The Washington times., 1924-03-26
SOVIET NEARING
C0LLAPSE>,HE
SAYS
Richard Eaton, Once BoIshe-
visit Prisoner, Predicts Early
Failure of Communism.

Russia as correspondent Of London
and Paris newspapers, including
his arrest and detention in the
dreaded Deg Kennel" headquarters
| OF the Cheka on the suspicion OF
being a spy: his appearance before
Silnanova, the blonde woman ter
rortst of Russia: his subsequent con-
tinement in the Butirki prison in |
MOSCOW, and his final release |
through the efforts of the British |
foreign mission, were related yes
terday by Richard Eaton, former |
on an important diplomatic mis- |
| sion.
Interviewed in his quarters at the |
Racquet Club, Eaton said that he
has undisputable documentary evi- I
dence that the Communist party |
and the Soviet government are
one and the same, with other
authenticated papers that establish |
| definitely the relation Of the Third !
Internationale to the present ruling !
power of Russia.
Result Of Lenin's Death.
MIR. Eaton revealed a keen insight |
to European affairs as result
or three years newspaper inves+i. |
| cation and correspondence. Ques.
toned as to the result OF Lenin's
| death In Russia, he declared that It
had a serious effect on the Com |
munistic cause and that Bolshevism
| was lettering. The Communist
party, he said, was split into two
| FACTIONS, one being led by kamencv
and Zinoviev, and the other being
composed of younger men who sui. |
lists.
THE crisis has been brought
about" said Dr. Eaton, Through |
the discovery that Trotzky, after |
falling in love with a beautiful |
young WON an. approached the |
Grand Duke Nicholas and offered |
to turn over to him the powers |
OF government in return for a |
passport vised for every country
in Europe and a cash settlement. |
He explained that he wanted to |
| leave Russia and live the rest of |
his life in peace with the woman
he was going to make his wife. Be- |
fore his proposals could be con.
sldered, the plot was discovered, |
| and TrotZky is now in the South
trying to organize the Coasack
tribes in a revolt against Boishc.
Vism."
1t was early in June 1923, while
he was in Moscow representing the
Daily Mail Of London and the Matin
or Paris that Mr.. Eaton was ar.
rested as spy. While he was
In his hotel room one day, a mem.
Der OF the Cheka, accompanied by
two soldiers, appeared with blan.
ket warrant for his arrest although
I there M @A-
In the warrant Continuing Mr..
Eaton related:
II was taken out Of the hotel and
sent to what Is we'll known in
Russia as the Dogs Kennel This
Is small room. in the Loubinkia
headquarters Of the Cheka, used as
detention room for prisoners
awaiting hearing and is situated
in the basement directly under the
execution chambers. Some idea Of
the conditions prevailing may be
had when 1 mention that there
were thirty of US crowded into that
room. among them bishops, priests.
princes. cocaine vendors and other
criminals
The food given us would beggar
description, consisting of a daily
ration Of soggy, black-greenish bread
and foul soup, the latter being
brought in in a huge bowl. from
which each prisoner helped himself.
Ihere were no beds, the stone floor
serving as a couch. After nearly
four days Of this confinement and
after my request to communicate
with the British mission had been
refused. ! was brought before the
most remarkable woman in Rus
Sla-SlmanoVa the merciless,
Ihis woman" continued Mr..
EATON, lis the real chief of the for.
elgn department of the Cheka, the
secret society whose many acts of
terrorism have Mortified the, world.
She is less than thirty years old,
beautiful and blonde, with innocent
gray-blue eyes. After questioning
me at length she demanded that
confess l was spy, and when 1.
refused she turned to an assistant
and said, He must be shot
was led downstairs to another
dark room. little larger than
closet. to await the call of the ex-
ecutloner. At the end of forty
eight hours ] was again taken be-
1ore S1manova, who apologized for
the inconvenience caused me, said
she had been informed a mistake
mad been made and that I would be
released Immediately. Instead of
the desired liberty, however, I was
taken to the Butirki prison, on the
outskirts of Moscow"
He was kept closely confined for
more than six weeks when through
the aid Of an American 500 bill.
he succeeded in having his plight
brought to the attention of the
British mission. During his i'm
prisonment, fellow sufferers were
eight Of the nine Catholic arch
bishops. confined for violating the
Bolshevist ban on religion, MI
Eaton explained.
After his release he went to
Smyrna and was in that city
when flames laid It in ruins. In
cidentally, he was the first cor
respondent to obtain later n pri-
Vate interview with Kemal Pasha,
and as result Of this meeting
was later commissioned by Renal
to carry the Turkish peace terms
to King Constantine at Athens.
Mr.. Eaton Is well.known in
Washington as he has been cor.
respondent here for L'Echo de
Paris, Les Journal des Debats,
the Westminster Gazette and La
Nation Beige. He will speak on
his experience in Russia and pres.
ent day conditions in Europe at
the Shubert. Belasco Theater Thurs.
day afternoon and the members
OF the various embassies have al
| ready made reservations for his