The Washington times., 1922-04-02
KR0P0TK|N SAW
COLLAPSE AHEAD
Predicted Crash Of Soviet Gov.
eminent in Interview With
Goldman.
Continued from First Paga

Continued from First Pag"
fcreseen circumstance came t. my
rescue.
The editor Of the London Deily
Herald, accompanied by one Of MS
reporters. had preceded me to M
COW. They also wanted to visit XII
Hotkin. and they had been given %
special car. Together with Alex
ander Berkman and A. Shapiro j
was able to Join Mr.. Lansbury and
make the trip in comparative safety.
The journey was made in fairly gocd
time. 1t was a starry night and the
whole country one vast sheet Of
snow. Our footsteps resounded in
the silence Of the village asleep.
The Kropotkin cottage stood back
in the garden away from the street
Only q faint ray from a kerosene
lamp lit up the path leading to the
house. afterward learned that
kerosene was scarce In the Kro-
potkin household and light had to be
economical. After Peter had fin
ished his days work the lamp would
be used in the living room, where
the family gathered in the evening.
We were warmly received by Sophie
kropotkin and the daughter, and
taken to the room where we found
the grand old man.
The last time had seen him wss
In 1907, In Paris. which had visited
after the Anarchist Congress at AM
sterdam. Kropotkin, for many yearn
from France, had just been
givei the right to return. He was
at that time already sixty-five years
OF age. But 'he looked 80 full "
was so alert, that he
seemed much younger. He was
great inspiration to all of US who
were fortunate to come in close con-
tact with him.
Somehow one could never think of
Peter Alexeivitch as being old. Not
so in March, 1920, was shocked by
his altered appearance. He was
fearfully emaciated., He received us
with the graciousness that was so
OF him.
We felt from the very beginning
that our visit would not be satisfac-
tory; Peter would not be able to talk
freely with US In the presence of
two strangers, journalists at that.
But we had to make the best OF the
situation. After an hours general
talk. we asked Mrs. Kropotkin and
guests while we conversed with
Kropotkin in Russian.
Eager for His Views.
Aside from my concern In his
health I was eager to get some light
from him on the vital questions that
had already begun to trouble my
mind-the relation Of the Bolshevilii
to the revolution; the despotic
methods which, as everybody had
assured me, had been imposed upon
the ruling party by Intervention and
the blockade. What was Kropotkin's
opinion about 1t, and how explain his
long silence7
I had taken no notes, and I can
II was to the effect that the Russian
great heights and had paved the way
for profound social changes. Had
the people then been permitted to
utilize their released energies, Russia
would not now be In her ruined con-
dition.
The Bolsheviki, who had been
swept to the fore by the gigantic
revolutionary wave, had at first
caught the popular ear by extreme
revolutionary slogans. Thus they
gained the confidence of the masses
and the support Of the militant revo-
.,
Began Dictatorship. t,..
Early in the October period the
Bolsheviki began to subordinate the
interests of the revolution to the
building up Of their dictatorship. 1t