Blackwell Family General Correspondence Lazareff, George- 1730 - 1937 Blackwell, Alice StoneGeo. Lazarev Ul. Telstehe, 726 Vrsovice-Prague. 19-11-30 To Miss Alice Stone Blackwell 3, Menadnock St., 3 BOSTON, Mass [L] "I have had a full, rich life." -"I am so glad to have lived, and to have lived at a time/when I could work." Last words to her daughter: "Make the world better!" (Sayings of Lucy Stone Blackwell. "W.J." 12-viii-15 My dear Alice How nice, serene, and deeply instructive mentality of the author of these sentenses[?]is!... Do you remember them? I keep the copy of "Woman's Journal" from 13 August 1915. From time to time I read it myself and give to read to my occasional pupils in English. The content of the short biography of dear Lucy Stone is so attractive that it helps my pupils to read and learn English. I am anxious to get as soon as possible the new work of my sister... Lucy Stone has lived 75 years 2 months and 5 days. She carried her struggle under awfully unfavourable circumstances, being surrounded with the prejudices and reactionary traditions of the society of that time. She had an unusual courage to defeat her conviction, which the prejudiced people considered as a blasphemy. But at present time there exist the/opposite, super-revolutionary prejudices, which to fight the most radical people have been lacking the courage. The most striking prejudice of this kind is the holy veneration of the Russian "Bolshevism". Some pf/these radical people defend Bolshevism and Communism be-cause of theoretical misconception; the others because of some national selfis-shness, and the thitd ones because of pure lack of personal courage, which was characteristic to sunny life of Lucy Stone. Our friend, the permanent writ[?]er and American publicist, Sinclair, of Posadena, Cal.- wishes nothing to hear about the short-comings of Bolshevik"s regime, because his false conception of what "The Social-lism is. He thinks that SOCIALISM is the antipode and pure obnegation of CAPITA-LISM; that Socialism is a purely Economical problem; that Socialism has nothing to do with Morality and Social Justice. On the countrary, the CAPITALISM is incarna-tion of all sort of Immorality and Injustice and Crime. It is sufficient to abolish Capitalism, it means Private Property, and the paradise on the Earth will be introduced. Mr. Sinclair replied with the s[?]llogism: "The enemies of our enemy are our friends"/. Bolsheviki are fighting Capitalism, it means they are our friends and comrades. Unfortunately, the majority of the socialists of the ii International follow the syllogism of Mr Sinclair and by this way they kill the saintliness of the Social conception, of the Socialist teaching, the Socialist feeling, practice, activity, and movement. The unprecedented criminal bacchan[?]ls of the Bolshevist regime in Russia provokes no protest from the part of the Soecialist of the world. Bolsheviki and all stupid Communists proclaim openly since longtime that they consider Socialists as their most dangerous enemies. Accordi-ingly, Bolsheviki have packed the Russian prisons with the socialists, they shoot them mercilessly for the slightest protest against the established terror all over the country. At present, the very Bandits of the most dangerous type could not perform such a bestiality, that bolsheviki are making openly before the whole ci-vilized world. They fight the religion, not only churchmen, but RELIGION in it-self, as religious conception of the MORTAL being, whose life is shorter than a twinkling between ETERNITY of the Past and ETERNITY of the future, before foolishly they began to abolish the temples of all denominations, to shoot the prists and devoted parishioners. They abolished the private trades and commerce and shoot by hundreds all, who encroach their prohibition. They resolved at the pressent to abolish not only the well-to-do toiling peasants, but the peasanry, in general. They abolish private farming, individual management; it must be collective or communal. They resolved the peasants to transform into proletarians. They expropriated all houses and all buildings in all cities and towns of the country and nationalized them; but now they resolved to nationalize all private lodgings, to expropriate furniture, to take off the "unnecessary" one: in the lodging for two persons it would be sufficient to have 2 chairs, not more! WhaT is over, it must be taken to furnish some other nationalized lodgings. In order to teacher public:what does it mean the state of nationalization, they compelled the family by force to exchange the lodging to the corresponding another one. Bolsheviki have the center of Communist International, with residence in Moscow; they frely going to all countries officially or in quality of the commercial agents, [an??] they keep the communist party [?] organizations in all countries of the world. They openly say, that the chief aim is to provoke the Social Revolution in all countries of the world, and for this reason to make trouble, risings, mutinies in the colonies and in the metropolises as well. They try to get official recognition of their government, but for the only purpose - to get free access to the country for propaganda and to make uprisings. Some governments officially recognize the Soviet Government mostly in the hope to impose, in this way, the ordinary discipline in the international relation and intercourse, so to say - to time them Great many of Capitalists stay for the official recognition of the Soviet Government in the hope to get the orders for their enterprises and by this way to get rid of oppressing unemployment in the country. The workingmen have the same interests. Bolsheviki are laughing and mocking over all such "capitalistic"and " imperialistic" contrivings... At last, the socialist parties of the world continue to stick up to the Marxist conception of Socialism as exclusively economic, anti-capitalist problem. " Let them be wrong in their tactics" they say, -"but Bolsheviki are fighting Capitalism, thuse we cannot join our voice against them to numerous voices of bourgeois and capitalist parties. " "The enemies of our enemy are our friends." And the result is shameful thing: the cause of social Justice, of Morality, Humanity, and Solidarity now is defended by the most reactionary parties and elements: by clergy, by fundamentalists, by Roman Pope, who up to tow is defending the Saint Inquisition, and justify the burning of His at the stake. And we, the Russian socialists, are crying, as in the desert, in vain. Meanwhile, hundreds and thousands of our comrades are put to death, or in to prisons. The red[?] terror is spread all over Russia. By official information, only in the months of November and December about 250 men were sentenced to death and shot, in many cases without trial, by the dreadful and shameful institution GPU. Not long ago 130 officers wer shot. They counted 5 execution, in average, a day. The inprisonment is equal to genuine torture. My dear Alice, in your desperate struggle in favour of [?] Italian anarchists I saw the bold fighting spirit of your mother has broken up. But in this terrible injustice on the part of the authority of U.S.A is a trifle in comparison with the daily shameful executions and other crimes. In Russia 150 millions of people are deprived free speach, free press, free domicile in their own fathrland. Millions of the young boys and girls are deprived of the right of education because their parents belonged to the privilleged classes. 150 millions of my contrymen and women, with chaned lips, hands and legs, are lingering in the vast and the most terrible prison, which called SSSR.... Great many crimes there have been committed simply because of human ignorance. Howsoever great such crimes might be, they are excusable. Great many people, up to now, are in sympathy with the policy of Bolsheviki, or at reason, ready to excuse their bloody regime just because they do not know, do not even suspect, the real situation in Russia. I am ready to excuse them and to forgive all eve'ls they made for my country- for 150 millions of human beings dying from hunger [?] suffocating from lack of freedom. But I cannot excuse the sympathy for Bolsheviki for these sympathizers who suspect, who knew the real situation, the real martyrdom of the russian people, and who nevertheless, shot up their eyes and their ears, being guided by the class, faction, or party consideration, or, at last, by fear to lose their personal reputation. No special courage is required to proclame Truth, which is unpleasant to some people. For this reason, I send to the socialists of ii International and to those of your country, to all these, who consciensly defend the criminal Bolsheviki, yes, I send to all of them my hearty, my deep, the most socialist curse/,damnation,!! anathema!!!... My dear Alice, I cannot tell you here about the real HELL of the present life of the Russian people. The cities and towns are without bread, without meat; the children without milk. No private person can buy or sell anything, but, the State or Cooperative institutions. while the socialists, of your country especially, are cursing Capitalism and Private Property, the whole Russian people, dying from hunger and from the Communistic oppression, consider as the greatest blessing the return of this capitalist production and that of "private property".--3-- My dear Alice... My dear sister... I hope you will understand me... You knew Babushka(Grand Mother of Russian Revolution). You will aggree with me, if I say, that Babushka constitutes the PRIDE not only of Russian, national Intelligence, but that of International [voice?], of th World. By her life, by her activity and by her sufferings and martyrdom she constitutes those persons, who enter in the History of the World under he title of SAINTS, showing to the young generation of the world how is necessary to live and to act in order "TO MAKE THE WORLD BETTER" My dear Alice you knew Babushka, and I am also proud that I knew her. But during my long life I have known hundreds of such saints women, whom you cannot see and make personal acquaintance just because they were executed or died in the prisons and in the dreadful fortresses. But none of them are still alive. All of them, under existing regime cannot speak, cannot act, cannot interfere in the existing political and social life of their country for the happiness of which they devoted the whole of their life. Our people is living under the regime of pure terror, and to such an extent that the very prometers of the Russian Bolshevism, the intimate friends and comrades of terrible LENIN, are new in prisons, in banishment to Siberia, or abroad, like Trotzky, previously the second potentate after Lenin! Many of these Bolshevist leaders were simply shot, or in other way executed. And now many of the prominent comrades of Lenin are in disgrace and are not in the prisons and not in banishment simply because that they shamefully have been prayng their pontifical Bolshevist Dictator to pardon them, promising to be for the future absolutely obedient... I mention about it to show you the dreadful situation of the remnants of our previous heroes, who for 50 years were fighting the despotism in Russia, who spent the whole decades into the prisons and in solitary confinement... They cannot raise their voices to protest against the raigning terror. All of them are in the age of 80 years and even more. Being deprived the possibility to participate actively in the current life which is quite strange to their really socialist conception, they devoted the last days of their glorious life to writing their reminiscences of their activity, and of the activity of their, now late, comrades. These reminiscences are very interesting and very instructive. They are penetrated with the feeling of Humanity, selfobnegation and really Christian love, in spite of sometime desperate struggle against bloody despotism of the old regime. Among these old heroes there are two who have written and sent me their books, their reminiscences. They are, both of them, (our) personal friends and comrades of ours, mine and of Babushka. They are: Mrs. Vera Figner and Mrs. Praskovia Ivanovskaia-Voloshenko. The first one was the head of the Executive Committee of the Party of NARODNAIA VOLIA, the precursor of the SOCIAL-REVOLUTIONARY Party. She was sentenced to death, but this punishment was changed into the hard labor and solitary confinement for life. Thus she spent in solitary confinement more tha 20 years in the celebrated and dreadful Shlisselburg Fortress. Now, she has written a great auto-biographical work in 2 great volums. It in in reality the history of the Revolutionary movement in Russia during the 70-th, 80-th and 90-th decades, including the period of her RESURRECTION. This work of hers are already translated in many languages, in full or in abreviation I am not sure whether it was published in English or not. But I received from Vera Figner 3rd column of her "works"- the reminiscences of her comrades, who were also imprisoned in Shlisselburg Fortress and spent with her long years, some of them having been died, some of them executed and only few of them get free, and are now living in Russia. The Third volume of her work, that she has sent me, consists of two parts: 256 pages filled up with the biographies of th most prominent revolutionary comrades whom were imprisoned in Shlisselburg Fortress. Their biographies are very interesting and instructive especially for the joung generation of the present time. It is a nice gallery of prominent revolutionists of the old time. the second part up to 317 page, the verses of her own, written in Shlisselburg. They are nice, thoughtful and charming by noble feelings, that it would be a beautiful thing if you could put them into your beautiful English. The idea comes to mind to propose to your editor to publish (th) this III [*all together would be 6 volums*] volume with verses of your translation. What do you think of it? The other friend of ours, Mrs. Ivanovskaia spent many years in the hard labor in Siberia, then she escaped from there, entered at once in the most active struggle against political despotism. She is really a martyr, she sent me her book.... Her book is remarkable one. She is also about 80 years old and a bosom friend of Babushka. She was living in the city of Poltava in South Russia. The whole Russia, without distinction of different nationalities, with great respect has been treating all these remnants of the glorious Past, and Vera Finger and "Pasha" (diminutive name) Ivanovskaia especially. Now...Now, my dear Alise,... I have read in one Socialist paper in Berlin that Vera Finger by (the) order of GPU (Bolshevist Secret Police) - a bloodthirsty institution, is sent in banishment to the city of Perm for her protest against brutality and violence, made on the women, the political prisoners. It seemed to me so incredible, so cynical and criminal, that before the open protest I wrote to my friends in Moscow, with whom Vera Finger was living together, asking them whether it is right or not. There is no answer. I am not sure now that my letter reached the destination. Last time my letters come back with inscription: "Incenue" But from another friends from Moscow, there reached me a letter, written with the evident precaution. The friends mentioned, that Vera Figner feels herself badly, and "Pasha" is very sick. In our old political jargon it means that Pasha