SAD PLIGHT OF RUSSIA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14984, 11 August 1919, Page 3

SAD PLIGHT OF RUSSIA.

GERMAN SOVIETS IN CONTROL

WORKERS IN CRUEjL BONDAGE

Elec. Tel. CopyrigHt- United Press Assn

• (The Times.) (Received August 11, 8.55 a.m.) . LONDON, August 8.. A distinguished Russian, who escaped from service with the Bolshevists, has arrived m London. He states that German Soviets are strongly established m Petrograd and enjoy special privileges. Lenin and other chiefs make the most of the German-trained army, but still regard propaganda as the firist line of attack. They are convinced of. the necessity of a world-wide revolution. The Soviets proudly proclaim the British withdrawal as a defeat . ,

The remnant of the population m Petrograd 1b mercilessly controlled, working unpaid for the Soviets and receiving a meagre meal daily. The city administration is reduced to the lewesl state of inefficiency. Factories are shut, except munition works, where a political committee constantly intecferes with thr management. The 'starved workers aiv cruelly speeded up. Intoxication is th< ; sole relief, and as alcohol is unobtain able various substitutes are used, including mixtures of • gasoline, petrol . and ether.