THIS MAN IS BUILDING A HOME FROM MATERIAL CUT FROM HIS OWN FARM. NEXT length came to a brand-new log house "That is one of the soldiers' homes," said my companion. "Kinda homelike, don't you think?" He led the way on down the path. You see, these pioneers at Veteransville have gone even beyond the roads. But the roads will follow in short order. The township had an election not long ago to vote bonds for the building of roads. Some of the old settlers opposed the procedure, but the soldiers carried the election. Presently we came to another clearing, where a log house was in the process of construction. "This man will live in this log house this winter," said my companion. "Next year he will build a bigger and better house, and use this building for a henhouse. The plan is for every man to start out as simply as possible, and never go in debt." On our walk we passed many clearings. Altogether, thirty-six veterans have bought land in the community. This particular walk happened to be on a Sunday, and no work was being done. Yet at nearly every place we found men looking over their farms. "I like to just sit here and dream it all out," one big fellow explained. "I am going to have my house there on that hill. It is going to be a log house, with a fireplace. Yes, and shelves around the fireplace for books." At length we came back to the barracks where the unmarried men at Veteransville have their living quarters. About one-third of the men are married and have their own houses. The others live in a barracks not so much different from those of war time. In the barracks a lively discussion was on. It concerned plans for the coming school, which, I learned, was to be held at Veteransville. Instead of leavng their farms and going back to St. Paul to complete their training in the The men themselves asked for this Now these same men not only are making regular payments on their lands, but are laying away money to buy live stock and equipment. Some were in debt when they came to Veteransville, but since have got out of debt and started saving. In three years most of them will have their land and buildings paid for and some live stock. The Government payments just about enabled the men to support themselves in the cities, as intended, but with the lower living costs at Veteransville they find it possible to meet the payments on their farms and equip them. Then there's the matter of health. A man at McGrath who has followed the progress of the venture said: "When they came up here, many were pale and thin. After they had been working outdoors a while, away from the smoke and dirt of the city, they be came healthy and robust. One fellow when he came up here two months ago couldn't walk two blocks without playing out. Now he is just as husky as any of them." Indeed, one would have to go far to find a hardier group of settlers. Some of the men came to Veteransville as tuberculosis cases. Two were machinists who had to give up this work for an outdoor occupation because of tuberculosis. Certainly, none of them look like it now. Disabled? Yes, they were disabled. There's Joe Sandkamp. Joe had part of his spine shot away and wears a brace, but he wields an ax with the best of them at Veteransville. Otto Ellig got a shrapnel wound in the thigh, and limps a bit, but he certainly is an active casualty. A German bullet went through T. A. Olson's lung. Many of the boys were gassed. All the fighting divisions are represented among those thirty-six men-but war stories are taboo at Veteransville. Casualties once, perhaps, but you'd never know it now from watching the way these men are making the stumps fly. The men work in squads while doing their clearing. Perhaps the army got them in the habit. The squad works a LOG HOUSES LIKE THIS ARE GOING UP IN LITTLE CLEARINGS IN THE WOODS AROUND VETERANSVILLE TO FURNISH HOMES FOR FORMER SOLDIERS WHO ARE GOING BACK TO THE LAND while on one man's farm, and then goes to another, and so on around. Some of the veterans are going into dairying. Others are going to specialize in poultry and bees. Moreover, they are going to standardize their products. All will have the same breed of cows and the same kind of chickens. Eggs sent to market will bear the Veteransville stamp and the number of the farmer shipping them. So will the butter and honey be marked. Produets of the Veteransville farms in time will command premiums in the cities. The men will sell their products together. Purchases also are pooled. On a car-load of picric acid the former soldiers pooled their orders and saved $2,000. Ownership as well as operation of a man's farm is an individual matter. But all is not work at Veteransville. A baseball team offers outlet for athletic energies. Every two weeks a dance is held, and the settlers come from miles around. An old barn was converted into a fine dance-hall. Once an outsider brought in some moonshine expecting generous profits at the veterans' dance. Instead, he got thrown out