RED RUSSIA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 22 October 1924, Page 11

RED RUSSIA.

V WHAT A BRITON FOUND. First-hand information on tlie terrible conditions prevailing in the Russia of to-day—a country ruined by the unscrupulous Bolsheviks, to whom the Socialist Government proposes to grant a British-guaranteed “loan”—was given to a reporter by Mr G. G. Robertson, partner in a London City export and import linn, who has returned to the city from a long and futile attempt to do business in Vladivostock, Siberia. Mr Robertson also visited the once-important cities of Chita and Khabarovsk. “Economic conditions are ajyful,” he said. “I cannot understand how anyone with any sense could suggest making a loan to these rascals. Any money we sent there would simply disappear. “No business is done, for the simple reason that foreign firms are the victims of wholesale extortions which they call taxes, but which actually go into the pockets of Soviet officials.” All property on Russian soil being “nationalised” is taxed up to the hilt, and, if taxes are not paid, is confiscated. “One liQtelkeeoer 1 knew,” said Air Robertson, -‘derived a rent of <IOOO roubles a month from letting a shop on the ground floor of Ids hotel. A Bolshevik official seized the shop for himself, refusing to pay more than 10 roubles a month. “When the tax-gatherer demanded his tax, the owner protested that he could not pay. as he had been deprived of the rout. All his property was then confiscated, and lie himself was sent to prison for three years. That is the kind of freedom which our Communists are asking.” In another case a man bought a tug from anti-Bolsheviks. On the ground that the sellers had no right to part vitli it, (lie Soviet officials demanded a tax which lie could not pay, so the tug was conliricaled. They then charged him a heavy tax |on each of his coal-lighters, paying no heed to Ids nrolests that he could not | use iho lighters bccau.se they had taken away (lie tug. Then they coniiiscated the lighters and sent him to I gaol for two years. “Protests.” said Air Robertson, “‘are useless, as soldiers, police and brigands I —all dressed alike and in an indeseribJafile state oi fillh and dirt —parade the streets with fixed bayonets and lingers on their rides.” Permits, lor which heavy fees are charged, are required for every conceivable tiling—to bring goods into the country, to take them out again, to transfer them from one province to another, or to leave them where thev are. At iuterprovincial .frontier stations officials hoard the trains (when there are any) with revolvers and heln themI selves. j Poverty is widespread, and frozen | bodies are picked up every morning in ! the public streets. I In an address on his exneriences in I Aloscow. the Right Rev. Herbert. Bury Bishop of North and Central Europe’, at, .Dormans' Land (Surrey) said of the Soviet Government: “T believe them to be great rascals, and their word is i not to he trusted for a moment.”