IN SOVIET RUSSIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18089, 13 May 1922, Page 1 (Supplement)

IN SOVIET RUSSIA.

THROUGH THE FAMINE AREAS

[From the Nineteenth Century and After.]

Professor Meredith Atkinson, who was deputed by the executive controlling the " save tho children " fund to investigate tho conditions of the famine in Russia, has just returned to Australia from a visit to the stricken country. His experiences aro recorded in an article published, in the current number oi tho Nineteenth Century and After. In Riga conditions appeared to be normal, but immediately alter leaving that city Professor Atkinson found the trains in a deplorable state of neglect, and tho entiro journey was attended by much discomfort. Nevertheless no extreme hunger was apparont during this stage, and food, though of very poor quality, was often obtainable at wayside stations. On his reaching Moscow, however, matters seemed decidedly worse, and food was seldom procurable, although the Soviet officials lived under conditions which were almost luxurious. Here Professor Atkinson received little help from the. Bolshevik Government, and tho scarcity of food compelled him to seek assistance from a depot established by the Nansen mission. He was particularly impressed with the attitude of the. Soviet toward some of the efforts to relievo tho famine, and describes the reception accorded a relief delegation sent from Amsterdam by the ".Second International "—a body regarded with suspicion and disfavour by the Soviet owing to its "moderate Socialist" character. In reference 'to this incident Professor Atkinson says: "This organisation, which is contemptuously referred to bv the Bolsheviks as ' The Yellow International,' arrived in Moscow while I was thero. They had been summarily turned out of their train not far from the frontier, and the Soviet officials would not even allow them to take some of the food from the relief trucks. They were then kept a week in Moscow without being received by the appropriate commissar. Widely different was the treatment meted out to us." Professor Atkinson considers that tne courteous treatment afforded to the Nansen Mission, and to tho British hnd American delegations is solely duo to the fact that tho most zealous Bolshevik fails to detect any trace of propaganda in the humane motives actuating these relief workers. The Nansen Mission u particular, scorns to have ingratiated itself in Soviet favour, but Professor Atkinson maintains that this fact is no guarantee thit this organisation has achieved grj»t success in its relief campaign. He refers with regret to the Nansen Mission as "the only ono that had so far not fed a single Russian man. woman, or child, and whilo eulogising the "magnificent inspirational work" of Dr. Nansen, lie condemns the entire administration ot tne mission. In further discussing tho famine relief schemes Professor Atkinson says:— " It is only fair to tell the people who is doing the hard work. It is certainly not the Nansen Mission, which is a mostinefficient organisation, and actually impedes the work of the ' save the cln dren fund and the ' Society of both splendidly efficient organisations. Ut the Amsterdam mission, he WW' " 9 suspected of propaganda against the Bolsheviks. I am quite sure that these suspicion., are groundless, but the vialsof 'doctrinaire wrath are always poured lavishly upon tho first cousins of the faith."

Cause and Effect of Famine. Continuing. Professor Atkinson says Dr Nansen's statement that the tammo area was ravaged by the arrmes is erroneous, and asserts that the renuisitioning of food for the Bed army, aggravated by small wheat crops in the succeeding years, was the paramount cause, of the present distress. This theory i« also shared by the peasants who are "'the victims, not the high priests of Communism." The peasants in the Vc-Sga region were found to be suffering acutely from both the famine and ita attendant miseries. On this point Professor Atkinson* savs: "We saw daily sights which rival in horror the most imaginative picture of hell itself. Typhus, fold, and famine are the triple destroyers of millions of Russian lives. The heart almost burst under the constant strain upon the deepest emotions, until there formed around it that husk of false callousness that is nature's compensatory provision for self-preservation. The famine is wiping out millions of Russia's finest types of peasant. The mortality, both of human beings and stock, is simply frightful. In one village the population is half what it was in 1914."

Distribution of Pood. In regard to the distribution of food, Professor Atkinson found that the leakage of food was negligible, but that the problems of famine relief were augmented by the lack of transport facilities. Ha was impressed with the fact that the Soviet was by no means indifferent to famine relief schemes, bi)l "a- very inefficient Government is doing its best to further the work of relief by foreign organisations, with a very poor instrument —the transport system of Russia." The Soviet has begun to distribute rations, but by far the greater paru of the rolief is furnished by British and American administrations. The American system is now feeding several millions, and will probably be providing for ten to twelve millions very soon. The Soviet seems to be reluctanti to acknowledge its indebtedness to foreign efforts, its inclinations being, "to care far moro about feeding the political animosities of its supporters with the filthy food they ask for, than for telling the 'truth and giving the foreigner and his Government tho credit for their roacnificent work."

Tho Russian Ministry of Health is quiito unable to copo with the prevalent diseaso and sickness. There are exceptions, but the best doctors are cither killed or have fled, or are recruited for the Red army. Professor Atkinson here relates an incident which exemplifies the typical Communist attitude toward the learned professions. " In a certain hospital. I visited the caretaker had become chairman of the board as a natural step in proletarian evolution. He decreed that everybody must lake his turn at sweeping and other menial work, not excepting tho doctor. Tho latter undertook his new tasks without, demur until one day an operation was to be performed and the caretaker hade him do it. ' No' said tho doctor, ' everyone must tako his turn at. operations.' The end of a. long struggle was the complete capitulalation of the care'laker."

Future of Russia. Referring to Russia's prospects for the future. Professor Atkinson says : — " One is often asked whether the Bolsheviks will remain in power. I think they will, at least for a very long timo. They have the Red army and its rations and no other party has anything. Nothing could, to my mind, bo more fulilo than foreign intervention and few things havo been moro disastrous to Europe. Another reason why the Bolsheviks will remain in power is that their policy is that of steady strategic retreat. Hardly any of their Communism is in practice. They have failed to nationalise cither land or industry and have restored private enterprise. They govern by oligarchic and bureaucratic methods. They aro introducing the commercial laws and judicial procedure of capitalist countries. When these facts tire put to them they reply that, while they are true, the Soviet is still composed solely of Communists, and the new policy is simply another way to Communism. I. suggested that that was a pretty story to spin to foreign capitalists whom they were inviting into their parlour to talk business. I feel convinced, however, that they will fail to check the renewal of private enterprise and that it will gradually transform the condition of Russia politically and economically."