rather roughly. The soldiers had one of their number appointed a deputy sheriff, and no vender of liquor has had the temerity to come near Veteransville since. The former soldiers held a Memorial Day celebration, the first ever seen in that section of the country. Settlers came from fifteen and twenty miles to attend the services. A hundred automobiles were counted at Veteransville that day. More and more Veteransville is becoming the center of activities for a wide territory. Questions affecting the settlement as a whole are handled through the Veteransville Association. The soldiers first took up quarters in an old logging camp. White Pine was the headquarters for James E. McGrath, who year after year floated down the Snake River millions of feet of timber which he cut along its upper reaches. But the last logs have gone down the Snake River. Small sawmills now are grinding up the final bits of timber into lath. Soon this will be done. Hardly does the lumberman finish his work when a new pioneer comes in, the disabled soldier seeking to rehabilitate himself. The veterans even took over some of the buildings of the old logging camp. An old barn was cleaned up, floored, and whitewashed to make a barracks for the single men. Several log buildings in the camp house the families of the married men while their homes are building. Veteransville also has a store, a post office, and several other buildings. It has a schoolhouse, where the children are taught by the wife of one of the former soldiers. In time it will have a creamery, a blacksmith shop, a community center, and all the adjuncts of a firstclass town. At least such is the vision of its founders, who expect it to become the nucleus of a large community of former soldiers. BOLSHEVISM, THE CHURCH, AND THE HOME AN AMERICAN RELIEF OFFICIAL DESCRIBES The following statement has been obtained from a former American Relief official who lately returned from Russia, and who is entirely reliable. His name is withheld because to reveal it would lead to the discovery by the Soviet Gov D URING the war Tchicherin is said to have remarked, in the course of conversation, "There are two great obstacles to the spread of the Social Revolution-the church and the home-and both must be swept aside." There is sound psychology in this so far as the home is concerned. The Soviet Government is purely Communistic. The greatest incentive with most men to the acquisition of property is the desire to provide for those whom they love. If the home, which fosters family affection, can be broken up, this incentive will disappear, and the strongest objection to Communism, which seems now to be ingrained in most people, will disappear with it. But the statement has especial importance because it affords the true explanation of certain facts which have recently been brought to the attention of the public through the newspapers. Despatches have told of the arrest of Russian bishops and their condemnation to death. Tihon, Patriarch of Moscow and head of the Russian Church, is said to be in prison, and the Church as a whole has been charged with failing in its duty to the Russian people during the famine. What has really happened is this. The fight against the Church began in 1917, as soon as the Bolsheviki came ernment of the people with whom he has been in contact, and that Government would certainly take summary vengeance on them for making him acquainted with the true facts. THE EDITORS. into power. The Reds took possession of church property wherever possible-monasteries, convents, schools, the houses of priests and bishops. The Soviet abolished the theological seminaries, so that the supply of priests might be cut off, it closed the parish schools and passed a law forbidding any religious instruction to be given outside of the home to youth under eighteen years of age. Priests were arrested and shot for teaching their young people the basic elements of their religion. According to figures given by the Reds and recently pub lished in the Soviet newspapers, twentyeight bishops and over twelve hundred priests have been executed by them since 1917. But the most insidious attack has been made within the last year, since the great famine came. This was the charge that the Church had refused to help the starving millions of Russia, and that their deaths have been due to its neglect. Of course the object of this was to discredit the Church with the people and to prepare the way for the spoliation which was purposed. The Soviet took care to make out an apparent case against the ecclesiastical authorities, though in doing so it has deliberately suppressed the truth, a course which prominent Bolsheviki have boasted that they never hesitated to pur sue. At Genoa one of them gloried publicly in the fact that they never kept their word about anything when it suited them to break it. In truth, the Church had been anxious to help its people from the outset. The first account which gave an adequate