Evening star., 1923-08-12
American Colony Fails
Under Russian Control


him notifying him that he was just
the man they wanted.
He went to Russia, but there was
no railway 10 be located in connec-
ton with the Kuzbas project, the
Russian engineers having already sur
veyed and mapped IT several years
previously.
One thousand dollars above the en-
trance fee of $500 was paid by
member on the promise that he would
be given work at his trade as a
clothes presser. When he arrived he
was ordered to work in the mines,
because, 1t is claimed, the chief engi
neer, who came over IN the same
group, took a personal dislike TO HIM
The present mining superintendent,
who held a job as train dispatcher
in the United States. was promised
full control OF the train service on
the branch line which runs from
Kemerovo to the Siberian main line.
He is still wondering when he is go
ing TO get control, and the wait may
be an extremely long one, as, IT is
asserted. the Russians seem inclined
to hold on to all the good jobs in
connection with the railways.
Colony members are also said to
have been informed by the New York
Office that money was unnecessary in
Russia, that they would be given all
that would be needed to sustain life
and carry on production free. and
that IL they had any money over and
above the 5000 entrance fee they
might just as well give il to the Office
to swell the Kuzbas organization
funds. Many members are said TO
have done this 10 their sorrow.
Upon arrival In Russia they found
the country back on the money basis
and the man without money was
placed in difficult position, the only
relief possible being to sell his clothes
TO Russians for paper rubles or old
czar silver or gold at greatly reduced
prices.
One communication reaching Wash
Ington describes the writer as meet
ing bill" Haywood in Kemerovo. He
says:
Haywood. have. been told, iS a
great spellbinder. but however that
may be, as far as concerns ability To
organize, 10 take hold of an indus
trial problem and TO make any prog
ress, the man spells zero in capital
letters. He is primarily a politician.
and a politicians business is TO talk
and pursue a vaeillating policy. In
this respect Haywood Is no excep-
tion to the rule.
When the. weather became some
has he In
Moscow. II Is much pleasanter there
around the stoves than in Kemerovo,
where 55 degrees below zero was reg
istered In winter and where 20 de-
grees below is regular.
"Onc. Jack Byers by name. who was
also in Leayenworth and jumped
his bail about the time Haywood left
the United States for Russia, was "a
member OF the original organizing
committee. Byers dropped dead Oc
tober 8, 1922. Of heart disease. He
was sixty-four years old and some
what childish. and when he came to
organize for constructive work was
lost
Tho political complexion Of the col
onists is described as being about 90
per cent communist, per cent 7. W.
W.. and the balance of varying shades
of opinion. a considerable number not
being counted as radical in the least.
The I. ". W. and the communist, the
writer quoted above asserts. get
along together about as nicely as a
rattlesnake and a young pig, In fact,
the I. w. w. In Russia" he adds,
have not got the least chance to func-
tion as unions apart from the regular
handmade government union"
AS regards conditions In Russia gem
orally and whether they are improy-
ing, especially for agriculture, the'
above informant considers that they
are, except in the case OF industry.
He says:
Under communism as practiced be-
fore the establishment of the new
economic policy production was drift
ing rapidly toward the zero level
Today, with the state capitalism
policy of partial private enterprise
and state control, there is possibly
an Improvement. and with the further !
drift backward toward the capitaiistic
idea, which, in my opinion. In Inevi-
table, there Will be a continued i'm
provement in production. At the best,
however, Russia. even presuming a
normal production OF the prs-war
period, Is still 100 years behind
America and will continue to be in
a backward state for many years TO
come"