New York Times Current History: The European War, Vol. 8, Pt. 2, No. 1, July 1918Various
History
New York Times Current History: The European War, Vol. 8, Pt. 2, No. 1, July 1918
Various
World War, 1914-1918
On the pretense of equality they abolish all grades in the army and
navy and make all posts elective by the simple soldiers. In most
places it is understood as complete extermination, lynching of the
officers, who, for being better educated, are under suspicion of being
"counter-revolutionary." The highest posts are occupied by elected
soldiers who very often can hardly sign their names, and the former
officers are made simple soldiers, with a soldier's pay of $3.50 a
month, and ordered to the lowest tasks, cleaning of the barracks,
cooking food, taking care of the horses.
Our great country could only exist when all the wheels of the
Government were working in harmony. Now everything is a perfect chaos.
Everybody was willing to throw over the Czaristic Government, but not
in order to change it for this one, of loot, anarchy, and treason
toward our allies! Ah, the shame, the disgrace, and the folly of it!
LOOTING AND DESTROYING
The army, which now consists of young boys, (the regular one is long
ago killed,) without any sense of duty, morals, and discipline, see
their acquired "freedom" in the freedom to go home when they want to.
And so all the trains, all the stations, are attacked and destroyed
by this horde of savages, who kill engineers, if it seems to them the
train goes too slowly, who martyrize the railway agents who tell them
of the impossibility of starting their train, for there is another one
coming toward them on the same track. As this human flood goes home
without any organization, everything is looted and destroyed.
Some months ago I was believing myself to be quite well off. I have
a house in Petrograd. Last Spring I was offered $125,000 for it, but
was advised not to sell and go over to America to have my little girl
become a happy American school girl. Now--I have on hand about $2,000
and no other resources; the house, like other private property, is
being confiscated, the revenue going to the Government, that is to say,
to the private pockets of the usurpers. The Government bonds annulated
(repudiated)--and even if I had more money--believe me--there is
nothing to buy.
Life in Petrograd is horrible--all the criminals, all the workmen,
and demoralized soldiers rob the few cars that still bring some kind
of products. In the very heart of the city, in daytime, you have your
clothes taken off your back literally. Just think that there is no
police, nobody to call for help, for those who would like to help have
had their firearms confiscated, even the officers, even the highest
Generals. All the soldiers, &c., are armed have become highwaymen. At
any moment you can expect a number of them to come into your private
lodging and, under the pretense of "perquisition," take away all your
money and valuables.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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