idea of the extent of the famine was contained in a despatch from the Patriarch to the Archbishop of Canterbury, asking for help. This despatch was not permitted to be delivered to the Archbishop, but found its way into the press, both on the Continent and in England. In addition to this, the Patriarch requested to be permitted to take a full share in the relief work of the Gorki Committee in 1921, with the understanding, however, that the representatives of the Church should know how the money which they raised was spent. He thought, not unreasonably, that he ought to be in a position to assure people who responded to his appeals that their money had gone where it was meant to go. This request was absolutely refused. Public notices with the Patriarch's name on them were not allowed to be published, and no document was permitted to appear under his authority or the authority of the Church. Next, the Patriarch offered to collect food in kind, and have it distributed among the people in the famine districts by the parishes, and this also was refused. In March of the present year the Soviet Government ordered the Patriarch to issue an ecclesiastical decree directing the bishops and clergy to surrender the Church's treasures throughout the country, because, as they said, of the famine, but with no assurance or guaranty that the proceeds from the sale or other disposal of these treasures would be applied to the feeding of the starving people. The Patriarch made The grave answer that he and his colleagues were forbidden by their oaths and the canons of the Church to dispose of the property of the Church, which was, and had been from time immemorial, devoted to sacred purposes. He did not say that it could not be disposed of by any means, but that it could not be disposed of in a reckless manner, or without the Church's knowing what was done with it; that the danger of sacrilege would certainly arise, and that he was not, therefore, in a position to do what was directed without violating his oath. But he went on to say: "We are prepared on behalf of the Church to undertake to raise the very money you think you will get by the sale of these treas ures and to be responsible for seeing that the money goes to the famine areas, if you will leave the treasures where they are and allow us to deal with then as seems to us to be consistent with the oaths we have taken and the promises we have made." The answer came at once: "We re fuse to allow any such arrangement to be made," and the commissars were ordered to go into the churches, to tear down the ornaments, some of them of extraordinary interest, antiquity, and beauty-ikons, vessels, books, hangings, etc. to take them in defiance of their custodians (the priests of the Church), and to allow no interference at all. Now the Russian people have always been devoted to their Church, and since the Bolshevist troubles have come they have resorted to the churches more than ever, for, since man seemed to have deserted them, they had no place to turn but to God. In fact, there has been a great religious revival throughout the whole country, which has been commented on by all observers. Naturally, when the commissars began their work of spoliation disturbances arose. Thereupon the Soviet arrested a number of priests and bishops, charged them with inciting the people to riot, tried, and sentenced them to death. Moreover, it was their opportunity to deal with Tihon. Here in New York, where he lived for some years as Archbishop, he was greatly respected; in Russia he was profoundly reverenced. Sir Paul Dukes, in his enlightening book on Russia, "The Red Dusk and To-morrow," quotes a workman as saying: "There is only one man in the whole of Russia whom the Bolsheviki fear from the bottom of their hearts, and that is Tihon, Patriarch of the Russian Church." Tihon was arrested and thrown into prison. This was denied by the Soviet, who asserted that "he was living in a monastery." So he was-in the Donsky Monastery at Moscow, which is used as a prison for ecclesiastics. It was reported some time ago that he had been taken to Petrograd for trial, and if he is tried there is no slightest doubt that he will be convicted on some trumped-up charge and sentenced to death. Whether the Patriarch and the other bishops and priests who are under sentence of death will be executed will depend on whether the Soviet Government thinks it to its advantage in its dealings with the outside world, in the matter of loans, etc., to appear to be becoming more moderate in its policy. That it has changed its heart is unthinkable, for the same set of men are still in control who have deluged Russia with blood. institutions have generally proved disastrous failures, often with shocking conditions, and recently in many cases parents have been directed to send and take their children back: "We are clos ing the house; come and take them away." No better sign of the failure of Communism in Russia could be given