The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-08-08
DEPICTS
SOVIET RAIL
TRAGEDY
BY ARNE sTROM


It was quite impossible to get
reserved seats in the train for
PoVorino. That very evening we
got ordinary tickets for the Jour-
ney by way Of LiSki.
The train had just started off
when a terrible scream from a
woman rang out from under our
carriage. The scream gradually
died out in a rattle. The train
stopped again and all was silent.
The officer had rushed out. I
sat up in my bunk and listened
eagerly.
just under my window heard
some men moving about and
speaking with calm, unccncerned
voices. Then a whistle sounded,
there was an answering snort
from the engine. and the train
slowly began moving again.
The door was opened and the
young officer came in. His hands
were wet and there was a thin
streak of blood on his uniform
shirt. He explained laconically
what had happened: "A woman
the train-svish," and he IL
Illustrated what had happened by
trying to cut himself in two with
the edge Of his wet hand just
below the breast. In our car
rage people were laughing and
talking again as if nothing had
happened, or if such things were
daily events: I was deeply
shaken.
Village Starving
AS time passed nearly all the
peasants left the train and in the
forenoon we reached Talovaya.
where we were to change. I re-
that it was in Talovaya
that those dreadful maSSacreS OF
the peasants by the G. P. o. had
taken place which Berger had told
me about. 1t was a typical steppe
village, just like the many hun
bred others I had seen by now. I
had to wait five hours here for
the train from Kharkov.
A crowd of curious looking chill
dren with strangely small, bloated
stomachs had gradually gathered
round me, as 1 still looked rather
unlike the others. I took packet
of excellent inSnab biscuits from
my handbag. They were meant
for the journey, but these children
certainly needed them more than
I did. Perhaps it was the first
and last time in their lives that
they tasted some Of the things
which the new Russia was making
mainly for it's communists Chose
with acquaintanceS"), for its
foreign guests and for export.
Six or seven of the children got
a couple of small biscuits each
and every one of them said:
"Spasibo, dyadya" Cthank you.
uncle"). Even the youngest Rus
sian never forgetS to say thank
you," then they ran quickly across
the market-place, which was just
behind the station building. In
barely minute a crowd of little
children stood around me with the
Joy of anticipation shining IN their
small, clear and serious eyes. The
first lot came back leading others
by the hand. They looked dread
full with their bare little StomachS
and bottoms, while many Of them
had their heads Swathed in thick
woollen ShawlS.
Children Neglected
A children's home really ought
to be started here at this station.
wondered what was being done
for all these children. Evidently
My packet of biscuits and
a big cornet full Of sweets quickly
How stupid Of me
to begin this distribution without
possessing the marvellous gift of
turning two fishes and five loaveS
Of bread into food, enough to feed
q big crowd. A man should keep
away from such foolish expert
ments, which only awake useless
thoughts in these poor little things.
But let it be my excuse that I had
no conception whatever Of the real
state of things in Russia.
I still believed, in my friendly