RUSSIAN PRISONS

Grey River Argus, 22 June 1925, Page 7

RUSSIAN PRISONS

(By Joh n Turner in “Foreign Affairs.”) A member of the Trade Tmion Dele ff"t,on (o Russia from Britain, M,’ lurner wr.te.sr-My visit to the “uturny Pr.son ,n Moscow was ~f iiHercst. It brous/hl in sh-.rn on the widely different attit,,, 'f those ,n power towards ordinary t N J"" I Political prison. • • icatmenf of the former is of tho best, reformative character. Ihr prison, -if judged bv British <oo ni el c \n'an’? U '/T 1C none p ■ ' nn Hd.s ; as compared to a i oi s h' nn A,:', o ’; , r' , °' 1 or it was the n T I ' C .’ nside oppeara-nce of fanM .’" lnry rr ' So ” was "'"ro ’il<r a else TriM n ’ orks,l0 P tl,;in anything din-irv 1 . "’ore „/ ' e, . ot, ios. Boot making. furni--ong n o^r -- On. While thorn carried quiet good order" taikTn, the prisoners was allowed "1,,"' " f'if t.Klormg and laundry. „ Pn J, f” mon work side by s ido h 7 -ife both being pi-isoners w " (vorkmg together at hand f • " e 'he same board Tim “ 1 - tai,onn » on rig-ht.hour (i.-,v and nr, ,l ’. r L W ° rk inion rates ' * trade "Hsuf‘'wiff st< "- i" the ■in.D of e xtras ' ' U " nil Th - —- ooms containing twenty H 7, • 'n'ln- and the whole Russ- '’ don scorns Um Russian prison ilcnf' • ’ i ' v n PPOsito of our 'lent, sniglo cell system Fv„....n lossible Is t L'Ol’.vthing 1"’ prisoner so that '''i" 1 . Pflncatp t Cl . "nt "’hen h e i s ao-ni„ t (bortv. 1„, s i,. in ; self,.V 1 ndividmil, capable of S( '”-'eliant livelihood! AlfoXther’ff '’"L .-'f P"-n system, SCP TJ , nn <lOl great credit to the revolu.

forward into the new regime. But while the attitude of the State toward ordinary criminals seems to have softened and to be inspired by an enlightened policy—at least so far as the Buturky Prison is concerned—its bearing toward ipolitficail delinquency seems to have —become more acute and harsh. This suggests speculation as to the new forms which criminality may take, an 1 the attitude of society towards the same, as property and governmental relationships change. The name of E. M. Timofciv, one of the Central Committee of the Socialist Revolutionists, confined in But. urky Prison, had been supplied as able to speak English. Immediately on entering the strongly guarded corridor, an introduction tnok place, followed !"• a Ion" conversation which was somewhat difficult owing to Timo, i feiv’s limited knowledge of our language. The prisoners, including one lady, were promenading the corridor. Onn (if the first things pressed upon our a_Hention was that this privilege of walking and talking together in the corridor had only been granted a few months previously after repeated refusals, the whole of the political prisoners having gone on hunger strike ns a protest. Previously each individual had been continuously confined to his or her cell. Another matter strongly urged was that one of the prisoners who had served his sentence was still held, and it was understood ’hat instead of being released he was to be sent into exile. NO TERRORTSAL Asked if it were correct flint the Central Committee of Hie Socialist Revolutionists had passed a resolution in favour of terrorist action against members of the Communist Party holding Government positions, he replied vehemently in the negative. They were against the dictatorship and would continue to struggle against it. But the Central Committee of the Socialist Revolutionists had

