Barbarous soviet Russia
From the preface:
Of the five weeks, I spent in Soviet Russia ten days was spent in Moscow and eight in Petrograd. For the remainder of the time I travelled along the Western Front, from the Esthonian border to Mogilev, with leisurely stops at Pskov, Vitebsk, Polotzk, Smolensk, and numerous small towns.
I tried to see as much as possible of this vast and unknown land in the short; time at my disposal, and I tried especially to check up from first-hand observation some of the many things I had heard on the outside. I also tried to test the truth of what was told me in Russia itself, — to find visible evidence of the fairness of the claims made. Some popular fancies were quickly dispelled. Disproof of others came sometimes in a vividly concrete fashion. Soviet Russia is not unanimously Bolshevist, any more than the United States has ever been unanimously Democratic or Republican, or Prohibitionist.
The speculators are not Bolshevist, nor are the irreconcilable bourgeoisie, nor the Monarchists, nor the Cadets nor the Menshevism, nor the Social Revolutionists and Anarchists. Nevertheless, Russia stands overwhelmingly in support of the Soviet Government, just as the United States stands overwhelmingly in support of Congress and the Constitution.
There are many who are opposed to Soviet rule in its present form, and this opposition is not confined to the old bourgeoisie and the anarchists. It prevails to a certain extent — variously estimated — among the peasants. But it is an opposition that ceases at the military frontier of the nation. I found many critics of Soviet rule within Soviet Russia, but they insisted that whatever changes are to be made in the government must be made without foreign interference. At present their first interest is the defence of Russian soil and the Russian state against foreign assault and foreign interference.
The peasant opposition is mainly due to the deficiencies in transportation and the shortage of manufactured titles. They blame this on the government, much as other peoples lay their troubles to "' the government." The peasants are reluctant to give up their grain for paper money which is of no value to them unless it will buy shoes and cloth and salt and tools,— and of these necessities, there are not enough to go round.
While the blockade continued the government was striving vigorously to overcome the shortage of manufactured articles brought about by the blockade, knowing that this alone would satisfy the peasants.
They claimed to have made encouraging progress, especially in the production of agricultural machinery, of which they were trying to have the largest possible supply ready by spring. Whatever the state of mind of the peasants, they are certainly better off materially than the 'city workers. In all the villages I visited I found the peasants faring much better than were the Commissars in Moscow.
Some contents:
I. Entering Red Land .... 13
II. With the Red Soldiers ... 21
II. With the Red Soldiers ... 21
III. On to Moscow ...... 41
IV. Moscow .51
V. Interview With Lenin ... 64
VI. Who Is Lenin? 72
VII. Petrograd 87
VIII. Bolshevik Leaders— Brief Sketches 102
IX. Women and Children . . .112
X. Government Industry and
Agriculture 120
XI Propaganda .....•• 138
XII Coming Out of Soviet Russia. 144
Appendix 157
I. Code of Labor Laws .... 159
II. Resolutions Adopted at the Conference of the Second All-
Russian Congress of Trades Unions. 161
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