Ivanovsky is arrested and Vera has some political trouble. The letter was sent to me and to Babushka and quiet confidently. I must conclude that the printed information about Vera Finger was right. My dear Alice, on reading this letter I was embraced with such an indignation, that I can think and speak about nothing but about supposed banishment and arrest of my old friends and comrades, staying at the edge of their grave. Please do not understand me wrongly. My indignation is directed not against Bolsheviki. I knew them since long time, I knew that they are nothing but a lot of criminal bandits, from which we may expect every nonsense. My indignation directed to our "comrades," to the socialists of different countries, who silenced The Communist crime, discredited the high, noble, moral, really religious conception of SOCIALISM... These socialists are cowards: they are affraid of telling the TRUTH about Bolsheviki. They left to the reactionary elements the privilege to tell and disclose the truth about Bolsheviki. My dear Alice I told you all what I wished to tell. It is no secret from anybody. I auterize you to publish my opinion, if you like. I repeat: the socialists of the world, who are in sympathy with Bolsheviki or simply silence their criminal regime, do more harm to Socialism than the reactionary parties. Their hypocrisy provoke the disgust to the very name of socialist, and make harm to socialism. In the name of socialism hundreds and thousands of the Russian socialists went boldly to the gallows and gibbets or let themselves to be buried for life into solitary cells... Is it right that the SOCIALISM is nothing but economic problem: how better to PRODUCE, TO SELL AND TO BUY! If so, then I am not a socialist... I deeply venerate the bold and righteous conduct of Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell. Is it right that they were the suffragist and abolitionist for the economical motives? On my part, to suppose it, it means to Offence their memory... I would protest vehemently at such a supposition! For me the Socialism is a [heathly?] teaching. I am glad to see in the newspaper cuttings you sent me, that you keep the spirit of Lucy Stone. But to protest, openly against the criminal Bolshevism for the American socialists is too much... In the Hamburg and Marseille socialist International Congresses we; Russian Social Revolutionary Party, [we are] in opposition to all other socialist parties of the world. In the Bruxelles Congress, of 1928, we had on our side a pretty great minority, and we are sure that the time will come when all socialists will join to us. In the name of TRUTH we never were affraid to be in minority. [Dixi]. I hope you will understand me. When I told you what I feel in my heart, I feel myself better. Babushka is allright. All what you say about legacy, it will be done. Babushka is glad to get money because the longer she lives the more of her pupils enter in University and High Schools. We are so thankful to dear Mrs. George Kennan. I wrote long letter to Rev. Dr. Simons, of Brooklyn, who is a very kind man. I will write also to Mrs. Kennan. I do not receive informations from poor Mrs. Edmund Noble. Last letter after the death of her daughter was desperate. The other daughter is insane, Mrs. Noble is weak in heart, they both are very old. The late Lydia supported them and cared of them all. Dreadful! My dear, keep up your health. Your activity rejoices me. Don't be tired! Yours GEORGE. 24-11-3 [*George Lazareff*] My spiritual daughter is a wonderful creature. She is trying to help Dr. Russch. She personally addresses to Elihu Root and now is in Pasadena, of California, continuing to solicit for him. I send her my advice to cease her work in this point. Her forces and talents are necessary in some other more productive line. I should like you would see her. Be healthy my dear. I am glad you got a good reader for your cousin. You will have more time "to make the world better." Yours George. Geo. Lazareff To Miss Alice Stone Blackwell. Ul. Telstehe 726. 3, Menadnock St.,3. Praha. 28-III-30 BOSTON, Mass. My beloved Alice. Many letters we safely received from you. Your last sending: "Citizenship Trough Character Development" especially gave me, nay to both of us, Babushka and me,... an especial satisfaction. It is, at last, the oppen appreciation of our best friend in America: to be put on the list of the most prominent persons and some other celebrities, which and whe will forever enter in the History of the U.S.A. "Motivating Element is presented by Anna G. Hayes, Shurtleff District." I should like to know: who Anna Hayes is? I could give much more to her motivation. But for the first step offer "due recognition" I send to Mrs. Anna G. Hayes my hearty thanks. Now, thank you for the paper "UNITY", in which two articles you marked off yourself: the article of Anna Louise Strong "The Fighting Farmers of Russia," and "Indias Wrongs" by the correspondent from "Dorchester, Mass." As to the first one, I should like to get the rest 4 articles of Anna Strong that the editors of "Unity" promise it. (See last page of the paper). You must know the situation of all foreigners and foreign correspondents in Soviet Russia: They are allowed to see only that, what the soviet authority find useful to show. The correspondents allowed to write some critics of the processes, but not on the Soviet Government. If contrary, the foreigners will be expelled mercilessly; in more serious cases they will be imprisoned and even shot, being accused in contributing-revolutionary [complot?]. From the article of Anna Strong you can see her situation, when she says, I found that one important district official after another, TO WHOM I HAD NOTICE OF INTRODUVTION, was away in the country, "mobilized" for the "grain-gathering". She is inclined to praise the organization of Kolhoz... by force... But these kolhozes are nothing but the robbery and ruin of the Russian peasantry. The peasantry reacted against this compulsory management by the fact, that during the last two years 10,000 terroristic acts were made by peasants against different officials, controling the life of the peasants in the villages. On their part in the soviet authorities shot DAILY from 5 to 40 persons, mostly peasants. The contra-terrorism from the part of the peasantry became so large and frightful that the bloody dictator himself, Stalin ordered to cease the compulsory organization of Kolhozes... Because, under the kolhoz farming the immance plains of cultivated land will be left unsown... and famine in the whole of Russia is inevitable. The same with the compulsory atheism and struggle against all forms of RELIGION, it being the "Poison for the People"... Stalin also ordered, not long ago, to stop the arbitrary closing the Churches. But it does not mean that the closing of churches really ceased, or the compulsory Kolhoz organization stopped. Look better her article and you will see; she is poor girl, who cannot say the truth. She says the evident un truth...that the city workers "getting far better feed than get before, more wheat bread, meat, sugar, butter" ... And such nonsense: "Even the Russian peasant, who before the war ate on a everage only 396 (What a precision!) pounds of bread per year, is now eating 756 pounds, or nearly twice as much. "...Poor girl!... Even Bolsheviki would not dare to give such a statistic OFFICIALLY... I add only one notice: What you would say, if in your country the Communists would catch the Power and abolished free press, free speach, free meetings and all sorts of free organization; if all land and houses in the country were [exprepriated?] and even lodgings in them were nationalized, and in one lodging, very often in one room, the officials compulsory put two-three and more families?... And this is not in the time of war or revolution, but after 10 years of peaceful life. It is the regime of genuine BRIGANDS, who persecute most crually the Socialists and democrats especially. Meanwhile, the socialists, the socialists of your contry, in their central paper "NEW LEADER", of March 15, 1930, in the leading article, by N.N.Brailsford(from London) writes on "Religion in Russia"... "The Soviet method of handling the legal problem of its relation to organized religion is open to criticism, and I shall not shrink from it. But it is grossly misleading to speak, as Archbishop of Canterbury has spoken, of "the persecution of all who profess any form of religion in Russia". On the contrary, to the public exercise of religious rites, whether orthodox, sectarian, Juwish or Moslem, there is not hindrance whatever".--2-- "On the whole, the nonconformists and the Moslems have gained in freedom: That is the "socialist", and English socialist! I knew him personally. He is-and was before a "belshevisant, and from England he spreads the lies in the socialist America. She speaks with authority, as being himself in Soviet Russia in 1929 and in 1926, "enjoing the music of the Eastern ritual, and attending many services." "I saw one lovely medirval church in Vladimir he says which has been rescued from BARBAROUS NEGLECT AND DEFACEMENT and had been WORTHILY preserved as a noble monument of art,"Meanwhile, the same "socialist", some lines earlier say; "But the Orthodox Church is disestablished and disendowed. It is peer, and its heads are suspect persons, who work under a vigilant police. They have no press of their own, and are subject to all disabilities that weigh on every phase of opinion other than that of the governing party". "But one must realize that churches as numerous even in the villages as "pubs" are in this free land(England)' ENOUGH, and MORE THAN ENOUGH, are left for worship". "Going about in villages I soon realized that there was a still more fundamental reason why the Bolsheviks must combat religion in it native forms. It is the chief obstacle to every advance, even in such mundane matters as the adoption of rational methods of cultivation. We talk of the "fatalism" of Russians, as though they were born with this handicap. They get it from the church." "When a Communist tried to teach the peasants to fight drought by ploughing deep, he was met by the conviction --not a poetic fancy but a literal belief- that God sends or withholds rain". The way to get it is to pray for it, and [i] in general, to obey the church. It sounds incredible, but I came on a case [wh] where the priest- the man who could bar the gates to Heaven to a trembling [pe] peasant - actually opposed as impious the planting of cabbages in the new manner with adequate space in which to grow; All this seems amusing to us, but [i] it becomes tragic when it means the starvation of the towns." "Faced with this church, which is an organized conspiracy to perpetuate all the evels of ignorance and poverty under which men labor here below, the Bolsheviks fought it, openly and legitimately, BY PROPAGANDA," and so on non senses. The Russian people is more tolerable than any other people of the [wo] world. The British "socialist", [N?] N. Brailsford, has more prejudeces than [th] a Russian peasant. He was some times in Russia, when nobody of others [and] genuine socialists allowed to enter in the Soviet Russia. Only "the Bolshevisants may enter, on the invitation, in SSSR. Mr, Brailsford knows no word in Russian, he could know nothing but what the Bolsheviks told to him The most ignorant Russian peasant has that distinction from the the English Bolshevisant, that he may make a mistake, because of his ignorance, but he never lies, as a professional liar. H.N. Brailsford knows, of course, about dreadful bolsheviks atrocities. Listen how he defends them. "The "Manchester Guardian" has devoted much space to the dissection of the atrocities and has effectively disposed of most of them. It is evident that Prebendary Gough has been misled by unscrupulous translators. The residue of recent truth in these tales relates to such affaires as the shooting (after trial) of some"White Crusaders". These were fanatics who preached that the Archangel Michael was about to arrive on a White-Horse to overthrow the Soviets and restore the Tzar. They distributed white badges to sympathizers. Clearly this was a monarchist movement, adapted to simple souls. To shoot such people was a harsh police measure, but certainly it was not religious persecution". The truth is quite contrary to above statement. The Russian peasantry hate Tzarism more than Bolshevism. Because they know that Bolshevism in a temporary evel, hypocritical and demagogic power, which tries to deceive them by flattering and by good promises, meanwhile the Tzarism is an historical enemy; namely the very fear of the return of Tzarism compels peasants to reconcile themselves with the foolish regime of Bolshevism. I should like you would read this article in the "New Leader", from [?] March of 1930, the last page 6. An the conclusion on this article by H.N.Braiford, I should repeat the saying of Robert G. Ingersol, which is printed on [t] the same page of the "New Leader": "Every wrong in some way tends to abolish itself. It is hard to make a lie stand always. A lie will not fit a fact. It will only fit another lie made for the purpose. the life of a lie is simply a question of time. Nothing -- 3 -- but truth is immortal." As to the second article:"India"s Wrongs", it is evident that the author of this article had to read and to think much about the subject. In India there was the same communal land as in great part a[n] our Russia before the Revolution. The Social-Revolutionary party always defended this communal possession of the agricultural land against the Marxists, or Socialdemocrats, who always defended the private property and individual possession, that permits the concentration of the land, as a means of production, in the hands of some capitalists or trusts or cartels of capitalists. Because Marx and marxists believe that the realization of Socialism is possible only through the evolution of Capitalism and by concentration of Capital. Guided by this marxist conception, the stupid and bloody Dictator in SSSR., Mr. Stalin, for realization of"Socialism in one country" in FIVE years, resolved to abolish the individual farming, to transfom the landowners- peasants into Proletarians.The result is the creation of Sovhoz and Colhoz( it means Collective management). By intolerable taxation of everything in the the peasant"s individual management, Bolsheviks make impossible the individual management, and the peasants are selling their cattle, their horses,cows,sheeps and so on, and join to Colhoz. Since that moment they ceased to be interested in the prosperity of production. [I] In order not to die from hunger or from starvation with their families, even the well-to-do farmers readily joining to Colhozes. The previously ardent producers become proletarians, it means the CONSUMERS. The result: the land rests uncultivated, unsown, and this and next year the dreadful famine will be inevitable. The peasants by mass are flowing to Colhozes. That is the reason, why Stalin and CK of the Comunist party not long ago suddenly changed the policy: instead compulsory Colhozing, they proclamed that the entrance in Colhoz must be strictly voluntary, and all officials who will continue to compel the joining to Colhozes will be severly punished. This change in policy occured only two weeks ago. It is too late, the great part of the joined to Colhoz management have already sold their agricultural impliments(plaughs & cetera)cattle, seeds, and so on, and not to die from starvation they would not care of their previous pieces of land. The State has to nurrish now great maney [p] peasants, who before cultivated their land themselves and procured different products for the State. Poor Anna Strong, she has to consult once more with Bolsheviks and to write a new article on the same subject... All reproach of the author of the article"Indias Wrongs" to the British government are mostly right But, in my openion, the solution of the problem is not the proclamation of independence of India, as Gandhi and many others require. We must stay on the steady ground and not to fancy. The loss of India would produce the ruin, a catastroph of the whole Brittish people and probably in all other English colonies. No government of Brittish Empire can admit such a calamity. On the other side, the Independance of India for the mass of the Indian people will be also ruinous. In reality, India is not one homogenious State. It is a country, consisting of about 200 different nationalities, races, classes of sosiety, casts, of different religions, hostile to each other. Even at present time between Hindus Moslems are going incessant and blody fight. The British adminstration is mitigating the struggle. In many regions there exists, up to now, almost servitude. I am sure the collision will be finished with introduction of an autonomy for some regions. It is true, that the British officials in India conduct themselves like the haughty masters. I believe the British democratic government will find the necessary reconciliation of great many and complex interests., leaning up on the democratic intelligenzia of different regions inside of India. Miss Helen Stuart Steele (my spiritual daughter) writes me that she is a anxiously waiting the moment when she can see you. I am also glad for her: she will see atlast my beloved spiritual sister. Babushka adores you. She is busy with her humanitarian work. In May she will go as usually to her children in Karpatsky Russia, My dear, beloved Alice, our beloved sister, always do not f forget to mention of your precious health. Babushka and I. we kiss you, your lovely head, your hands and your eyes. Please say always our good wishes to your cousin to her reader-lady and to your dog if he is not so haughty...Yours broather George.[*--4-- Praha, 31 Mars 1930, Monday] My dear, Just I got your lovely letter on the the tragic position of the liberal elements in America in relation to the omnipotent Capitalists. To abstain from the denouncement of the mondial INJUSTICE and EVEL, like Russian Bolshevism, [??] from the fear to help to the Capitalist oppression, is a wrong policy, if not simple cowardice. Bolshevism is real enemy not to the mondial reactionary elements, when they denounce and fight Bolshevism. The internationnal socialists are playing role of the olden Jewish Phrisees, who were affraid of entering in touch with publicans... Let the reactionary elements fight the Injustice, we will stay silent or even to defend Bolsheviki. By this policy the mass of the suffering people, who are anxious of spiritual, really human life, will avert themselves from hypocrisy of the actual "Socialism", and will look for Justice in Churches, in clergy. It means to profane the holy [??eaching] of Socialism, which ought to be the true RELIGION for all MORTALS, who are free from mysticism. For your "socialists" there is no other injustice but Capitalism. To get rid from Injustice it is sufficient to abolish Capitalism.. This is just the conception of Bolshevism. To get this end all means are [permitt???]. No, my dear Alice, we, Russian socialists, have had another conception of SOCIALISM, - that conception, which allowed us to spend years and years in banishment abroad, to be deprived our fatherland, of your people, of our families. In the name of this religious conception of Socialism, --as Religion of JUSTICE on the EARTH, not in HEAVEN,--we, little grupp of Believers, stepped on and forward, and chalenged up all devilish forces of UNIVERSAL reaction. We did not affraid to gut suffer, even to die. We had been the little grupp...chalenging the whole world.... But now, the Mighty Socialist and workingmen INTERNATIONAL cowardly stay silent behind the reactionary elements, who denounce and fight the INJUSTICE. I am perfectly aggree with our friend and comrade Keremsky, who is trying to provoke the MORAL INTERVENTION on behalf of the suffering Russian people. And I repeat once more, that the International socialists of the present time are COWARDS. My dear sister, Iam the socialist by persuasion, and it is our duty to denfend the human beings from all forms of social injustice; the matter of course, we must defend the working class from the capitalist oppression. But we must not forget that the system of Capitalist production is a long historical fact. Which is absolutely necessary at present time, and the abolition of which will require many centuries in the future. Etatization of national production [?] how more harmful, than the capitalistic one. The abolition of Capitalist production cannot be the immediate aim of the socialist parties. The immediate task in defence of the working class from the capitalistic exploytation, is to establish the strict State controle over the relation between the PRODUCERS (it means between the proprietor of the enterprises and their hired workers), and between the PRODUCERS and the CONSUMERS, the latters& ones represent the the whole of SOCIETY. Think a little of this formula and it will open before you a very large and very complex problems. Now, my dear sister,.... Staying on my knees before the sacred memory of Lucy Stone, I earnestly ask you to emphasize the most prominent feature of her wonderful character: Surrounded with the clouds of medieval prejudeces in her family and in the surrounding society of her time, she , alone, boldly steped forward and chalenged the whole world, ready to be beaten by the mob, defending the cause of Justice, of Social Justice. The Social Justice has innomerable forms,sides, faces, not one, not only material, not only economical one. She was the unique sample of the best Social Workers of her time, she was genuine socialists. We are awaiting with great impatience the appearance of the Biography of my dear spiritual aunt., Lucy Stone. Babushka is all right. All ot other of our friends here send you their greeting, because all of them since long time know you are very well. We [a??] sure you will be IMMORTAL. Just at this moment I got a letter from Mrs. Dietrich; my daughter Helen is in New York and and she has seen her. I hope to get letter from Helen, informing me about [the] meeting with you. Remember me to Miss Helen Duddley, to family of Mussey and to some others. I wrote long time [?] to Mrs. Julia C. Drury, a friend of Mr. Herreshoff, of Bristol, R.I., 252 High Street. in response to her letter, Wrote many times and no reply. Why I am affraid something happened. Affectionately kiss your head. George [*Geo. Lazarev. U1. Tolsteho 725 VRSOVICE-PRAHA. 16-VI-SO] [*To Alice Stone-Blackwell Boston. Mass.] My dear Alice I was glad to receive your lovely line with the pictures of a group of old ladies... You are still the youngest one. Especially I am glad you are flying over the U.S. for speaking in numerous miting, And how your Chilmark this year? You must care of your "Monrepos". Babushka is now in Ouzgorod at her internates for the boys. She is weack by spiritually as young as ever. I belive she is writing you. We expect she will come to Prague in the begining of August. My dear, with great sorrow I have to say you that our old friend and comrade, Dr. Nicolas Russel, of 11 Wusih Rd., 11 , Tientsin, China, - is dead.... In the Bolshevik paper,of Moscow,"Pravada", from June 2 of this year, is printed information, that "Dr, Nicolas Konstantinovich Russel-Soudzilovsky (his previous Russian name .G.L.) died in Tientsin in the age of 83 years. Early in 70-th decade he took activ part in the revolutionary movement in Russia. Later on ge went to America, became the citizen of U.S. and in 90-th decade was the President of Senate of the Hawaian Islands." This information was reprinted in the Russsian papers abroad. One month ago I received a letter from him[?] felt he is at his end. He expressed his sorrow his little daughter Flora,Of 11 years ol will be left without and protection, without any care of her. He could not leave for her any material source for her livelihood... Deprived the U.S. citizenship his two sons could not enter to U.S. to finish their education. The elder one, the musician, Started for the city of Harbin, in Manjouria, the look for job; the second one is also without a job because of great crisis of the civil war. Now he cannot address to the American Mission for protection of her little daughter in case of his death... He hopes that I, Babushka, Mrs. Steele and some old comrades of his will do something to help her. Mrs. Helen Steele who devoted all her energy to reestablish the citizenship of Dr. Russel and his children in half succeded in it. But now she returned to Europe, she writes me regularly from different countries, but cannotgive me her own address. Thus I cannot informe her of the death of Dr. Russel and of that of the other american friend of ours, Dr. Soble, of Rochester, whom she visited being in America. Meanwhile Helen writes that she is going to go to America once more to bring to good end the case of Dr. Russel. So I am in great trouble about all this: I cannot inform her of the situation. I was one more one week in hospital, asking my surgeon fried to make one more operation. But after a week of reflection he found I am still too young to enjoy such a privilege. So,, I am all-right... Long time I hear nothing of my unfortunate friens Mrs. and Mr. Edmund Noble of 89 Pine St. Malden, Mas I am always anxious to get a word from you. I am writing much and busy and happy enough. My greetings to your good cousin, her lady reader and to all our common friends, Miss Helen Duddley, to family of Mussey and others. Yours affectionately George.[*G. Lazareff*] Miss Alice Stone Blackwell 3 Monadnock St., 3. Upham's Corner Boston Mass. U.S.A. Etas Unis Mukachero. 11-X-30 My dear sister. I am so happy being sitting amidst more than 40 charming girls in Babushka's girl school internate. It is realy beneficial institution. How excellent girls How they are intelligent, disciplined and many talented. They know your name, as a best American friend of Babushka. Mrs. Irene Dietrich also they know. The keep many Christmas presents from her. Illustrated Postcard covered the wall of their Dining room, many are from you Tomorrow the last day of my travelling. I am going home at last. Yours brother George. [*Mar 22 1931*] Prague 22- III - 3I To Miss Alice Stone Blackwell Boston My dear Alice Just now I got your sorrowful letter from 7 March. It was sorrowful concerning your information about the family of Edmund Noble. I am so thankful you for your sisterly frankness in telling so intimate information about shortcomings of Mr. Noble. But in order to put you in right way in appreciatio the personages of this family drama I have also to intimate you... From the repliques of Mr. R.L. O"Brien,who - I am sure of it - is a noble man and perfectly gentleman - you could take false conclusion upon the character of Mrs. Lydia Noble. You say: "Mr. O"Brien said he himself had a regard for Mr. Noble, but he did not think highly of his wife and family. He got situation after situation for Lydia, the brilliant daughter who died, but she was never able too keep one. He said:" Both those girls ought to have gone to work; they should have gone out as housemaids, if necessary,rather than expect that old man support them", And he blamed the women of his family for lettin Mr. Noble come to his work looking very uncared for -I suppose -with his clothes needing to be brushed and mended"....and so on. My beloved Alice...Since long time I knew all about this family drama;. I saw you concentrated your attention upon the head of the family, Mr. Edmund Noble. You had been pit of [hi] him, while I was tormented about three "the family women". Since you informed me about participation of the family of Mr. Noble during the visit of Mr. Kerensky to your Boston; we renewed our correspondence with Mrs. Lydia Noble and her younger daughter, [lydi] Miss Lydia Noble - this wonderful good hearted, intelligent and talented girl. If you could read Russian, I should send you their letters to see the awful family drama, even tragedy...since long time. Both, mother and daughter, were glad to find a friendly man, to whom they could confess their grievances. [I used to sent them.] I used to send them consolation and encouraged them in their despair, and up to now I had been in regular correspondence with them. The last letter from Miss Lydia I got not long before her unexpected death...Mrs.Noble confidently told me of all shortcomings of Mr. Noble and even of those that she could not confess to her daughters.... Mr. O"Brien is kind man, but he did not even suspect the infernal life of this family. One time you wrote me that Mr. Noble asked you about the sanatorium for his nervous daughter. It was for poor Betty, the--2-- elder daughter Beatrice, who had been then already really insane, and gave great trouble to both mother and sister, for day and night. Miss Lydia could not continue any situation she could get. The old father was very weak and she and her mother had great trouble to get him up and to prepare him to go to office. They were in great destitution, Young Lydia took some work to home to earn something. She wrote me that her earnest longing was to enter in the university, but she could not abandon the family. Her mother was suffering from heart disease, and their fysisian warned her that her mother can die suddenly die if she walk or work too much. Her old father is like a baby, requires much trouble. At last the poor sister required to keep eyes over her. One time poor Betty had disappeared...The police was informed. She had her little saving in the bank. She had taken it up. Long time they heard nothing of her. But one time they got information from the police, that Betty was arrested in Washington and put in custody as an unknown vagabond. She said her name and the address of her parents. The Boston police was asked to inform the police of Washington whether it is right statement... The father went to Washington to get her home. Mr. Noble becam old and quite weak. They have not money enough to support their bare existence, but the condition of the health of Betty was critical : acceces of insanity became frequent. But there no money to put her in asylum. In sane condition poor girl asked not to send her to sanatoria. She will try to be quiet.....At last they found the cheapest possible sanatoria in some other State. The time passed. The mother, Mrs. Noble had come to see poor daughter in sanatoria. Betty cried so dreadfully asking mother to take her home, that poor Mrs. Noble could not withstand and brought Betty back home. In this peri- od poor Lydia wrote me that she tried to take some occupation, but positively cannot leave both parents alone. She liked the Russian literature and tried to write verses.... My dear Alice..,Both of Lydias were so nice and attrac- tive persons and they were so thankful for my attention to their heavy situation, that Mr. Noble always addressed to me calling me "beloved brother". New period had come when Mrs. Noble had brought her Betty from the sanatorium home.... If Mr. O"Brien would know all what was going in the family of Mr. Noble, I am sure he would not think so LOW of the women in the family of Mr. Noble. From the early morning to the late at night poor Miss Lydia had to care of all the rest in the3 family. She wrote me at the time very touching letters. In spite of my energetic protests Mrs. Noble and Miss Lydia sent me in some solemn occasions: at my birthday, or New Year not less than 5 dollars. To this New Year of 1931 Mrs. Noble also sent me 2 dollars, saying that she fulfils the last will of her dying daughter.... I wrote her about my "daughter" Helen, and told her that she tried to telephon her, when at your visit. She was very sorry she could not see her. They have no thelephone in their lodging, but it would be easier to telephon to Edmund Noble to the office of "Boston Herald". At last quite unexpectedly I received a desperate letter with the information that our beloved talanted Lydia died.... All letters I got from Mrs. Noble were washed in her tears... Her last letter was short but striking: She informed that Mr. Edmund has lost his position in the office of "Boston Herald". I believe, my dear Alice, that you will see that Mr. O"Brien"s appreciation of the women in the family of Mr. Noble was not right. In her normal state Betty up to how helps her mother at the kitchen. I think, at the bottom, poor Lydia died from overwork and exhaustion. The unjust appreciation of Mr. O"Brien stroke me painfully just because he is honest man and you could believe him. Now, my dear Alice, from the preceding, perhaps you will understand me when I say, that the plan of Helen to send the whole family to the South of France is fantastical. 