From: Krasna, Bessarabia
16 August 1920

Worthy Editorship!

Today I received three editions of the Staats-Anzeiger again, for which I had been yearning for a long time. While perusing the first edition, I suddenly found my own report in print. That of course made me very happy. But several other reports have not appeared as yet. (*Editor: Hopefully those will soon arrive. They did not arrive here else they would have been published.) I do not want to dwell on this but instead immediately write again. The beginning has been accomplished and sequels will most likely follow.

Dear friends and acquaintances, I read the Staats-Anzeiger with deep interest. My brother M. [Max] Both in Elardee, Sask., Canada has paid for 7 ½ months of it for me. It is a highly interesting paper that is filled with a variety of reading material, which should satisfy even the most demanding individual.

I also often read about Bolsheviks, that they steal and murder, and simply take away everything from the people. Dear readers, those however are not Bolsheviks, but robbers. We had them at the beginning and they probably will remain until the end. Now is their time and they take the opportunity.

I do not want to impose on anybody, but the truth shall and must surface. As an example, earlier there were unquestionable, stringent laws in effect, which had to be obeyed unconditionally. For instance we had teachers, secretaries and so on, who received their wages. The responsibility to come up with the wages, as customary, was passed on – but passed on only to the families. That was no burden for the farmers, but alas for the poor! They were badly off under those circumstances. Nobody cared about them and they couldn’t say a word, else they would have been punished right away. So as stated, the families were directed to cover the salaries. Even those who had nothing had to pay 3 to 30 rubles just like the ones who owned 175 dessjatin (438 acres) of land. If a real poor individual raised his voice and asked for at least a little difference and a fair adjustment, then the highest authority would scream right way, “Quiet, quiet! Bailiff, take him into custody and put him in jail. What has he got to rebel about?” Therefore the poorer man was afraid. He did not have any rights to say anything in his own defense – only the right to make payments. That was all recognized as lawful. What else do you call such people but Bolsheviks, when you compare Bolsheviks with robbers? How the poor man was being harassed and oppressed! But today things have changed. Everybody pays in accordance with their assets or estate and has the right to defend himself, the way it should be.

Now the other side grumbles and babbles about the Bolsheviks, although the new arrangement of things is truly fair. Now one has to hear that they have forgotten God! They want to possess all our belongings. You see, dear readers, now people condemn everything that they had done all along. (*Editor: This is highly interesting! And the best part about it is that exactly the same class of people here also decries everyone as Bolsheviks and Socialists, who no longer want to put up with being robbed!) We always believed in God and the church. No other group of people has been and is more faithful to God and to the church than the poor. Certainly no human being can justifiably accuse me of stealing, nor of having committed anything wrong against my fellow men. There are thousands upon thousands of individuals like me. Although I have served the emperor for 9 years and like me, uncountable other people, who do not own one small piece of land, are held in contempt. We only have the right to give but not to receive. There my dear, you decide if it is not unjust by you land owners. Where then are the Bolsheviks?

I would also like to have a little vineyard. 56 fathoms (336 feet) long and 142 fathoms (852 feet) wide and along with that not to have an increase in taxes. If it were not for these taxes and the 9 years of military service, then perhaps I could have earned enough for 2 or 3 vineyards, right? But one needs the military, but for what? Only for the land, and whoever owns it does not want to pay his share of taxes. But whoever is not able to do so, should not own any. – For now enough of that!

The health conditions here leave nothing to be desired.

I am greeting all friends and relatives, as well as the editorial staff and the readers of the paper.

J. Boot