RED MILLIONS IN RUSSIA

Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 16821, 28 May 1919, Page 5

RED MILLIONS IN RUSSIA

VAST FORGES THAT LACK "WEAPONS'.

/ Interesting information of the military conditions in Soviet -Russia, have been, obtain?-d by "the "Daily News" from two well-informed Russians who have 'recently rel turned to Par.s : from Petrograd via the I) rkrnine and Poland. Undoubtedly by far tho most lmportfait man from..'-"amilitary point of view is Troitsky, without whom the Red Army couid not have been organised, and Whose dsai'li wtoukl mfian the downfall of the - Bolshevik •regime. • The figures off cially quoted by Trotsky Showing .that his Red Army js already one million- strong- are not ait over-estimate, and, Jus, statement..that by the. spring. of "this year ,he will'have molvlfised' about. tSiree mllion men is also probable; but an effective arniy of this colossal .number is quite impossible • owing to lack of guns, rifl-s, munitions, and equipment.- • Tp addition the per cmtage of deserters, maiiily from, the educated and, peapant; classes, ia. very high. As a. typic&l -instance. a SoviTfc regiment ordered, to;,the Finnish, frontleft its baiir'acks ' 1200' ;stron g; at> dia Petrograd .PTnTg^^bkt'cbiD.. it was 700 strong; on arrival at the front, it-was 500 strong. • i ■ j At praseo.t the niamsLixs of tho Bolshevik , the Chjno=o and Lett regiments. T£e founei recruited for labour .purpiscs fiont Chinese cooJSes by the late Imperial Government during the war. Their position became worse during 1917 and 1918, when public works practically ceased and thi?- re-curii of the soldiers from the front deprived them of work.. The Bolfhevik tool!: advantage of this, and offered them high pay anil large ratio.ua if they would enter In'teniationa. Regiments and .fight for the Bolshevik cause.

. Tlie Lett regiments aire composed of genuine Btfsheviki, and they fuLy realise that tjheir only hope lids in the maintainance of Bolshevik rule, since th'sir own countrymen in Livonia have banished them for ever, and ant.-Bol-shevik Russia would give. them short shrift:after all tlie atrocities they hare committed. .The Red Army, despite Trotsky's efforts to make it 'efficient, has not yeb emerged from tihe sibage of organisation.. It is sitiL scarcely deserving, of tlie name of an army, and would be more fitly descr.bed as cons sting of well-organised guerrilla baids. In the infantry the lack of munitions, and cloth.ng is very acut*."-. In the cavalry 1 great numbers of horses have die'd from; lack of fodder, and this problem is most sen.' ous. Further, most of f'he cavalrymen are old soldiers of the Regu av Army, tli'iir loyalty ifco tV- Bolsiieviki is very doubtful. The art'llery is very, weaik. There are no hc«ivv guns,_ wlii'e the field guns are speed'ly owin.tr .to- careless use a.nd the inrnossrhilitv of i-prj'jacenieut. Few new guns can be oht.aihed.