The Washington times., 1922-04-01
CZA||R'''s CRUEL
!, RULE SCORED
Es'bYG0LDMAN
Treatment Of Marie Spirido.
nova by Russian Guards
ss Brutal in Extreme. :
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henovslxy. She haunted the railway
stations and country roads '.ir
search" as she explained. ''of hel
missing soldier husband"
Shoots Down Opprcssor.
In spite Of imminent danger. pri
vation and cold she kept her long
vigilant watch for the governor tn
at last the looked.for opportunity
arrived. As the train bearing Luz
henovsky pulled UP at the station
where .Spiridonova had been waiting
10 patiently and he stepped on the
platform, surrounded by his officers
Spiridonova broke through the cor
don of guards and shot him to death
The Russian Cxars were never
partial In their treatment of women
politicals, they were equally relent
less toward both men and women
But In. the case OF Spiridonova the
henchmen of Gar Nicholas sur
passed even the methods of Ivan
the Terrible. She was subjected to
unspeakable barbarities. Dragged
to the waiting room of the station,
she Was beaten into insensibiIity
her clothes torn from her body, and
then she was turned over to her
drunken guards.
These amused themselves by burn.
ing her naked body, with lighted
cigarettes, kicking her about the
room, and finally outraging her,
For weeks she hoyered between life
and death, and then the. death sen.
tenoe. was imposed on her,
The news or the torture of Spiri.
donova aroused the whole world to
protest, which saved her from the
scaffold. She was. sent to Siberia
for life, whereas Gershuni after.
ward related--she arrived "a mere
bundle of raw, flesh" In prison her
comrades, tenderly nrrsed her back
to recovery. But the result Of her
ghastly experience remained with
observation-disclosures. "a crippled hand.
and the loss of the sight of one eye.
But though physically marred and
broken, her spirit continued aflame.
The February revolution opened
the Lying grave for all Russian po-
liticals, among them also Maria
Spiridonova. Who can describe her
exultation when she received the
news OF liberty yet she would not
leave the prison until assured that
all politicals were to be set free.
Amid great acclamation Of the
people Maria Spiridonova returned to
Russia. But not to 1--we in the Win
ter Palace. not to be feted, not to rest
upon her laurels.4. She CAME back to
throw herself into the mounting sea
Of the re1eascd energies of the
masses, Of Ahe peasantry, especially.
who 30 revered and trusted her. She
became chairman of the Executive
Committee of the ALL Russian Soviet
OF Peasant Representatives.
Works for Revolutioh.,
AS such she inspired. organized and
direeted tho. newly, awakened spirit
and activities Of the peasants. Unlike
some of the old revolutionists who
had for years fertilized the revolu-
ttonary soil with their tears and
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blood,S and yet could not grasp the
trend of'tlfe new time, Maria Spirido-
nova quickly realized that the Febru.
ary revolution was but the prelude
to a greater and more profound
change. .
Whens the October revolution, like
a mighty avalanche, overwhelmed
many Of the old revolutionary guard,
Spiridonova remained firm in her
revolutionary faith and at the side
of the people in the hour. of their
greatest need, Day and night she
worked, always at the service of her
beloved peasants.
She was the soul Of the Depart
ments Of. Agriculture, and elaborated
q plan :for the socialization of the
land, zone Of the most vital problems
Of Russia at that time. How her
fraif body, and weakened lungs
withstood sthe tremendous strain is
indeed a miracle. Only her great
will power and marvellous devotion
could successfully sustain her dur
ing that most difficult and intense
period.
Sees Peril Of Bolshevild.
Already early in 1918 Maria
Spiridonova became aware that the
revolution might be in greater
danger from some of its friends
than from its enemies. The Boil
sheviki, swept into power by their
revolutionary slogans borrowed
partly from the Anarchists and
partly from the Social Revolution.
lists, soon entered upon a different