is attack
ing an institution almost as deep
rooted and ancient in Russia as
government itself. Bribery was al
ways common In Russia. Officials
from cabinet ministers down to Of
fee boys sold themselves time and
time again under the old regime.
bribery offered the only way We
had Of getting anything done with
dispatch" one Russian said ut was
"A popular saying that only a fool ex-
tended an empty hand as he shook
hands with an oflcial; a wise man
crumpled a rouble In his palm"
The practice extended throughout
Russia When a new official Installed
himself In q village, the town gossip
crsa Immediately began specializing as
TO whether he took big brides or ht-
tie ones" Farseeing merchants
habltually included in their ledger q
certain percentage for brides and
losses through hefts by personnel.
Under the old regime. comparatively
few were actually punished for this
Ofrense.
The Bolshevlst government. top
heavy with employees. loosely organ
lied, set up midst chaos and disrup-
ton Of life in every possible way. OF
course furnished unparalleled soil for
extension Of the bribery system
Many former under-oficials-clerk
petty police and administrative poo
ples-quickly turned Red and got
back into government Offices and
stockrooms.
The great bulk Of the people work.
ing for the government were either
former professional government EN-
ployes, or former bourgeoisie, or
aristocrats VINO had no sympathy
with. or interest in the success Of
the government. Salaries were in
suficient, especially since the new
economic system. and the temptation
was great. even for many formerly
honest.
Add to this the Inevitable demorali-
zation OF public morale and sense Of
ethics following the generol confisca-
ton OF property by the government,
which left millions without belongings
accumulated during a lifetime.
They took our all from u.s." so
many ex-bourgeois have explained.
Was it wrong for US to try to take
st back?" All these facoors combined
TO confront the government with a
rapidly increasing problem of cor
ruption. 1t finally reached such pro-
portions that the authorities felt they
must take extreme measures and
stamp it out at whatever cost. 1t the
government succeeds. Ii will be ac-
complishing something no previous
government in Russia ever achieved.