BOLSHEVIK HORRORS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17144, 25 April 1919, Page 6

BOLSHEVIK HORRORS.

AMERICAN'S EXPERIENCES.

TERRIBLE OPPRESSION. Life inside a Russian prison under the Bolshevik terror, as seen by an American official, who, almost without hope himself, watched men go forth daily to death, while those inside starved and could get neither trial nor permission to communicate with their friends, was described to the Overman CommiUee to-day, writes a Washington correspondent under date February 15. Few of the men who suffered were of

the rich or noble classes, against whom the revolution is supposed to be directed. Peasants, priests, pechanics, soldiers— these were the victims. Only one man leaped—and he was a rich noble, who could pay the '* friends of the people" for his life. ' Two witnesses were heard—Roger E. {summers, a forestry expert, who was lathering information for the War Trade - Board, and Wiilian\W. Welch, a member of the star! of the National City Bank's Fstrograd branch. From them the committee heard detail after detail of the horrors—heard . of the vast hopelessness which has settled over Russia, of the hatred 0 neighbour for neighbour which i* being systematically fostered by tho Soviet leaders, and of the despair with which the suffering people are looking to the Allies for help. Mr. Summers's story of his imprisonment, and the men who shared it, was the most vivid picture of the exact conditions under the terror which has been told. In the prison to which Summers was sent was a young Russian, an Oxford graduate, who had come from England to visit bis parents, and had been arrested bpcaaeo be was heard talking Englisdi. ' - Throe'guards took him out about dusk, leaving his co»t, and he did not return. Later', Summers learned he had been shot. Patriot's Typical De&Ji. TJura was a lawyer named Yalenkin, who had been counsel at thi British Consulate. He was a t-ue patriot. Ho - had r.»any chances to leave the city and would not, because be said that Russia needed all her educated men. He was given one hearing. He was charged with counter revolutionary activity, though he i had done nothing against the Bolsheviks. Rut he refused to become an agitator for i them. He was sentenced to be shot. " He came to my cot about two o'clock ; one morning and said: 'Summers, for, God's sake ta'.k to pie. Tell me about Siberia, Russia, anything to keep my mind busy. I die at six.' So I went over and tried to cheer him up. After a while he wrote a letter, which I afterwards managed to -liver to his brothers in London. Then tie guard appeared in the formation we lad come to know meant an execution, and he was taken out. Ho walked ta his death with a resignation which was -.Tie of the most pitiful things 1 have ever jeen. Prince Snot Without. Trial. '' There wae a young prince thcro, and he was taken out and shot without a trial. Few of them had trials. This is not hearsay. You only read about these things, and perhaps do not believe them. I was there. An Italian official tells me that he saw Peters, the chief commissar at Moscow, sign a warrant for the execution of 71 officers without rending their nsmes. Peters was a nice-looking young man, with a pleasant manne.'. "One day while I was there they took Oflt 21—no trials. I heard that was be- ■ cause tjwy had 26 new prisoners and wanted room. " There was a priest. lie had preached against the immorality of t.ie Bolsheviks, though he knew it meant his death— white-haired man of 65. Before he was sliot he told me the neop'e of Russia were flocking into the church more than ever before. He told me, too, if I could pet back to America to tell them for God's

Bake to send help." " Wliat kind of help':" asked Senator Nelson. " Release from (his terrible oppression —from the kind of men who have come to the top. Families Left Unprotected, "I could tell you any number of snrli stories. I simply want to give you enough so yon will realise tlm conditions. And what became of the families of these men ? They had no money, and 11 man was alwsvs needed to protect the family in those days. " I wish I could make you hear, as I heard, the terrible wail of the people wherever I went, on the trains, in the streets, in the homes, but always under the Iwafttli. There was universal condemnation- " Why do they not organise and throw off the weight themselves'' How (an they' The Red Goaid is all about. There are daily examples of what happens ii run even win, pels. "This wail I his i<lta to us, cannot bo distegarded We are Russia's debtors. Smh had the biggest (.itfua ty list of any of t!i u Alio-,. Ai.d now she 'is in tho very j throe- of ili-s|.„i, 'liny i. iv the pea-sirlu, are itdually praying to tin American Preside! t'. l. 1,, it,mi I "Would thi". m.;.'.ih,- ,ijr help"' asked Senator Su-rim,, " 'liiev are pMviiig for ,i " " Armed help?" "There i'> no other nay, •?'••• ilkv are ruled by armed form*.' ' I Ml'. Bummers be«an his testimony by a ; rfA. JfWptir.n (,{ eoudiisfiiw us he had found |J*, -«&* on Ms trip from Siberia. i