2 dollars a month!.. I05 the prewar franks, or about 600 franks of to-day... for 3 persons, all of whom are sick and cannot live without external care!... All over Europe at present is waging great crisis, the awful unemployment. But the modest room to hire costs about 400 franks [worth]. That is an instructive and striking example of your American Socialism akin to Communists, who are talking about immediate abolition of PRIVATE PROPERTY and CAPITALISM. I am Socialist and do not defend the present abuses of capitalists. But the difference between us, the social-revolucionists, and your American Socildemocrats- marxists - consists in different conception of SOCIALISM and of the way to attain it. Your conception (I mean the socialists of Uncle Sam) [are] narrow sighted, which regards the socialism as pure economic problem, as an antipod of CAPITALISM. There is no compromise: either Capitalism or Socialism! The change can be made only [*Mar? 22 1931*] 8 scores of millions of workingmen. In the list of international socialist parties your country goes with I0 or I5 thousands of the regular members, while the European States like England and Germany have the socialist parties of 5 and 6 millions members. Before the war England, too, [had] the utopian socialdemocratic party, which also was powerless to defend the interest of [the] working class politically, trough Parliament, by legislature. Now the socialists have in their hands the state power of the greatest Empire in the world. Meanwhile the working class in your country is staying aloof from the socialist party. Why? Because the yanky population are more practical: they believe that the capitalists not less than the workingmen interested in the prosperity of the country, in production and exchange, it means - in the prosperity of the working class. Meanwhile, at present, to be socialist it means to fight the capitalist system of production generally. It is aim, requiring many-many generations. That is the reason why the workingmen in the U. S. prefer the professional organizations, to fight capitalists on the economical grounds, for their immediate needs, - by strikes and similar actions, not with the socialist on the political pfatform. General conviction is that in the case of capturing of the political power by socialist party, the dictatoring of the proletaiat will be proclamed and the Bolshvist policy will be inaugurated. The orthodox teaching of marxism and materialism greatly supported such a conviction. Meanwhile the political action is absolutely necessary, by separate and independent socialist party. But to realize it the present policy of the American socialist party has to be changed. They must unconditionally recognize the law of EVOLUTION in the economical construction of the human society. That the governments may be overthrown by force and Revolution, but not the evolutionary created economical order of Society. It means that in economical transformation the Socialists must be OPPORTUNISTS (the abnoxious word for many socialists and to all Communists). They must concentrate their attention on the pressing and actual needs of the whole population of living generation; to defend not only the interests of proletatiat, as representatives of the Physical work, but all members of society, actively participating in creation and support of welfare of the people. The socialism is not exclusively economical, but INTEGRAL problem, it has to organize socity on the principles of JUSTICE . To liberate the human being from all kinds of opressions and injustice.-- 9 -- That is the point of view of the Integral, or Democratic socialism; To attract the working masses of the people to the socialist party is possible only by concentration of the socialist party's attention to the pending and pressing needs of the whole working population, and of the whole population in general. The socialist party in U.S., instead [?] futil preaching of wholesale abolition of Kapitalism, would put in its program the pressing economical reforms by peaceful legislation. For the working, proletarian class - to secure the maximum of the work time and the minimum of living wages; and especially the SOCIAL INSURANCE of different kinds: against accidents, diseases, unemployment; the old age pensions for all population and the life insurance. It is not some utopian aspiration but the pressing needs of the day. The social and individual life would be brightened when each individual would be reassured in the independancy of his life to the very end of it. It would be an immance step forward on the way to realization the perfect justice in the organization of the social life. The socialist in your country, of the Russian origin, like My friends Norris Hilquit or A.B. Kahan, are more reasonable than than your Norman Thomas who preaches that Bolsheviki in some relations, perhaps are wrong, but he believes they do the useful work and very instructive experience, which must not be bothered. ------- My dear Alice, I hope you understand that I am not against the socialist movement in your country, - I myself had been participated there in this movement [*50 years ago*]. I am only against the tactics of its leaders. It is wonderful how much energy they spend for so pitiful result. The late comrade Berger, of Milwaukee, the socialdemocratic leader I knew very well since 1891, where I was living during two years, working in different fabriks and typographies. He was then a young, but very intelligent man. In the last international congresses in Europe I met him pretty old man. I am in great sympathy with the American socialist movement, but there is no sence in the socialist party without the mass of working population. With their present dogmatic teaching and preaching they represent rather a sect, or a church, without any political influence. I am glad my old friend, A.B. Kahan after visiting the Soviet Russia became quite reasonable.-- 10 -- Now, about my "dauther" .... I have loved her as my own. Passionately I am wishing to see her happy. Since her girlhood she was deprived her personal life. To put down her own grievances and sufferings she tryed to the outmost to work for the others, to mitigate the sufferings of her neighbour. She never was a socialist by her mental conception, and she will hardly could ever be that of the marxist conception. But by her nature, intrinsic character, by good filings she is sure member of the humane and democratic sosialism. You know I never had my own children, like you. and for this reason I heartily love all especially sympathetic goodhearted persons. It is oppen secrete that I and Babushka we are loving you as the best sister of ours both, so tenderly, that Babushka called me at once if she [*got*] any suspicious information of your health... Your eyes, your hand, and so on. I tell you all this to explain my feelings towards my "daughter" Helen and my unfortunate friend, Mrs. Lydia Noble. I must confess before you :Mr. Edmund Noble is also unfortunate person and I am pity of him, but by my feeling he was a stranger for me. I am ready to do for him all my possible, because his life is closely tied with that of his family. Now, Helen did not told me who is her husband? what his profession and ocupation is? Only from you I have known, that MR. Sondheim is a Jew. I know the prejudices in the fashionabl circles of your country. But I am sorry if Helen tought I am not free from prejudices upon Jews. All my life passed in fighting the social evels hand by hand with friend and comrades-Jew. WE had in our party the most malicious provocator like the head of our Militant Organization, who at the end destroed our party organizations, and betrayed Babushka, M. Tchaykovsky and many others. But at the same time we had, and have up to now, the real heroes [*Jews*] in our party and social and political struggle. If you will have an opportunity to see her again; please explain my trouble about her happiness and my fatherly feeling. I asked her to come to see Mrs. Lydia Noble, as a nurse to consolate her untolerable sufferings. Thank you for your letter. Since long time I did not write you. Now be sure, my beloved sister, we always remember you To the conclusion, I tenderly kiss your eyes, your head and both of your hands. Babushka is well for her age, and spiritually as young as ever. We sorry only her sight became very weak, hardly can read. But she is living under good care Yours affectionately George. [*I hope Mr. Sondheim is a nice man and gentleman. If you will see him tell me your impression.*] -- 4 -- [*Mar 22 1931*] by the revolutionary CLASS WAR, by Zusammenbruch, by dictatur of Proletariat. In this respect they deny any evolution, any compromise, any coalition in bourgeois governments... The most revolutionary and the most consistent of them are communists and bolsheviki. Before Lenin Karl Marx preached that Socialism can be prepared by the very evolution of Capitalis by progressive concentration of Capital until it will be concentrated in the hands of [*the*] few. Simultaniously with this concentration the production of the whole country will be perfectly organized, the population of the whole country will be expropriated and transformed into Proletariat. Then a good Zusammenbruch and wholesale expropriation... and socialism will be realized and inaugurated. Thus socialism is [*the*] abolition of Capitalism. Socialism is nothing but economical problem, problem of social production and exchange. All other naughty problems, like political, national, religious, educational, and so on, are nothing but of [*the*] second-hand "SUPERSTRUCTURE"! Socialism has nothing to do with the foolish santimentalism, that usualy called "MORALITY!" or "SOCIAL JUSTICE", and so on. Socialism is incompatible with the existence of PRIVATE PROPERTY for the means of production, with the existance of [*the*] independent farmers or any kind of artisans; no private trade; the whole population have to be workingmen, proletariat. For this reason, whether at present the nomber of the proletarians is great or small, all other classes will be expropriated and transformed into proletaans. For this reason all socialist parties have to defend only the interests of the proletarian class. So, all other classes, possessing the great or small property, belong to bourgeois class and are the inveterate ennemies of proletari[?] of Socialism. Thence the uncompromising class war! The class war doesn't care of any santimentality, morality, humanity, justice, christian virtues, and cetera. The individual being, [*the*] human being is nothing, while the CLASS, the working class, the class of proletariat - is EVERYTHING...[*The only master of the future...*] --------------- Such is the philosophy of the ortodox marxism, the most consistent followers of which are Bolshevists and Communists. We, social-revolutionary socialists, are anti-marixists. The nearest and the final aim of ours [*is*] to defend and [*to*] liberate not the class of workingmen or proletarians, but the LIVING HUMAN BEING, without distinction of sex, of nation and social position. The living and mortal human being is Alfa and Omega of the social life. The human being is the PHYSICAL and mortal PERSON, while the class, people, State and Society are nothing but abstract, juridical persons,-- 5 -- which has no nerves, no capacity to feel, to think, to suffer and to enjoy the blessings of the world. More than that. The human being is mortal. The longest of his or her life, being put between the Eternity of the Past and the Eternity of the future, is less than a twinkling of the eye while such collectivity, like the Class, Peaople, State and Society in general - are practically immortal. All sorts and forms of collectivities have been created and exist for nothing but the wellbeing of the mortal individual, for the welfare of the human being. Hence, our high conception of HUMANITY. The Christian and Anarchist conception of the sanctity of the human life is perfectly right and just, but we deny any Church conception of the religious persons, and, contrary to Anarchists, we recognize the State as an absolute necessity for the social life. The collective, or social life is the law of Nature: it commanced since the appearence of the most primitive form of life, because it is, and always had been, the best way to get more safely and preservation of the precarious individual life to the age, the individual can leave its posterity. When the individuals are living separately, in isolation, they naturally live in the state of full Anarchy, where there is no place for any kind of MORALITY. But once they come together, to make collectivity for mutual welbeing, some order and discipline is absolutely necessary. Thus the coolectivity among the Uni-cellular living beings, like infusorias or bacilles, in Zoology are called "colonies", the collectivities among the insects are called "swarms", those among the birds are called "flocks or "coveys", those among the high animals are called "herds" and those among the human beings they are called "societies". Thus the Society in general is not an occasional invention, it is the creation of the Nature. It is absolutely necessary for all individuals and for the whole posterity, for the preservation of "species". Thus Society exists FOR individual not in revers. . . No collectivity is possible without a discipline. But there are two kinds of discipline: VOLUNTARY and The OBLIGATORY one. In order to satisfy some particular needs the individuals organize a free associations, with their particular "statutes", voluntary accepted, to which volunarily obey all members of the association. No element of constraint in relation