New Britain herald., 1924-12-18
|60LSHEVISTS RULE
 WITH IRON HANp
Col. Bell Tells of Chaotic Con.
 ditiOnS in Russia

Although there are between 1?0 and l3o million people in Russia less than 100000 are enrolled commun- ists, according to Colonel Walter A, Bell. who had charge of feeding one district in that coustry under Fer bert c. Hoover after the close of the World ~~'. Colonel Bell spoke at the meeting of the New Britain Ro- tary club at the Burritt hotel today. There were 95 present, among them being members from Meriden. Hart ford and Waterbury.
 Frank Wachter, chaiman of the Christmas basket committee took q census of Rotarians who will sup ply basket to needy families on Christmas. Only 2S were needed, but 56 volunteered. The 56 names were put into a hat and 2S were drawn f from 1t. Christmas Red Cross seals also were sold to the members. Leon A. Sprague presented Rotary ema blems to the members as the gift of the New Britain Trust Go. Similar emblems but containing the insignia | of the club have been given to mem- bers of the Lions and Kiwanis clubs. It was announced that there will be no more meetings of Rotary until January g.
 No Fares on Railroads. Colonel Bell, who was In charge of a section In the Ural mountains during the years Of 1921-22 and 23 stated that Russia was the 23d coun- try In Europe to be helped by the Hoover relief program. He explain ed how 1t was necessary to re-or- People travelled in box cars and other places and nobody paid any fare.
 He said the Hoover system was mainly responsible for the stabilizing of Europe and its economic recovery. He had an organization under him of 30,o00 Russians within a radius of 150 square miles They were in a strange country. among strange people, where interpreters were scarce and for more than year he could not speak directly to more than two of the entire 5o,o0o. They fed ii million people every day, in A territory where e5 per cent of the population was on the verge of starvation, and a territory which comprised three republics and five state governments.
 He spoke on the future benefit 10 the United States of this feeding pro- gram, stating that while Russia was in such q chaotic condition that no written records probably ever will or can be made of this period, the story will be handed down by word Of mouth until 1t becomes one of the traditions of the country. 4
 He spoke of the ravages of dis ease, cholera, typhus and smallpox and how these diseases were almost wiped out by vaccination. In one year he said there were over 100000 cases of cholera. There were in that year 500,000 cases of smallpox.
 Communists Rule By Far
 He said that the communistic gov ernment, even today is one of mur. der and terror. Men who criticise the government, even In the smaller towns and villages disappear and nothing ever again is heard from them. While the average peasant is not c bolshevik sy1ppathizer, he stated, they are held in absolute sub jcction and terror by the espionage system with spies and secret police. He said the problems of Russia would be nearer a solution today If England had not recognized the communistic government. "A gov ernment based on spying, oppression and terror" he called 1t.