The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-10-06
kuxbaz Autonomous
Colsny Said TO be Rent
: With pisGSntions

GkaSOEulU04&s NobbAa, Wv w.
Difficulties and .dissentions have char
acterized the starting Of the "Kubaz
Autonomous Commune" the Ameri-
can and hypcnated American colony
beyond the Urals, according to mem
oers Of the community who nave made
their way back to this city. Hun
dreds Of men from the United States
went to the colony to work In the
mines which, it is said, the Soviet
government allotted to William E.
Haywood, the American I. w. w.
leader, and q number of Russian and
American associates. Now some Of
them are beginning to come out, and
they bring tales Of the turmoil which
they say obtains at the two towns
where the colonists have settled.
Both at Kamerovo, where the coal
fields are located, and at Nadajenski,
where the steel works are, there is
nothing but confusion, say the men
who have quit. Some hitch has de-
veloped as to the concession, they
declare, as a result of which the
promised activity in production has
been turned into wransling and
jealousies.
The leaders of the Kuzbaz colony
are striving to hold their men to,
gether, and say they hope for actual
production this winter. But, accord
ing to those who have succeeded in
leaving the colony, most Of the re-
naming members would be glad to
get away and back to the United
States if they had a chance to do so.
Many of them, however, are without
money.
| According to one recent arrival
here, the first group, composed of 80
persons, left the United States in
March. Another of 78 persons left
in April, and three groups, totalling
in all about 500 men, women and
children, had arrived up to Septem-
Der l. Some of these were sent to
Nadajenski, others to Kamerovo.
One member of a group which left
New York May 13 on the 8. S. Rot
terdam said the trip was continual
row from the Statue of Liberty to
the Urals. The practical engineers
and mechanics, who came largely for
the adventure and possible fortune
of the thing, found their companions
mostly radicals, more interested in
arguments on politics than in real
work.
"The whole trip was nothing but
one dispute after another" this man
continued. Meetings were held
every day, but what they amounted
to no one knew. When the crowd
finally reached Petrograd, every one
was criticizing the other. Haywood
spoke to US at Petrograd, after the
Red Army had welcomed US, and the
first thing he wanted to know was
If we had brought along any money
1--WE left Petrograd for Kamerovo
and Nadajenski in box cars women
I and children and all. Mr.. Doyle, a
practical engineer from Texas, was
supposed to be in charge Of the NADIA
jenski group, but the theorists
blacklisted him, and the whole trip
on the train was one squabble after
another.
"When we reached this city we
were divided into two groups, one of
25 going to Nadajenski, the other
to Kamerovo. At Nadajenski we
were met by William Won Hoffer, for
merly of Gary, Indiana. We soon
found that everything in Nadajenski
needed repairs. We cleaned up some
houses and moved in. Our died con-
sisted of barley and beans.
"Von Hoffer forbade meetings, our
mail was censored, and we lived con-
tinually in ma atmosphere of forced
confinement. Nothing was being ac-
complished at the plant, for the Am
orleans had not yet the right to work
there. The Russian workers and en-
gineers showed their disaproval of
the American colony by continual
sabotage.
"Men wanted to quit, but could not
because they had put all their money
into Kuzbaz. Sixty-five percent Of
the colonists want to return to the
United States. 1t is the same at
Kamerovo. Nothing is being done.
There is not a concession. People
are forced to live under the worst
| conditions, and Will be compelled to
remain until such times as con-
cession actually is granted. This
may come after October.
GAS for me, sold all my clothes
and am. beating my way TO Moscow.
Kuzbaz looked like beautiful dream,
but is nightmare"
Those who are sticking it out at
the colony look upon those who have
gone away as cutters. They admit
difficulties, but say everything will
come out all right in the end If the
colonists only have courage and pa
tience enough to remain.