between members and their association is considered as an abuse, punishable by law. -- 6 -- Mar 22, 1931 Society in general, as a Collectivity, exists for all individuals, and no member of it has right to interfere into the private life of his neighbour, or make trouble to general prosperity and order. To defend the collectivity on the whole and in order to keep up the social order, the Collectivity creats an especial institution and organization, to which it gives the commission to keep up the social order, endowing this institution with definite MONOPOLY of the COMPULSORY POWER. Such an institution we call "The State", with executive power. You see, the State is absolutely necessary for the social collectivity and it is always beneficial institution, though the Executive Power, or Government, may be awfully bad pernitious, despotic. The State has been existing since the d dawn of human history with the same predestination, but the executive power, the government, were of different form. The trouble of the whole humanity was to find the best form of government. O, how much human blood had been shed in the fight for, better government and against bad, despotic potentates. Now the liberal and progressive parties, as well as all socialists, recognize as the best form of the State is Republic, and the best forme of government is DEMOCRACY. It means that the Executive power is tobe elected by the people. At Democracy the executive power may be also bad, but who is guilty in it? Of cource nobody but the people themselves. No revolution can improve situation. The consciousness and intelligence of the people is needed. It was in the region of Politics, of ruling the people. Still more difficult task is in the realm of Economy, -in Production, Exchange and Distribution of the products, necessary for full satisfaction of numerous and different needs of millions of individuals, men and women, of different ages, sizes, personal tastes and predilections. It is bestial nonsense to abolish all private iniciative, all private enterprises, to abolish all kindsof private property of means of production, and to entrust it into the hand of the State, it means in the hands of the Executive Power, of government, which exercises its power and fulfil its function in no other way but BUROCRATICALLY. Besides this practical nonsense and impossibility to create one, wholesale national and burocratic Economy, — production, exchange and distribution, -it would mean[s] to give to the Government[b] besides the political power the unlimited power upon the very existence of the whole people The Human history did not know such a wholesale slavery. . . Meanwhile, such is the situation in the Bolshevik Russia -- 7 -- It is shameful to see that the most socialist parties of the world had been in sympathy with bolsehviki, who undertook such an interesting and very instructive social experiment. . . Let nobody bother them to go to the end, nobody dare to blame them! "The enemies of our enemies are our friends! We are fighting the capitalists; Bolsheviki are their enemies, it means they are our friends. Such is the position of Upton Sinclair and the great majority of the Socialists of the U.S.A. They are the most belated and inveterate marxists in the world, the orthodox marxists . . . While the marxists in Europe step by step are coming to the principles of our conception on Socialism, the socialdemocrats of Uncle Sam are enthusiastic on seeing so instructive experiment in creating so extraordinary social machine, like "5 years plan" in 4 years" for realization of Socialism! . . . They pay no attention that this experiment costs the slavery of 150 millions of the living and mortal human beings, who deprived the most elementary human rights of free will, free conscience, free press, meetings, free choice of profession and of the place for living in their own country. But what would you say if our excellent friend, Upton Sinclair, in one excellent morning would proclame the nationalsation of industry throughout the U.S.A., and expropriated all proprietors, confiscated all savings in the banks; if he would declared you and your sick cousin the harmful "bourgeois", "koolaks", "blood-suckers", and for this good reason would expell you all and with your little dog to the street, putting in your house and in your rooms the slum of the sity? Besause all land, all fabriks, all houses and buildings would be expropriated and nationalized and made property of the state. The poorest population, the slum, would become the privilleged and dominating class, replacing the previous bloodthursty "borgeois". And at the same time he, Upton, would proclaim all socialists of the world the most vicious enemies of the class of proletariat, and those of the communists. My dear Alice, I assure you your beautiful capitalistic country would soon represent still more wonderful picture of material ruin and moral decay, than we are enjoing in our agricultural country. Your socialists are the utopists, orthodox marxists. In stead of to be as practical as the capitalists and businessmen are, they preach abolicion of private property and the capitalist system of production and likewise utopian theory, thus crying in the desert troughout so great country with May 27, 1931 Geo. Lazarev U1. Tolstého 726 Vršovice-PRAHA. 27- V- 31 To Miss Alice Stone Blackwell 3, Monadnock Street,3 BOSTON MASS. My beloved Alice. Thank you for your unlimited kindness and attention to to Babushka and to me, for your sympathy for the Russian cause; for the cause of the whole humanity. Your letters are a great consolation and encouragement for young generation. As a rule the older one becomes the more conservative he or she becomes. Our wonderful Alice is so excellent exception, that we, Babushka and I, and all our comrades of the Social-Revolutionary Party, have to recognize ourselves as more conservative than you _ and the majority of the socialists of the II International. They and you consider capitalists as the most pernicious enemies of your country, of your people; for this reason your eyes are fixed on your capitalist production and exchange. Capitalism must be abolished, it means the private property must be abolished, the factories, stores and all buildings of the country, all houses must be expropriated, in a word you follow the example of bolskeviki in Russia. We are not so radical, as your American socialists, and [and] the difference between us, Russian socialist,—and our American comrades, consists in the difference of our situation. You in America, - in Europe as well, - living under the capitalist regime, you live enjoying with all blessings of modern civilization. Of course, during the pending universal economic crisis, you have millions of persons in great destitution. Let us admit it. But out of 115 millions of persons of the population of your country, at least 100 millions persons are living, as free citizens. Even the little dog of your cousin is enjoying some comfort. But out of 150 millions of our people at least 149 millions are living worse than your dogs, worse than the negros- slaves in your country in ancient times! . . Who protested against the slavery of the South? Who were the most earnest supporter of Abraham Lincoln in his struggle for liberty of negros? The capitalists of the North, my dear Alice. The capitalist production required the abolition of feudalism. You may say that the capitalist had been guided not by moral, but by material, economic motives? Never mind! The better, if the capitalist, economic interests are in [fu] full accord with the morality and justice. It is full stupidity on the part of the socialists to follow the policy; - to do always just contrary to all wishes and doings of capitalists. In order to understand our position and so prove your wrong conception, it would be more convincing for you to see your country & your people, your nearest and you yourselfe in the situation in which we and 149 millions of our people are living. You would be at once expelled from your house, frome your room, or in your large room would be located one or two families of "Proletarians". The New York sky-scrapers would be occupied by the slum. The churches would be adapted to the stables or to reading halls or some other utility, if not ruined or burned. Private f family life would be abolished. The work would be proclamed obligatory for everyboby since childhood. Who does not work must not eat!! All previous classic bourgeois could not invent such tortures for the working people which bolsheviki now practice. In 1921 under the rule of bolshevist government in Russia not less than 5 millions persons died from starvation, my beloved sister in this number . . . To save the Russian people the capitalist government of U.S.A. granted 20 million dollars, creating celebrated A.R.A. under the presidency of of your President Mr. Hoover. Babushka and many other of our comrades had sent the parcels with provision through this ARA, and thus literary saved many of our old friends. But the ARA itself saved millions, especially poor children. The socialists of the world so justly was indignant with the execution of two innocent italians! But in Bolshevist Russia, besides the daily executions after some trial, daily hundreds are shot down by GPU without any jugement. Bolsheviki literally are trying to exterminate all our old and best INTELLIGENTZIA and scientific men, who refuse oppenly to support all stupidities and crimes of communism. You perhaps remember that 14 members of the central Comittee of our Party were tried and all sentenced to death. The execution was postponed for unknown date. Years they were waiting the execution. Without declaration of mercy, after some years of imprisonment, they were sent in-- 2 -- different part of the country as hostage, that in the case, if anybody of our party will make an attempt on the life of the leaders of Bolshevism, all of them will be immediately executed. Before the last stupid and demonstrative trials of engineers and the leading specialists and scintists and professors all [the] sentenced to death our comrades of C.C. of our party, who did not die, were suddenly arrested and brought to Moscow. We were affraid of the execution. All workingmen were fixed to their factories or works forever, and who [i] is deserted will be deprived the right to get work in any other place and workshop. He or she is doomed for death from starvation. Meanwhile under the capitalist system the workman could do off from his work at any time and to look for job in [an o] an other place. The teachers, scintists in univercities, and members of the Academy of Science cannot each or preach according previous "capitalistic" conception upon mathematics, physiology and so on, without adapting it to the materialistic conception. All who are suspected in old conceptions, [w] would be merceresly expelled from their occupation. The American intelligent class justly trying to get free [the] Mooney and Billing from their prison. But we have thousands and thousands of our comrades, – socialists ,-scattered without count all over Russia and Siberia, living in so terrible conditions, that they would be glad to take place of your Mooney and Billing. The situation of the whole Russian people is worse that that of your negros before your civil war, because negros were considered by all civilized people as wild people, near to cattle, black cattle . . . . But 150 million of Russian people without distinction of nationality, of creed, of sex, age and social situation are deprived the most elementary human rights: oppenly to think, to read, to write, to choose their profession and occupation and the right of free travelling in their own country. In your country very often is very difficult to get a divorce. The bolshevist laws allow to marry and divorce daily, if somebody likes, without even warning his or her mate. To get rid of the sunday celebration and church services, bolsheviki introduced the 5 days week, in such a way that husband and his wife cannot have free days for the rest all together. The man has his free days monday and tuesday, and his wife in Friday ans Saturday. Very often the man is working during [nig] night and his wife during the days, and they cannot see each other. The uprisings of peasantry all over the country are incessant and incessantly the bloodshed is spreading throughout Russia. Who are those percecuted in Russia? not the monarchists or reactionaries, because you cannot find them in Russia. Nobody but the socialists of all shapes are persecuted. Still more, almost all old communists, the collaborators of the late Lenin are now either expelled from the communist party, or imprisoned, sent to Siberia or lived in disgrace dying from hunger. Leo Trotsky, the chief scoundrel and murder of tousand and thousands of our comrades; who, being minister or war, killed millions of peasants and practiced terror for many years.- he himself is now banished abroad, in Turkey. And nevertheless up to now great many socialists cynicaly proclame: "In our civilized countries the regn of communism is not admissible, but in the uncultured Russia let Bolsheviki go through to the end with their "interecting and very instructive experiment" in constructing of Socialism in a short time, in 5 years! Socialists must support, not fight or condemn them! . . . . My dear Alice. We, socialist, the members of the S-Revolutionary Party oppenly despise such a policy of the socialist parties of II International. In the Hamburg, Marseille and last Brussel Congresses we solemnly declared it. We think it is shame for all, was clame to be a socialist, to defend and to support the Soviet government under the pretext that they are fighting capitalism! . . . It is criminal lie: Bolsheviki and their hirelings, the communists of all countries,- united to fight Socialism and Democracy. Happily last time more and more socialist of Europe come up to out position. The Britisg government, Macdonald and Henderson, who hate bolsheviki more than the Baldwin and Lloyd George parties, in spite of their incessant intrigues and provocation of riots in India and all other colonies and dominions, have to tolerate and even defend Soviet government in Parliament. They still stupidly believe that the commercial relations with bolsheviki can be kept -- 3 -- and dreadful unemployment can be reduced. But in reality, who have supported Bolsheviki? The socialists only talking about, but the capitalists of all countries entertain the most cordial relations with bolsheviki: T they are received in Moscow as the best friends. In your country the capitalists officially are crying against bolshevist dumping and hypocritically invoke their protest against slavery, against the compulsory work in Russia. But they are doing so to be pleased by their American treads- unionists, who are affraid ob Bolshevist dumping and all emigration in general . But is it not curious, many thousands of American engineers and skilled workmen are not occupyed in the most important enterprises in Russia, thus helping Bolshesviki to increase their dumping. The German capitalists make credit to Soviet government for 300 million marks and they are since longue time working together with bolsheviki. The fashists of all countries entertain the most cordial relation with the communist government of Russia. And your socialist are crying loudly on behalf of the Soviet government, insisting on the recognition the Soviet government