, 1923-03-04

4AS "OeA4 aNah s1NO N@~
cells with vulgar, abusive language
knock down the prisoners. trample
them under foot, knock out their teeth
and tear out locks OF wpmen's hair
This brutality continued for three or
four hours. Not only the protesting
comrades were thus beaten, but also
a group OF nineteen prisoners that
had Just arrived from Nizhni-Novgo-
rod was assaulted in the prison yard.
AS a result of this brutality. all the
victims, some sforty in number, are
sick. Among those who have sus-
talned the most serious injuries are
Comrades Krukov. a workingman.
who had a leg broken. his head
smashed and the ~eustachian tube
ruptured: Bogorad. who became in
sane as a result of a fractured skull ;
K~otcharovsky. the prisoners repre-
sentative, and Fannie Bukhter, Tu-
garin. Udalov. Tseltlin. Merkhalev.
I~vanovsky. Yakoleva. the Left Social
Ivanovsky. Yakovleva. the Left Social
Democrat Ossovsky and others. with
the firm determination TO secure bet
ter conditions at any cost. the prison.
ers declared a hunger strike. Their
specific demands are: a. An investi-
CATION OF the brutal assault; (2) Sta
rosta. elected by the prisoners them
selves; the restoration OF prisoners
representation. N (3) the right of
REORGANIZATION.
The head of the Yaroslav Govern
ment Tribunal for Political Affairs. or
Cheka, himself (Kissliakov), together
with the new prison warden sent
down from Moscow. personally par
ticipated in these acts of violence.
The condition In the Soviet prisons
has become absolutely u~nbearable.
This was the third beating and the
fifth hunger strike OF imprisoned So
cialists within a short time. The re-
suits of the hunger strike of the Yaro-
slav prisoners are not yet known. Yet,
at this very time, the official press Is
raising a regular tempest over the as
sault upon the German Communist
prisoner. Geltz. Our conscience re-
volts equally against the violence
committed upon our comrades and
that suffered by Geltz, and therefore
we can quite consistently protest
against all brutality oward imprisoned
political dissenters. But where is the
conscience OF the Bolshevist scribes
who, while shocked by the assault
upon Geltz. know full well that scores
of Socialists r being outraged in
their Socialist" detention by
fellow members OF their own party?
And can they really be shocked? Do
they not understand that they them
selves are the spiritual inspirers of
these brutalities? Is there not a bond
nf n0ttdn vlt,r IAr Nfan~ oAA1r1-t-
and the Checklist executioners? Are
they not members of the one and same
Communist" party? The first, from
their quarters in the former Cars
palace. in the press. and from ora
torlcal platforms. dictate and direct;
the others. in the dirty cellars OF the
Cheka, carry out their directions. They
are all energeticaliy engaged in the
same base and bloody business-the
business OF crushing freedom,
Having lost the confidence OF the
working class and realizing the utter
insecurity Of their position, the Boil
shevih cling convulsiyely to what
power is still theirs. While bowling
their heads before Western European
capital. they draw tighter and tighter
the moose around the necks of the
Russian masses and vent their wild
fury upon all those who have the
courage to oppose them. The brutal
beating Of the Yaroslav prisoners has
added another infamous page to the
history of Communist" dictatorship
"a page which reveals once more to
the proletariat the world over the real
character Of the SO called Workers.
Peasants Government.
We protest against the outrages
committed upon our comrades, and,
in reply to the new outbreak OF ter
rorism say to the Boisheviki, In the
words OF Comrade Gotz. condemned by
them TO death. You won't scare
u.s." And we firmly believe that the
suffering and blood of our imprisoned
comrades in arms will only serve to
unite our forces for our common fght
upon the usurpers and executioners
Down with the foes of the workers
tho Communism Long live the
party of Social Revolutionists!
The Moscow BUREAU
OF THE p. s. r.
October IL, 1922.