FLEEING FROM BOLSHEVIKS

Evening Star, Issue 18121, 10 November 1922, Page 1

FLEEING FROM BOLSHEVIKS

■ RUSSIAN GENERAL IN DOMINION. General Alexander lonoft', a. general of tho Tsar’s Russian army, who is going to live in Now Zealand, arrived l from Sydney (says the ‘ Star ’) by tho Manuka. The general, who has left Russia to escape tho terrors of Bolshevism, is accompanied by his wild and two daughters and. four mole servants. Tho family tell a vivid story of the horrors in Russia under Bolshevik rule. Tim general, who is a. man of about fifty, speak* very broken English, a-udi is a striking personality. He is; not above middle height, but is very broad of chest and thick; set—in fact, tho ideal military figure. His daughters; arc about twenty and fourteen, and tho cider ono speaks English well. It was through her that the general unfolded his story. General louolt graduated at the military school at Turkestan, and has been a soldier for twenty years. During tho war he fought with (ha Tsar's forces. On the outbreak of tho Revolution ho joined the White army. He fought ou tho German and Turkish fronts. "While lie was recruiting at Vladivostock after ho had left Koltehak’s army, lOraisk, tho capital of Siberia, fell, and the general decided it was useless to return. From there ho proceeded to China. At this time General lonoff's family were imprisoned by the Bolsheviks in Turkestan. The family were well i, rental, compared with other unfortunates there, but they afterwards found that, this was to give a good advertisement to Bolshevism. Actually they were in prison, as a. threat over their father’s head. It was tho 'Chinese Government, because, of tiro respect it held for General ,lonoft', that arranged 1 for* the relcaso from the Bolsheviks of the general’s family.

Describing a Bolshevik prison, the family state that twelve and fifteen people wore crammed into a. room only fit for four people. Young children were being tortured there, hundreds were starving to death, and disease was rampant. “ Tho whole world has to fear Bolshevism,’' said <tenoral loitoff, " and especially America. 1 have personal knowledge of treacherous agents of tho Bolsheviks who have gone there. That is why I did not tro to America. Canada, and New Zealand are two places less affected.” In about three mouths’ times Tctezner. n Governor of (ho .Olnctz district, is making the trip out here to escape from tho Bolsheviks.

General lonoft says that his family feel like the French nobility when they had to .leave their country during the French Revolution. They may go hack to Russia again in ten years’ lime. All their friends and many relations wore murdered by the RoUhevilcs. foil)© of their friends now left in tho Volga district are living; ou grass and (lowers. Tbo general soon after the commencement. of the war buried most of his money and jewels, and it was by recovering these that he was able to mate the trip out and provide for the family.