DEJURE. Why? what is the profit for the American people? But they require it not for their people, nor for the Russian people, but for the Soviet Government who oppress the Russian people and provoke systematic desorganization in all other countries of the world. It costs for the Russian people more than 100 millions dollars to support the communist parties in all countries of the world. And the communists in each country are fighting not capitalists but the socialists. The American socialists, living in the most capitalistic country in the world. represent the most powerless socialist party in S. International. I read regularly "The New Leader", of New York, and see that the socialist of Russian origine like Morris Hilquit and A. B. Kahan were more sceptic towards bolshevism than other the American yankey socialists. At one dispute inside of the Soc. party the most ardent defender turned out to be Norman Thomas against Hilquit. Since that time I could not entertain warm camaradery feelings to Nornam Thomas. I was very sorry, because I consider him as the most powerful and energetic character and person in the U.S. socialist party. His energy is wonderful. He was a priest. The protest against the hypocrisy of the "Positive", or the Church religion, consecutively brought him to the Socialist religion. But the American socialism had been always materialistic: it has to cope with the economic troubles, the cause of which ascribed to the capitalistic mode of production. The aim of socialism was to abolish capitalism, it means the private property. All spiritual, moral, really religious requirements of human soul can be satisfied only after abolition of Capitalism. But at present it is, as "superstructures" not so important. It was a logical conclusion when the autors of the materialist conception sencerely believed that with workingmen organization Capitalist system of production can be abolished in 25 years. Such was the conception of Marx and Engels. With each new edition of their the "Communist Manifesto" the date of abolition of capitalism was postponed. Meanwhile the daily personal and social,-spiritual and moral requirements were pressing and had to be satisfied. Once the Humanity could not find due satisfaction in narrow economical and materialistic teaching of Socialism, they began to look their spiritual satisfaction in some other social and mostly mystical teachings, in different church organization. It was especially so when the marxists reduced the socialism only to the class conception, which may make interested only the class of "Proletariat", the hired physical workers. We S.R. socialists, anti-marxists, we put in the centre of our conception the defence, not the interest of the working class, proletatiat,- but the interests, welbeing, happiness of the mortal human individual. This conception brings the obligation and moral duty to defend oppressed human beings, all oppressed class of society, as well as all individuals without distinction of class, creed, nationality or sexes. Our guiding motto is JUSTICE, Social Justice. If working class would make something wrong to capitalists, we find us to be obliged to explain it to the wrongdoers.The matter of course the socialists must fight all the abuses of capitalist organization and defend the interest of all oppressed, but we must not be foolish, and not to fight the wind-mills.... To abolish capitalism it will require many and many centuries. The abolition of all private property it is an obsolete formula of the fanatics of the early mistical Christianity, who looked with contempt at temporal human life on the earth, and put all their care of the future eternal life, the post-mortem life. They looked at the Heaven, not at the Earth. For Christians as well as for Anarchists, the individual may be saved. The individual is the bearer of life, not class, not people, not any collectivity. Collectivities are not physical persons: they cannot feel, they cannot think, suffer or enjoy the blessings of the Universe. The life of individual has AIME in itself. All Collectivities, all social organizations, are created and exist FOR the individual, mortal individual. We, the Russian socialists, since long time adopted this Christian and anarchistic conception of social life, but in the process of our theoretical development we soon succeeded to get rid from the misticism of the early Christianity and from the abnegation of the STATE, preached by Anarchists. We recognize the STATE, with its compulsory power, as the absolutely necessary FUNCTION of each Collectivity. We are striving to make individual happy here, on the earth, not in heaven. If some body want to secure the everlasting, the post-mortem life, let him go to some other organization, more competent in this realm. Our motto: all organizations in Society and the Society itself were created for the happiness of mortal individual. And our Socialism cannot have any other aim: to get Society organized on the principles of JUSTICE. The feeling of indignation at the picture of social INJUSTICE brought Norman Tomas to the camp of the socialist party organization. It was natural he adopted first the material conception of Socialism. And I was in indignation reading his defense of Bolshevism. Can you imagine, my dear sister, my great astonishment when in one of the last numeros of "New Leader" I have read the account of the book of Notman Thomas; : "America's Way Out". "Democratic program" Thomas fights in his work the materialist conception on Socialism. I was so glad that could not help writing him my hearty congratulation and joy. Mrs. Dietrich promised me to send me the Book to read it through. My opinion: the American socialist will be powerless as long as they will fight without support of labor men, treads unionists and farmers, without creating the Labor Party, like in England. But for that it is necessary to get rid of the utopian conception of socialism. It is necessary to pay more attention to the immediate needs of the living generation: to get all kinds of social insurance. The Americans treads unions do not believe in abolition of capitalism and for this reason prefer to support two capitalist parties. If, for example, the unemployment insurance could be introduced, the capitalists themselves would be interested in such organization of their production that the unemployment would be reduced for a minimum. Because, mostly nobody but they must pay the insurance. My dear Alice. Babushka becomes more and more weak, though she is spiritually well and joyful as ever. But in case of her death good percentage must be paid to the State treasury as the taxes on inheritance. To get rid of such expenses we (on the advice of the local lawyers) organized the Society in memory of Babushka Katherine Breshkovsky for assistance to the "education of the youth of Russian origine". Babushka will put her money to the credit of this Society, and all money for Babushka for educational purposes must be forwarded to this new Society. The scope of this Society limited very narrow and intimate friends of Babushka. But to be legal it must be registered. We already did so. Babushka lives at the family of our intimate comrades Mr. and Mrs. Archangelsky and our comrade, engineer Rabinovich. The President of Society is Mr. Archangelsky. The members: Mrs. Archangelsky, Treasurer Mr. Rabinovitch, Mr. Milashevsky (with whom she was living last year). The honorary members: Mrs. Breshkovsky, Mr. Geo. Lazarev, Miss Alice Stone Blackwell and Mrs. Irene Dietrich. Practically Babushka will be the commander and the rest her assistants. After her death her work will be continued not only here, in Czechoslovakia, but in Russia also.May 31/31 Lazareff Praha. 31-V- 31 My dear Alice. I am so thankful to you for your information about Helen. At last I got a letter from her. She says of the unlucky visit to poor Noble. Neither Helen nor Sidney Sondheim told me the circumstances of their marriage, nor about the origine of Sidney. She said that she thought very much before resolution for her marriage. But now she can only say that she is happy, that in the face of her Sidney I shall have loving son and admirer. . . . He also wrote me promising not only not to prevent her previous intrinsic inclination and humanitarian activity; but will try to help her in her activity. It was enough for me to be quiet for her internal sensation and spiritual mood. But first your letter informed me t that Sidney is a Jew, by origine, and from your last letter I see Sidney is married and is not divorced. From their silance upon this subject I conclude that they are not sure how I treat the jews. . . . Perhaps I am antisemit? . . and full of prejudices upon forme of marriage . . . Meanwhile for me was sufficient her saing that she is happy . . . I know the nobility of her soul and character and I was sure that her husband a noble and honest man. But their silence upon [the] their family affair now makes me troublesome. I suppose that Helen and Sidney have had great many troubles in American society which is full of prejudice. I am very glad that she frankly told you about her situation, and I boratherly ask you, my beloved sister, morally to support Helen if she is in Lazareff S. Lazarev UC. Tolstého 726 Praha XIII Miss Alice Stone Blackwell Boston, Mass. 26- IX - 31 My beloved Alice. I am guilty before you for my silence after your so many kind letters. I hear nothing from Helen Sondheim. I got a kind letter from Mr. Sondheim. Perhaps they send me the "Nation", where Henry Mussey is in the staf of redactorship. I am glad to get it. [*Please try to get the Nation from 9 September of this year.*] It is progressive paper and radical, sometimes too much radical . . . In the nomber from September 9 an article of your friend Mr. Upton Sinclair is printed: "Sosialism, Red and White"; It is miserable polemic with the man of real science, the the head of European marxism, Karl Kautsky, who is not only man of science, but honest thinker, whose writings and investigations have been guided only by love for Truth and Justice, and who, seeing how all what are doing bolsheviki in Russia, boldly joined to us; the Russian-Revolutionaries, assertaining together with us, that the Bolsheviki and the Soviet government are the most inveterate enemies of Socialism and of all real socialists. For him, as for us, the only sign of Socialism is the idea of Social Justice. Bolshevism has nothing to do with Justice and a moral conception in the social life. In Russia is reigning the regeme of the ancient despots, like Neron, Kaligula or Egyptian Pharaons, who, having the enslaved people, had the only ambition- to glorify themselves either by the endevour of conquering the rest of the world or by constructing on the bons of millions of their slaves, such tecnical wonders, like the Egyptian pyramids are, with the only purpose the despot to be buried in after his death. All this nonsens like "petiletka", or construction of Socialism in 5 years, is worse than any useless pyramids, it ruined the whole Russian people, made him die from hunger, while our country had been previously "the granary of Europe." You cannot immagine the awful situation and the desperate plight of the whole Russian people! It is shamful to see so many socialists, fighting communism in their own country, but trying shamefully to glorify the bolshevist regeme in Russia. I can assure you that the whole mass of our people deeply hate bolsheviki and their regime, and by hundreds they kill their officials all over the country. To the terror they reply by terror. Daily by hundred the peasants are killed at thea moral trouble. I love her like my own daughter, likewise I love you, as my own beloved sister. We are old, but we have plenty of humanitarian work before us, we must be attentive to each other [tha] to encourage not discourage good and active social workers. You cannot imagine how glad I am seing the paper cuttings in your letters, with your incessant interferance in the social affairs. And I believe my dear Helen can be excellent and noble social worker. She is worth to be supported in some particular circumstances when her intimate feelings are involved. Our work with Babuska from day to day but growing. And it is now so important t that it must not be stopped with the death of Babushka or someone of us. I hope Sidney Sondheim will be good assistant in our common work. And I ask you, as my sister and coworker, what was your own impression after personal acquaintace with Helen and Sidney? You understand that I ask it not with the aim of "espionage" or indiscression but to get rid of great trouble for their possible family sufferings. I am in incessant trouble about it., - just like I was always in trouble when your arm and eye were not in order . . . I know how many prejudices exist in American society with the matter of marriage. I think Helen hides from me all her personal troubles. Her motives are good but the result is quite co contrary. Please, support her if necessary Brotherly kiss your head. My greeting to your lovely cousin and your dogy. 3 days ago I have seen Babuska at the formal organization of our new society. G Lazareff — 4 — in Germany; and England rather than to admit the coalition wth the bourgeois parties. In a word: the socialists are able to make and to say so stupid nonsenses, as the rest of the mortals. . . Now many socialists-demagogs call Macdonald and Snowden the treator of the working class. They are stupid. . . The very leaders of the opposition earnestly asked Makdonald to stay on the post of prime-minister in order to cope better with the crises and with many other difficulties, among which the most important is the trouble with India. Thanks to Labor Gobernment the uprising was quelled and Handi has come to London to sit at the "Round Table". With the economic and financial crisis the destiny of the whole British Empire was at stake. For the demagogs and irresponsible men it is easy to cry for radical even social coup"état in such a critical moment. No, my dear Alice, they are bad or stupid people, those who who call Makdonald the "treator of the working class". We Russian socialists appreciate as the nobliest martyrs those men and women, who proclame their convictions before the very ignorant mass, the interests o of which they conscienciously have been defending. In our openion, Socialism is inseparable with the idea of Truth, Sinserity and Justice. For this reason we do not fear to say what we think and to proclame Truth which we believe in. And I tell you my opinion: Macdonald, Snowden and Henderson are equally the friends of mine I knew them since their youth, or from beginning of their career, and I say: Makdonald and Snowden are national heros, and Henderson and the mass of the Labor Party are either cowards, or egoists, or ingorant people, or irrespoincible demagogs, The Trads-unionists especially against the reduction of the support for unemployed. And political leaders, Hehderson in their number, consider their radical, "uncompromised" tactic as just good before approaching parliamentary election. Dixi. Adress Mrs. Weller: "Pani Katherinea Weller. Nerestnice. Karpatska Rus; Czechoslovakia." Be sure, we will not allow Babushka to move anywhere from Prague. But in Russia we would go only together. In Viena Congress I had seen my old American friends and made new and nice acquaintance with Mr. & Mrs. Algernon Lee. My greeting to you, to your lovely cousin and your little dog. We