never advocated terrorist action in that struggle. If they had. they would have acted on it, and gloried in it. They would not say one thing, and pretend another, that kind of hypo, crisy they left to their opponents: such were the expressions of Timofeiv. Complaint was made that papers from abroad did not reach them. A request was made that greetings and regards should be sent to Vandervelde and Liebknecht which has been done — and pleasure expressed that committees were working in Berlin, Paris, and London on behalf of political prisoners in Russia. The impression left on the writer was that the spirit of these men and women cannot be broken. They fought against Tsardom and were proud to suffer for it. To.day they struggle against a frosh political dictatorship and will continue 1o do so as long as they live. But that struggle is not intended to take the form of terrorist action, and in almost any other European country they would bo the powerful leaders of a constitutional opposition to the Government. AVhile the only political prisoners interviewed wore the Socialist Revo, lot ionists ’ confined in the Buturky Prison, had time permitted, one could have visited any or all the prisons in the AFoscow district. Tn fact arrange-

ments had been made for us 1o do so. but it was felt desirable thoroughlv (n exo mine this one. with the result the of hers had to be loft. But it was understood there were political prisoners of all kinds confined in them— (AFonarehists and others') f 'AFen'-hevists” (the moderate wing of the old Conimusist Partv before the and Socialists of nil shades, including members of the Social Demo, cratic Par<v; Left-wing Communists and Anarchists: in fact, everv phase of political opinion differing from the Communist Partv Dictatorship. AN INQUIRY AV ANTED. Snl»'S<*(inenHv. when d’scussing the situation 'with T<eft-win" Communists nud Anarchists, many of whom are actively eo.operating in the recon. s 4 ruction of industrv. but detest the uoliiicnl tvranny. the following suggestion was put forward. Asked what action would win the confidence of those who, while desiring the social revolution, want the utmost political freedom with it, and what could be done on behalf of political prisoners, the reply was at once as follows: that a small joint committee should bo set up, composed of representatives of the Government and an enunl number of trusted and wellknown men and women, to review the whole of the political sentences and make recommendations respecting them. It ’’’as stated that, if the Government would do this and act upon the recommendations whatever they were, an immense step forward in gaining public confidence would have been taken. On inquiring if thev could put forward any names which might be used in connection with the f vuorrnstion the following were prompt. 1 "iron, onl” the first of whom is per. sonallv known to me: 1. Vera Figner: ATiehael Philoppowif ch Froleneo; ?> Mirhail Petroviteh Snjin. The suggestion, and the names, have Tumn put before a. representative of the Russian Government with a request that they may he forwarded tn the proper nuarter. This is the first time if has been made public. Tt remains to he soon whether anything will result from the proposal. AAFNESTY.

Some move in the direction of reconsidering the attitude of the Russian Government toward its political prisoners must -surely be made in the near future. Already France and Germany have granted provisional amnesties to political prisoners arising out of the war, and both these countries are proposing to grant a wide general amnesty to almost all T'nlitical offenders. Tf Russia made a e-enerous move in this direction now. H v-nuld facilitate the friendlv under. standm" being attempted both in the industrial mid commercial world. Simuld it be undulv delayed those efforts mav fail. Ono of the most ironical experiences wo had while in Russia, was at the ! ni’litnrv review hold at Moscow, where Martv. who led the mutiny in <hp French Naw in favour of the Russian Communist revolution, ad dressed the Red Armv. Tt sounded in • ho ]n«t degree satirical to talk of cnni<nlist governmental tyranny, in face of his presence there is a free man. while mon and women were siif. feriu" all the rigours of political prison life in Russia, for daring to lion. nqflir r’-Hicisp nnd npnnsp the dictat-<'roi->six of flip Communist Parfv. And fin«Hiv. sinrp the Communist jv, fi lP Yvholo J T u’on of Socialist GJnvinf Republics comprises onlv about half of one ner cent of the pnnn. it wo”ld be i™ ovorv wav act. *ny wisely to widen the basis of its power as ouickly as possible. Unless

that party wants the whole civilised world to feel it desires to base its Government permanently on political terrorism, some fresh policy must be inaugurated. It must learn how to cejiciliate its critics and opponents in steed of crushing them. An early amnestv for political prisoners in Rus. sia would work wonders in restoring confidence in the future.