"Oppression in the Kuban "The Times" of October 4 published the following article from a correspondent, an English consulting engineer, who was conscribed by the Soviet to advise on technical work ina factory in the Kuban, in Southern Russia, Im the spring of 1920 the. Bolshevist came into the Kuban, a Tand flowing with milk and honey, rich in all kinds of raw material, natural produce, and wheat.
The workmen had been undermined by Communist propaganda and promises, ahd they expected heavere on earth. The first step taken was the reduction of wages!
all nationalized works to one-third of their former amount. In addition, pivee-work, which had allowed' the workmen easily to double the flat rate of wages, was abolished, so that in fact the wages yeesived were one-sixth of those in General Denikin's time. The workmen were promised that this would be compensated for by equivalent rations, clothes, and boots. 'The only ration seen' for several months was that of bread, doled out daily and amounting at' that time to a pound and a half to the workman and one pound for each member of his family. He was told to have patience and the wonderful Soviet organization would provide for all Meanwhile, the prices of food on the market were Titerally doubling ing all sorts of work were nominated at pre-war rates, regardless of the nek of good tool steel, the weakness of. the workman, and other cfrcumstances. Naturally this premium made no difference. It did not matter a serap to the workman whether he earned 24. or 6d. a day.
At this time w large' number of Wrangel's Cossacks (peasants) were brought over to the Kuban from Constantinople, enticed by the glowing promises of the Communist agents there. 'Those men were pr mised freedom and to go home peace if they returned. In actual fact, many of them were, thrown into' the Cheka cellars all dyer the district. About 80 were sent to our factory to carry out work on the river bank. These wretches were given a ration of half a pound of bread and nothing else. After, three months most of them were at ideath's door, 90 per cent. having advanced scurvy due to insufficient and improper diet.
'The whole population was ragged, cold, and hungry, when at this time Kalinin, the President, came down to visit' us, The workmen were alli herded into a hall in the town, under pain of arrest if they did mot turn up. Kalinin then lectured them on virtues of self-sacrifice. himself was well clothed and well shod and had-with him a magnificent fur coat, held by a valet, standing to attention the whole time, quite in pre-war Ministerial style.' The men did not dare to say much, but "Bourgeois" and "Pig," "Why' don'® you feed and clothe us as you feed yourself?" and similar expressions were hurled at him.
Tu general, the luxury of weekly, and still the nationalized Communist compared with their workman got the same wages, It Poverty was bitterest gall to the made'tim especially bitter to see the workmen. Presumably in order to men in small workshops, and those improve matters in this respect, in working—independently getting] November a general robbery of the 20" or a0 "times ds" much as] town was announced.
Every one himself, He was conscribed to work Ws ordered to stay in his or her as much as the soldiers were eon-the search had been seribed, and was considered a e-|eurried out; the proceeds in boots serter if he fled to the country [avd clothes: were all to jo to the villages in despa Tu this case his' Workmen, Very few of the work-description was sent out, and when! men got anything. the loot Koinz to arrested he was put in a Cheka the Communists and the soldiers, (political police) cellar for an ine} fand such goods as carpets were definite period before he was even drug on the market for several days examined, come.
Spies were everywhere, not so This sort of thing went on all much noticing the amount of work winter—misery, starvation, and cold. a man did, us seeing that he did not, increasing continuously. In the tilk treason to his neighbour about spring the workmen began to com-the shocking state of affairs. Every, plain about housing conditions, man suspected his neighbour. AL-which were in fuet atrocious. All most the only man any of them) hotels, offices, and shops had been dared talk to was myself. Ax an} closed. by the Communists on their Englishman they had absolute faith! arita all big houses. takes that T would not betray them.
A Food Strike over: but. instead of their being used for housing the workmen, they. were used for the accommodation So discontented were the men that steps had to be taken. Soviet dining rooms wore opened. Thes were filthy and spread horrible diseases. AIL the food that was provided was thin soup of pearl barley with only' fan ceensional slice of meat or fish Dolled in it to give a flavour. After a month or so. the workmen de-
Communist drones and for Government offices, the latter continuing to ineveuse and multiply without Jin
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.