are glad to hear you feel yourself pretty well. Care of yourself better, my dear beloved sister. Babuska is weak but active. Affectionately Yours George. — 2 — frontier while trying to escape from the horrors of the internal life to any foreign country. We know the real situation in our country through direct contact with our friends and from refugees from Russia. It is lie that in Russia the capitalism has been killed. It has been only transformed into the most abnoxious form of Capitalism, into the State Capitalism at the full absence of Democracy! The abuses of Capitalism consists in the exploitation of proletarians, because of absence of democratic state control. The state Capitalism means desperate slavery of the whole people. The capitalism is compatible with all forms of individual liberty. The State Capitalism denies for individual the most elementary right of civil life: to think, to speak, to meetings, to chose profession, to travel over the country, and so on. With the full ignorence Upton Sinclair is glorifying bolsheviki and their socialism. . . As to Macdonald and Snowden they are nothing but honest men and patriots, who were bold enough to prefer the interest of their country and of the whole world to the selfish wishes of his party. Each expert in financial affair would prove you that in order to safe the country, the coalition of all parties was absolutely necessary, as well as the reduction of the support for the unemploied. The balance in the state budget by any means had to be realized. to safe the standart of the paper money, pound sterling. To explain you shortly: The paper money are good when the State bank has sufficient gold in reserve to exchange them for gold. If [?] the paper money is too much in circulation, or the gold reserve is too small the cost of paper money will necessarily fall, especially at the moment of financial crises in any large and industrial country; Unfortunately the gold reserve, necessary for ALL CONTRIES of the world, concentrated in France and in your country, at U.S. After awful inflation of the paper money in all countries introduced the gold standart: Germany for its mark, and England for its pound sterling. Sterling and mark, being exchanged for gold, the other countries of the world, in order to issue their own paper money, bought for reserve not the gold, but English sterling or the German mark. The gold being concentrated in France and U.S.A., all other countries instead of gold had bought English and German paper money. This policy imitated all banks of the world. Demand for the English and German paper money— 3 — money was enourmous. Now please, imagine that for some reason the mark and Sterling had fallen in price . . . . It will be panic all over the world! The English firms and companies, deposited their money in banks, will try to get them out and to exchange for gold or to buy the paper money with gold standard in foreign country. Everybody will try to get rid of the sterling paper money. The very small fall of cost of mark or sterling may be expressed in loss of hundreds of millions of pounds. . . The bancs of many other countries may declare their bancruptcy. When Snowden showed the enormous deficit in the state budget, do save country and to fight international catastroph was possible only by reestablishment of balance in the state budget. For this was necessary to put enormous additional taxes on the incomes. But to justify them it was necessary to diminish the state expenses. The enourmous sum of money was required for the help and support of 3 millions of unemployeds, which number during the winter might be augmented. Thus in all branches of the state enterprises the expenses had to be reduced, the salary diminished. The Labor Party, the bulk of it, wished to cover the deficit with the taxes on the income, on the capitalists and landlords. It was impossible Because many enterprises in the country would be stoped and the nomber of unemployed would be augmented. Such action would not be allowed by the opposition in the parliament, which has the majority ( Liberals and Conservatives being put together) To recur to the new election the time has not allowed. The fall of sterling required immediate action. If the government of Labor Party would giv give demission, the new, opposition government would make greater reduction in the support for the unemployeds. After the consultations with the leaders of the opposition parties all of them decided to put aside temporally all party differences and jointly to save the country from catastroph. The opposition leaders had understood that to cope with financial crisis is better only jointly, by the coalicion of all parties. More than that. They asked Macdonald and Snowden to stay as before in the head of the coalition government and they will strictly obey to their leadership up to the end of the crisis. Being in the Intern. Congress in Viena, the delegates of the Independ. Labor Party required to imitate to Bolsheviki and to make the Socialist RevolutionWe were so glad to get your short biography. But I hope the future biographer will have plenty materials from Babushka"s and my archives, which will be delivered in the Prague Russian Historical archive, in which the great part of our letters and different documents had already delivered.Not less than a hundred of yours. With clippings of your numerous articles in the papers... With brotherly love I kiss your head and both of your hands. Soon will be Chicago World Exposition. I"ll come to kiss your hand personally. Yours for ever George. ČESKOSLOVENSKO-TCHÉCOSLOVAQUIE [?]-CARTE POSTAGE PRAHA 73 10.VI.32 21 MISS. ALICE STONE-BLACKWELL 3,Monadnock Street,3 Uphams Corner BOSTON MASS. U.S.A. ETATS UNISPrague, I0-VI-32 My dear Alice. This morning I got a letter from Mrs.Mary Upson, 2125 Ridge Lane, Santa Barbara California with an aDDition of $5. Excellent letter in reply to my letter of thanks for her previous $25. She says she read about Babushka and me in Kennan"s "The Siberian Exile System."She sent me apart the picture of California and of Yosemite valley. She knows that I had been twice in California. I wrote you that Helen Stuart Sondheim is now in West Hollywood, II05, Larabee St. 1105 Los Angeles. What they are doing there I have no explanation. No letters more from her. It seems to me I forgot to tell you that Prof. Henry Reymond Mussey had visited me, and I brought him to Babushka. His son June, who visited Prague twice is now graduated and this summer will make Mrs. June Mussey one American girl. Babushka is better now physically, the sight is weak. Next sunday I will come to see her. Our dear Mrs. Dietrich regularly sends her boxes with wears.Wonderful woman. With pleasure we get your lovely letters. Please, always one word of your health. We hope the cousine is better and doggy also joyful. And you are prepared to go to your marveilous Chilmark? Keep up your forces! I am joyful and have plenty of work in writing.To Miss Alice Stone Blackwell Prague 10-V-32 Boston. My beloved sister. Evidently by letter has not yet reached you when you asked me the address of Helen Sondheim. I wrote you also about sickness of Babushka, but I forgot to tell you that I have written it quite confidently. She does not like When I inform my nearest friends about her sickness. She says: why to troube them before my death. Anyhow, they cannot help." Perhaps she is right. But I feel myself badly when I hide our trouble from my spiritual family, from you especially. Last sunday I visited Babushka, Mr. Kerensky also had come from Paris. I read for Babushka the letters she received and had written some in answer in English. She was weak, but pretty strong to talk with me some hours, now [*she*] can come outdoor in good weather. But 10 days before she was so weak and suffered so from headache that I was really affraid. With oppen eyes she could not see me, and I took the opportunity to make picture from her. She does not suspect it. I show it to nobody but to Kerensky and to you. My dear Alice, If you could only realize how she was attached to you.... She says she loves you more than beloved sister, but she feels you in her heart as a half of ther own soul. I"ll make a crime once more in sending you this occasional picture of Babushka, and I hope you will not give me up? Now I will go often to her to write some letter in English and French; Last winter was very long and severe. I hope with the warm weather she will be better. But hardly she ever can read and write We can be satisfied that she is surrounded with with the most intimate and devoted friends and comrades of ours. They read her the Russian newspapers and make her au courant of all pending events. You have already know, of course, the sensation of the moment.: Sudden and unexpected death of two the most eminent Frenchmen;, the President of French republic, and President of the International Work Bureau at the League of Nation. Doumer and Albert Thomas. The first was killed by a crazy Russian refugee, and by this foolish crime without any reason pas put all Russian refugees in very precarious position. After such criminal incident usually the reaction followed. In 1894, when i came from America [*-- 2 --*] in Paris, the French President Garnod was also killed by foolish Italian anarchist, Caserio. I was arrested with two other of my friends, put into prison, where we spent some months and when, les lois scelerates were were voted in parlament, we were expelled from France forever without any investigation, - arrested just in order to press on the Parliament in order to pass "the laws against anarchists" It was the period of the well known "Dreifusade". The period of great reaction, The French Tiger, Geo Clemanceau was disarmed, [*[?] himself*] under the police surveillance. We were fighting both against the reactionary anti-dreifusards, he - in French and I in Russian literature. That is the reason, why many-many years later, when I lived in Switzerland, when Clemanceau was appointed the Minister of the Interior, the next day I received a tellegram from my comrades that the Minister of Interior invites me to come to Paris if I like to see my friends there... Of course, next day I was in Paris. Thus, since that time my beloved country of France once more [*was*] oppened to me. My case is a good illustration. That is why I tell you it. You ask of Vera Figner. I do not know who told you about her living in Berlin? It is mistake. As far as I know she is living now near Moscow, in special sanatorium. She does not want to go to abroad, and hardly Bolsheviki would allow her to go out of Russia. We are in preparation to celebrate this summer her 80-th Birthday. I am in correspondence with her and her friends. 19 November last died her sister and our one of the intimate friends, She also was banished in hard labour in Siberia. Vera has written great work in VI or VII volumes, which translated in German and it seems to me some of them in French. In Viena during the International Congress I saw the German edition. My dear, your friendly relation with a little mouse reminds me my experience in the Kiev prison, where I was sitting in the solitary cell. The big rat had gnawed a hole in a corner under the floor. During the night she used to come in my sell. I perceived it and began to put crumbs on the flore. Little by little she dared to come in the day. After she appeared regularly during my dinner of which she had her regular portion. She became bold enough to walk over t the cell. I throwed her crumbs and she took them. One she disappeared. I was in a trouble... I-- 3 -- I missed her. I tried to put the best piece of my bread. of no avail.......One week passed. I was in despare... I was afraid my comrade was perished O, what a joy of mine!. She came in, but unusually thin. I believed she was ill. I gave her my best cakes. She was eating earnestly. She accustomed to a appear more frequently than before and took big crum with her. But one time I was extremely surprised when I had seen behind mothersome very vivid little children. Soon they began to follow their mother came boldly to my feet, and waited their portion. Thus I am in sympathy with you. Babushka has dictated her letter to you without allowing me to add a word from myself... I hope you received it safely. My handwriting was awful, but I tried to be readable... My love to you and harty greeting to your dear cousin and her doggy. I wrote a card in response to lovely letter of Miss Bertha H. Gault, of Holyok College. Babushka asked me to thank her cordially. I should like to know whether she will get my card. I asked her to let you know. My dear, I am awfully buzy, and for this reason have only 24 hours. Our dear friend Mrs Dietrich is working also hard in helping Babushka and hundreds of the Russian refugees men women and children. How joyful to live having such friends and coworkers. My love to you, my dear sister, my dear Alice. Tell me precisely the date of your birthday. I know it in September, if not mistaken. Wonder!... I have now two daughters!... 4 weeks ago I received the letter from Miss Alice Masaryk who writes me that she received letter from America from some Miss Sonia Ladov, who asks her assistance in finding Mr. George Lazarev, who lives in Szecoslavia.... She inclosed the letter of Miss Ladoff. In 1892, when I lived in Milvaukee (Visconsin) in this city came the family of Ladoff: father, mother and daughter, a girl of 9 or 10 years, Sonia. The father was banished for some years in Siberia, for the cause of politics, On returning to Riga, not to be arrested again, he went abroad with his wife and daughter. They came to America and came to me in Milwaukee. I helped to Ladoff to find work and we became friends. Sonia, little girl, became so attached to me that she cried when I separated [?] with them going to Chicago on. the Exposition of 1893. After I went to Europe. I heard that Mr. Ladoff had died. Only yesterday I got letter From Sonia. She is the thecher in the school, in Pittsburgh. Pa. Her. address: 247 Amboy St. EAST END Pittsburgh, Pa. She was not married. Lived. with mother, which had died two months ago. She felt herself quite lonesom, like orphan and suffered much. But occasionally she met a Russian, who told her, that Lazarev is still alive,. living in Prague. He adviced her to. address to Miss Masaryk the daughter. of the President of Czecoslovac republic. She did so and thus has found me. She now writes, that she feels herself lonsome, and consider me as a FATHER. She remembered all the time how I was kind towards her. Once she found me she is so glad, so glad, - she feels herself regenerated. She feels now anew a little. girl sitting on the lap of dear Uncle George. . . . She promised next time to tell the story of her life. She asks me to be her Father! . . . . I"ll wait. It will be interesting story. Thus you, perhaps, soon will be the AUNT of my daughter . . . . Be healthy and happy, my beloved Alice. With brotherly kisses yours George. IC-V-32 My writing Ribbon is worn out . . . Apr 22/32 Geo Lazareff Praha 22-1V-32 To Miss Alice Stone Blackwell Boston. Me dear Alice Yesterday I visited Babushka to see her, to read some leters to her in English and to answer some of them under her dictation. I did so with her letter to you and to two ladies, who recognise now that Babushka was right and they were wrong. on account of Bolsheviks" regime. She is now in excited disposition when somebody asks her about bolshviki. Her physical