State lands are parcelled out amongst the
wealthy peasants, who as a result of this robbery will establish a great
landed aristocracy, and, if I do not misread the signs, a similar fate
is about to overtake the great State industries with the creation of an
aristocracy of wealth.

At Turansky we picked up Sergeant Coleman, of the Durham Light Infantry,
the only Englishman who weathered the journey from Archangel with a
party of Russians who had started from the north to try and get into
direct touch with the Russian Army. They had made a circuitous route and
avoided the districts held by the Bolshevik forces, and therefore had
nothing of interest to report to us. The whole party, under a Russian
officer in English uniform, were attached to my train and taken to Perm,
where instructions awaited them to proceed at once to Omsk.

While examining the damage done during the street fighting at Perm we
encountered a mob of the Red Guard who had marched over their own lines
at Glashoff and surrendered to General Gaida. They were drawn up four
deep in the market-place for a roll call. I studied their faces and
general appearance, and came to the conclusion that if the progress of
the world depended upon such as these the world was in a very bad way.
They were Kirghis, Mongols, Tartars, Chinese, mixed with a fair
sprinkling of European-Russian peasants, workmen and others mostly of
the lowest type, but with just enough of the "old soldier" element to
make them formidable. A strange idea struck me that I would like to
speak to these men. The proposition, made almost in jest, was taken up
seriously by my liaison officer, Colonel Frank, who interviewed the
commandant of the station, Colonel Nikolioff, upon the subject. He at
first took up a hostile attitude, but when he gathered the substance of
my proposed address he consented, and arranged the meeting at the camp
for 6 P.M. the following evening, April 22. Of all the meetings it has
been my privilege to hold, this was the most unique. The Bolshevik
soldiers stood to attention and listened to me with great interest. One
or two were sailors, and some others could understand a little English,
as could be seen by the way they conveyed in whispers the points of the
speech to their neighbours. Madame Frank translated, and in beautiful
Russian drove home each point. Hers was a magnificent performance. As
she repeated my word-picture of their untilled fields, destroyed homes,
outraged w