BOLSHEVISM

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 November 1925, Page 2

BOLSHEVISM

AIR BALDWIN’S ADVENTURES. Extraordinary adventures were experienced by Mr Oliver Baldwin, son of rile British Prime Alinfster (Mr Stanley Baldwin), after, he left Egypt in 1920, to enter t'he Armenian Army without pay as an infantry instructor. Air Oliver Baldwin is a Socialist. In his book: “Six Trrsons and Two Revolutions: Adventures in Trans-Caucasia and Anatoria, Ittsu--21,” Air Baldwin explains that h’ joined the Armenian Army after lie met the first President of the Armenian Republic. Hardly had he reached Erivan, the Armenian territory, than the Bolsheviks invaded t'he country, and he wag imprisoned. In his diary he tells how he spent the winter between four dirty stone walls, one tiny barred windoir and a door with a' slot in it. The most dreadful experience of prison life was to be wakened, as Oscar Wilde was at times, by the faltering steps of death. “Should the sentry stop outside one’s own door, then indeed did one hold one’s breath, and the ■strained listening of the prisoners (conjured up. imaginary sounds of weeping and of chains.” Air Baldwin met isonie remarkable people in his joumeyings. Among these was Lieut..-Col’oiiel £eg Piroomor. who escaped being taken prisoner at Baku through the cunning of a woman who loved him. Eventually Air Baldwin was captured by tne

Turks, and, after having escaped reached Serbia, where he was arrested as a Bolshevik. Ultimately he reached England. Mr Baldwin has had an opportunity to study Bolshevism closely, and he has few illusions about it. His views would surprise those who regard him as a visionary. He says that under 801 l she vism one can never have relief from apprehension. Mr Baldwin resents the way in which some of his political opponents have represented him. He says: — ‘‘l am accused of having been a confic : entious objector and of having suffered imprisonment for forgery. The accusations are immediately accepted as facts, but I have found {irif it is as difficult to argue witfT such convictions as it is with a. Bolshevik.”