DEMOCRACY IN EXCELSIS

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13893, 19 October 1918, Page 7

DEMOCRACY IN EXCELSIS

CONDITIONS IN RUSSIA. A VISITOR'S IMPRESSIONS. There arrived in Christchurch a day or two ago an American gentleman who has had the unique experience of having been present inPctrograd at the outbreak of the first Russian revolution, and who was intimately associated with the events in connection therewith.

This is -Mr H. W. J. Russell, who came to Australasia recently as sales manager for the -Meichor, Armstrong and Dessau Proprietary, a nd who for some time was the European representative of the Studebaker Corporation. It was in that capacity that .Mr Russell came into contact with all the bel. iigeront nations on the Allied side, and it was while filling that position that lie was in Petrograd in the days before the breaking of the storm, acting as adviser m transport matters to the Imperial Russian Government. Mr Russell speaks well of the Russian people. He has, he said, known them for years, and regards them as the most lovable, docile people in the world. He remained in Petrograd K'ltti his wife right up to the moment when he could no longer stay in safety. .Mr Russell encountered trouble in the wry first upheaval. During the height of the crisis someone in the building in which he and his wife were staying threw up a window and fired at a soldier across the street. In very quick time, the revolutionaries forced their way in, and gave them 15 minutes to get out or give up the murderer.

'•We got out right quickly," said Mr Russell, "for we had no desire to ee just how.high that building was likely to fly, for they were laving sticks of dynamite about the ground floor before our eyes. After we left thev 'lot an old Russian General, and executed him." However, Mr Russell states that he and his party were the only Europeans interfered with. The city of Petrograd, says Mr Russell, became a place of anarchy. The gaols were emptied, and murderers, burglars, and criminals of every kind were turned loose without food, money or clothes, and the result wa s that they simply helped themselves to 'whatever Ihey wanted. A Householders' Defence organisation was formed, for the purpose of protecting tenants against marauders, and they issued printed nstructions as to the means of defense to be adopted against these private criminals. Mr Russell had his motorcar taken by the soldiers, and when hr asked who was to pay him for it they laughed and said the Government. He inquired "what Government," at whioh they laughed again and said, "Well baron, you know we are all one no*v. There are no classes; no rich and poor." They then drove off with the car. Mr Russell also had all his other personal property taken. Subsequently, accompanied by a number of Russian officers, Mr Russell went to America, and in conjunction With Mr Thomas Kdison and others, founded the Russian Civilian Relief Association, of which he was appointed chairman.

In reply to questions, Mr Russell described Korensky as a theorist, an 1 quite unpractical. The Bolsheviks r e presented only five per cent of the population of Russia, but they held 100 per cent, of the gun-power, and hold in their hands all the instruments of terrorisation. Their leaders including Lenin and Trotzky were no. Russian .lews, and were soap-box nr.itors who had been thrown out of the Allied countries. Seventy-throe per cent, of the population were illiterates. For years they had been maltreated into a blind obedience, and now th. y who had been treated like dogs were turning and treating their former masters to an experience of the same kind. The upper middle, classes we-' now absolutely helpless, and at the mercy of the crowd. Towards the end of Mr Russell's stay the Brotherhood movement wis in full swing, and if he went to step into his sleigh, the nearest tramp would step in with him, with the remark that lie was going the same way. It would have been sheer folly to object. The universal cry was that every man was as good as another. He si>v ;in engine driver pet "fed up" w'th driving his train, and left it standi,ig in the middle of a village station. f»n another train the fireman and the driver had a row, and the former killed the latter with his coal pick. It was madness, said Mr Russell, in reply to another question for any man to try to predict what the course id' events would be in Russia. The only hope was that a dictator would arise who would stop at nothing in the pursuit of a definite policy. Asked whether or not the RaspuMn story was a genuine one, Mr Russell replied in the affirmative. He believed that Rasputin was a German tool.