than this. The misery of the starving people in the famine areas, naturally and properly. is what has been brought most to the attention of the American people, yet there are other forms of suffering which are hardly less poignant. One of these is the great blight which has fallen on the intelligentsia, the educated classes. The American Relief by its food parcel system has done a work for them which has been not the least of the benefits which it has brought to Russia. The condition of these people, especially those engaged in teaching, is inexpressibly pitiable, not only because of the under-feeding, not to call it slow starvation, which they are obliged to face, but because of their intellectual hunger. As for the physical hunger, the ration for a professor in one university, not in the famine region, is eighteen pounds of food a month. The average American eats approximately four pounds of food a day. No wonder that a petition from this institution gave the names of six professors who had recently died, nor that the remaining two hundred ap pealed to "the Civilized Scientific and Humane Societies of the United States to extend help, without which the university within the ensuing year had only to finish its existence." There is one other insidious method by which the Bolsheviki are attacking the Church, and that is by encouraging other sects to come into the country and do propaganda at the expense of the national Church. This would account, for instance, for its extremely friendly attitude towards the Roman Church, of which we have read lately in the newspapers. Certain American sects are engaged in this work, and it ought to be impressed upon them that by what they are doing, which weakens the national Church, they are only playing the Bolshevists' game and working to their own ultimate disadvantage. If the Russian Church were destroyed, these newcomers would be easy victims. There ought to be churchmanship in America wise and An appeal for relief early in 1922 by resourceful enough to serve Russia the music teachers of one of the princispiritually without making common pal cities was addressed "To the citizens cause with the Communists, which is of our friendly country in the hope of a what some sects are doing now. In fact, the Soviet was rightly alive to its danger from the Church. Not long ago a distinguished Russian remarked that his country had passed through several such crises as the present, and when he was asked how it had come out of them he replied, unhesitatingly, "Through religion and the Church." The Bolsheviki never forget that history may repeat itself. In dealing with the home the Soviet's methods were a little less direct than in dealing with the Church. They began by taking away the home-maker, the mother, as much as possible. Everybody in Russia is more or less dependent on rations for food, and the Government rationed men who were employed, but not their wives, unless they too had jobs. This took the mother away from the home a great part of the day, necessarily. Then the Soviet established in stitutions where fathers and mothers, while not actually compelled to do so, were encouraged to send their children to be brought up. This served a double purpose to break up family life and to give the Bolsheviki a chance to bring up the children as good Communists. Fortunately, it has not succeeded. The favorable answer to this entreaty of our starving artists. . . . We receive too little food and money. On the market everything is too dear, and our essential nourishment consists of cabbage, frozen potatoes, and scanty portions of bad rye bread. Our Association counts no less than 2,000 members, and among them not less than 500 are in bitter want of food." And almost more numerous than the appeals for food from the highly educated classes have been the requests that scientific material be obtained for them, since they have been cut off from it since the beginning of the war. Electricians, physiologists, and other specialists declare that they have heard nothing new in their spheres since 1914. Something of the general frame of mind of these poor people may be gathered from the case of one woman, gently nurtured and highly cultivated, who came to see one of our Relief officers. When he had received her, the American stepped out into the hall, called a servant, and told her to bring a couple of cups of tea and some cakes. When they came, the young woman burst into tears. "What's the matter?" "Oh, I did not know that there was a man in Russia with so much courtesy left!" MR. LOCKE'S AWFUL BELIEF IN HUMANITY BY JAMES WEDGWOOD DRAWBELL N William J. Locke's latest book, "The Tale of Triona," Alexis Triona wins fame through the publication of a volume which is, in fundamentals, a plagiarism. The lie is discovered by his adoring wife, Olivia; Triona, in shame, hides himself away for a year, is finally reconciled to his wife, and comes back to society with a confession of the part he played in the creation of the book. Writing to the "Times," he tells how, finding the notes on the dead body of an espionage agent in Russia, he came to take the story as his own and wrote it as such, adopting the romantic name of Alexis Triona in place of the somewhat prosaic one of John Briggs. Despite the fact that his own brilliance made the book, Briggs's part has of course been an ignominious one; but he is prepared, backed up by his wife, to make matters clear to the public and stand free of his guilt for all time. He expects all sorts of uproars from the publication of his letter of confession. Mr. Locke is wonderfully kind! This is what he says: But as they had planned so did it. not turn out. Rowington gave news that Onslow and Wedderburn had dropped the question. Why revive dead controversy? But Triona and Olivia insisted. The letter on the origin of "Through Blood and Snow," signed "John Briggs," appeared in the "Times." A few references to it appeared in the next weekly "Press." But that was all. No one was interested. "Through Blood and Snow" was forgotten. The events of 1917 in Russia were ancient history. . . What did the reading world care what Alexis Triona's real name was or how he obtained the material for his brilliant book? I repeat, Mr. Locke is wonderfully kind. Would that many more people were built the same way. Just what would have happened under the circumstances in real life is something like the following. Scene: The news-room of half the newspapers in the city. Time: Morning. A lynx-eyed city editor sits in his chair reading. Suddenly he starts, pounces forward. There is quick play of right hand and a pair of scissors, and the sheet lies mutilated before him. "Scott! Whalen!" he barks, and from nowhere appear two keen-faced young men, who stand attentively before the Great One. "Seen Alexis Triona's letter in the 'Times' smorning?" he asks, looking piercingly at them. "No," they both answer. "No, you wouldn't! What d'you do on the way to the office? Sleep? Well, "Right; get onto this. Read that let- They read it together, while the other returns to his paper. "Gee! This is good!" bursts from both young men. "Glad you realize it," the C. E. says, Funny business this about being room. ... The city editor picks up the telephone. "Harry? Say, Harry, we're running a page feature on this Alexis Triona stunt. See his letter in the "Times'? You did, eh? Thought you would. ... Well, Harry, I want you to fix me up with two or three pictures. You know the stuff. Triona and his wife. . . . Have they got any kids? H'm! Pity! Tell you what, rake up some of these Russian starvation pictures, will you? All right; let me know. 'By!" The city editor of half the papers in "Say, Jim," he cracks out, and the "H'm," he mutters disconsolately, He thinks for a moment. "Tell you what! Find out what the sales of the book have been, will you? And (if you can) just what Triona has brought in from his little deception." The man of books is moved to protest. "But, I say, old chap," he ventures, "don't you see this fellow Triona is doing a pretty big thing with this confession? Why treat the story this way?" "Which way is that?" "Well, it seems pretty obvious, doesn't it?" "That's my affair. Don't the people want the news?" "Well, God in heaven," cries the other, "hasn't the fellow given it them in his letter?" The city editor (of half the newspapers in the city) becomes immersed in documents. The manager sits in his chair reading the morning paper. Suddenly he starts. pounces forward, and peers into the news sheet as if in recognition of a longlost friend. Throwing down the paper, he raises grateful eyes to heaven, and as his hand reaches for the telephone he murmurs, wonderingly, "For the love of Pete!" "Say, Eddy," he bawls down the tube, "have you seen the letter in the 'Times' 'smorning from that guy Alexis Triona? You have, eh? Some story, boy! How many men have we got out on it? Eh? Good for you! Let's see the results when you get 'em." The manager then puts down the telephone reverently, leans back in his chair and twiddles his thumbs. Closing his eyes, he whistles softly to himself the "Song of Love." Scene: The office of the manager of half the film-producing companies in the city. Time: Forenoon. The manager sits in his comfortable chair reading. From his table a bevy of beautiful women smile dazzlingly towards him, but he ignores the photographs, his attention having been drawn to something of more than ordinary interest in the news. Leaning forward, he pushes one of the row of white buttons in his table. A minute later the door is opened noiselessly and a tall, well-groomed man enters the room. "Ah, Ward," booms the man at the table, "I suppose you have done something in the matter of this Triona confession?" "We have." answers the newcomer. "We are negotiating now for the film rights of the book 'Through Blood and Snow.' As you know, we have tried in vain to get in touch with Triona during |