forces go down; her sight became weak, she cannot recognise her visitors by sight She suffers the athrophy of the eyes nerves and professor-oculist is trying to preserve her reaction on the light, so that she would not plonge into absolute darkness. He hopes he will succede in it. She suffered much and very often from everything, especially of her little children in Karpatsky Russia and the students who she up to now supported in the Univercity in Prague. Some of them are studying in university 3 and 4 years and for their graduation are left only one or 2 years. You may be sure, my dear sister, that all her friends with whom she lives, are doing all their possible to mitigate her suffering. Hygienic condition in their farm house is excellent. But unfortunately this year the winter time lasted one month more than usual. Up to now we have pretty cold weather. I am always glad to read in your letters the account of your doctor of your good health. Be so kind, my dear, to continue a little reports on your wellbeing, of your kind cousin up to her doggy. Health is the highest blessing in this world. Now, let me tell you that this morning I got unexpectedly a letter from my Helen. . . . from Los Angeles in California! By the way she writes: "Sidney has been out of work since last September. I was sorry to leave Boston without seing Alice Stone Blackwell, she was still in the country and our departure was rather hurried, due to the fact that the house we lived in was sold to some one else, and we had to leave in two days notice or agree to stay and pay rent for another year. We were only too happy to be released— 2 — from this burden. So under the circumstances I saw nobody before leaving Boston. And I left this sity with a feeling of sadness for America; if Boston was the cream of America"s intelligencia, then America's intelligencia is sadly depleted. I mixed with college Professors, Doctors, Lawers and ctc, and I assure you - prejudice was never any worse in any part of the world! Jews are positively their "untouchables" except when needed financially. I would like to have done social service there on a larger scale than I was able to do. My dear Daddy, how can we ever have a peaceful world or even internal peace while we permit ourselves and our children to bear prejudice and its faults. . I well realize that each race and each religion have certain characteristic that are not pleasing to us and vice versa, but I maintain that for one or two 2 generations we must accept all races and try t to understand all creeds of the earth until our shoulders have rubbed each other so frequently that we see good as well as bad in our fellow men. Prejudices should not exist in this XX-th century! It is a great disgrace to our civilization , that we have not buried it as a hoary antique. What do you say:? Like myself I know you do not know the feeling of prejudice. What some people miss in life by holding on to it, n'est-ce-pas? Well, here we are, in California. We have tried most of the larger cities as well as many of the smaller ones in search of work "en route" here, but without success. Living is much cheaper than in the East, and the country is very beautiful, as you know. I am happy to state that I was fortunate enough after much trials to raise the money to get Nina Arbore-Raill"s pictures out of the storage, and I expect them to arrive in California to-morrow. I hope to succeed in placing them on Exposition for the coming Olympic Games. I am making good progres in that direction. I am due on the Los Angeles Pier to sign for the pictures of M-lle Arbore and arrange for their delivery to my home. So I have to leave you for to-day. When I get settled I shall write you a long letter and also to our beloved Babushka. Until then do know: I was born a socialist and I shall die a socialist and that while my heart belongs to all nations my thoughts are all of you, of Babushka & Russia. Helen"— — 3 — My dear Alice. I copied the letter of Helena to inform you at what circumstances she left Boston and in what sad mood he did it. I know the prejudice is strong in America against negros and jews. But I believe it will not be sufficien not one, not two but maney generations before the children of Uncle Sam abandone their prejudices . . . . In given occasion the misfortune becomes greater than usual when the couple belong to the same race negro or jew. In this case they equally feel their nnatural shortcomings . . . They are both guilty. But here Helena, the Scott lady, quite undeservably bears the remuneration for the historical virtues of the jewish race. I don"t know what a man is her husband, Sidney Sondheim. For me the criterium is only one,- the appreciation on him from the side of Helen herself. I have no prejudice against Jews In our political and social activity we had discovered the most abominable cases of provocation from the part of our socialist "comrades". The case of Evno Azef, who was the head of the "fighting Organization" in our S-RParty, and who in the most critical moment had betrayed all our organization, after which Babuska was sent the second time in Siberia for life. But it makes no prejudice for us. We had hundreds of the most devoted comrades of our who showed their wonderful sacrifice, abnegation and devotion to the cause of social justice, and who were Jews. Nevertheless, we had been taking to consideration the general prejudices of the mass of the people. For instance . . . . We did not allow the Jews,- be it our comrades,- to participate in attempts to kill our "Little Father" Russian Tzar . . .just to avoid the massacres of jews, usually provoked by the reactionary monarchists. But it was not a prejudice against the Jews . . . Finally the trouble is: whether Helena herself is contented with her husband or not? But for abollition in America the prejudice aginst Jews will not be sufficent many generations . . . It is the matter of the mondial culture not of any individual action Address of Helen S. Sondheim: 1105 LARABEE STREET WEST HOLLYWOOD. LOS ANGELES, CAL. I am in a trouble of Helen, she is goodheartegd and energetic woman. At good circumstances she can make much good. My love to you. Brother G-- 4 -- Still one word more, my dear Alice. I left your letter at Babushka, in which you say about 2 ladies, who have recognized that Babushka was right and they were wrong . . . . Please tell them on my part, that I am glad that they have found truth. It is better "later than never". But the saddest wonder and stupidity is that up to now the II socialist International and especially the socialist of U.S.A. require from all governments of the world the recognition DE JURE of Soviet Government,- it means Communist Government, in Russia. It is a criminal scandal, the shameful interferance into our internal affairs, while they protest against intervention of all governments of the world into the interrnal affairs of the Bolshevik"s regime. It is 160 millions of the misfortunate Russian people who for 13 years literary have been tortured by the bolshevist unprecedented terrors, who hate their torturers and carry the bloody struggle against them. And when we social-revolutionists are trying to organize the effective internal struggle, our efforts annihilated by the international socialists" cry for recognition bolshevist obscene regime. We are social-revolutionary party the only one which fight the recognition DE JURE the bolshevist brigandage. Let us try to help the communists of U.S.A. to seize the political power, let us allow to introduce the regime proclamed in Russia, and then we will talk with equal rights. Until then we will fight all the supporters of Bolshevism,- witout distinction of their nationality and creed. Yours forever. George Prague 25-IV-32 I am awfully buzy, it means happy.Miss Alice Stone Blackwell in Boston. 16-VIII-32 My dear Alice Yesterday I got your letter, written on the eve of your start to Chilmark. Of course, Babushka will get it simultaniously. It is good idea of yours to send doublicates. Last friday I visited Babushka to help her in writing letters in English She dictated one letter for you. I am sorry I had not taken my typewriter and had to write by my terrible handwriting... Babushka asked me to write under her dictation and in the s style she she accustomed to write to you. She asked me to repeat what I had written. She asked me to send the original and not rewrite in my typewriter. I should like you would be a witness at our intercourse. you would be ascertained how deeply and tenderly is loving you. I was touched myself to the core in talking with her about you. She tenderly loves also Mrs. Irene Dietrich, who with full religious enthusiasm is working with Babushka for many-many years. I was laughing on receiving almost simultaniously the letters from you and from Irene. I read them to Babushka one after another. One sister, Irene, is enthusiastic in profit of Mr. Hoover for his reelection, and sister Alice, quite contrary, does not li like him. I asked Babushka: how she will reconcile them?... "Let them do what they like,- replyed Babushka. They are both equally sincere and are doing according their conviction." I am, myself, not so optimistic upon the rapid fall of Bolshevism. But she is right the Russian peasanrtry en masse press upon the bolsheviste regime with such a force, that bolsheviki, or rather Stalin and the other beasts, which near to him, gave up their previous plans of construction of Socialism in 5 years, and so on nonsens, which make so enthusiastic the socialdemocrats of U.S.A. We are ashamed in reading the resolutions in different conventions of the socialist party and students, whre their earnestly insist on recognition DE JURE the Soviet government by the government of U.S.A. It is shameful interferance in our interior affairs. The whole Russian people hate bolsheviki. While Bolsheviki build their 5 years" nonsens, the whole people has been thrown into servitude unprecendented in history of the word. In reply we wish to pass the resolution insisting that the government of U.S. were intrusted and delivered to Communists.... The American socialis don"t see that in our country, which was so long time theGRANARY of Europe, the whole people is sufferin and litterally dying from starvation and destitude of every kind. They have no boots and barefooted, they are dressed in rags. They tryed to escape from their country daily by thousands and daily have been shot at the frontier. In their despair the Russian people praying God that some foreign country would declared war to Russia, to Bolshevist Russia, to help people to overthrow the abnoxious regime. It is nonsens, of course, but it indicates the degree of desperation of our peasantry. And when they hear of the resolution of Socialist in Amerika in favour of the communist government in Russia, they begin to hate them. The most intelligent of peasants ask the socialists of the world let them alone and let them try to introduce the communism in their respective countries. My dear Alice. If you would be acquainted with real situation in our misfortunate country I am sure you would be so indignated that your interferance on behalf of Sakky and Vincetty would appear a trifle in comparison with hundreds ans sometimes thousands of killing the most intelligent people in our country. The socialists of your country perhaps really believe that bolsheviki are doing a wonderful experiement in construction of SOCIALISM. . . . They are wonderfully stupid, your socialists. They continue to keep the obsolete marxiste dogmas, while the mondiale war and the whole series of revolutions in all great countries of Europe require now quite new cosial conceptions. Now the most reactionary coverments are ernestly trying to organize just internationale production and exchange. Your conservative president Hoover if cgosen anew President will give up with his requirement not to abolish the war debts. . . The economical part of socialism now trying deliberately to realize the bourgeois government themselves. But it is too great and complex quetion to discuss here by and by. . . Let me kiss both of your hands and your noble little head, my dear, beloved sister. I am very much busy in writing my reminescences and numerous correspondence with friends in Russia and in other countries of Europe. I received invitation to be present at the marriaage of June Mussy with his bride. Did I told you thay his father, prof. Raymond Mussey had visited us in Prague? We were glad to see him personally. Just this moment I have to go to a meeting and I have no time to read over my letter to corect mistakes. Do yourself, my dear. My greeting to your lovely cousin, and her doggy, too. I hope you are now in Chilmark. But this letter I direct to your Boston address. My brothrly love to you. George. CB7 Lazareff Drubazftro V-VIII-32 My ol love, my beloved Alice, my blessing As long as you are alive, I am sure, spiritually I am safe and quiet. There are 25 years you are with me and I am with you, and I know our characters are identical and akin. All my life, or, rather, all actions during my life, –had been directed to the arms I had in view. For instance, my dear, I tell you, as to my intimate friend and sister, that I was married also for my special purpose. I tryed to be free in my personal conduct, I should like to be in close connection with our peasants to oppen the school to teach their children. But my parents especially my mother with her aristocratic education did not allow me to do so. Meanwhile the time had come of quite knew one, —the libarations [of serfs] from servitude. I had seen a great beneficial work before me, and I could not do it. But I became acquaited with a young student, who was liberal man. I married him to be free from my parents. Thus I became Mrs Brestekovsky instead of Miss Verigo.— I think for my country soon will come a new period of life – regeneration. The peasantry which I loved since my childhood, now are more conscients and better organized. They soon will compell to set off Bolsheviki, and I hope, if my life will not be cut down suddenly, I hope the Russian peasants will call me at once, as soon they will be free. If nobody of them soon come to me, I have friends who would bring me to Russia. You will stay in your parental nest, But from there I believe you also will see the regeneration of my country. And I will be always proud that my dear sister Alice have been taking part in this historical event.My dear brother George and Alexandre Kerensky are my intimate friends and spiritual consolation for me. Your image and that of of my dear Irene Dietrich I always join to their company. I am always glad to hear of your being well and in health. My beloved Alice, –do not be in doubt. I believe in the truth of your sayings about your health. You are also in pretty old age, so I shall be very glad to hear frequently of your personal wellbeing . . . As long as I believe that I can do something good for my neighbours generally and for the young learning generation particularly, of course I mean the poorest [of them] and more needy of them, — I don't wish to start forever from your company. But to be deprived of the sight and hearing and to plunge into absolute darkness it would suggest of full uselessness of my farther life. The beginning of the regeneration of my country would regenerate me. But to live mechanically from day to day it would be tedious. I don't care of myself, I don't fear my death, not a bit. I am sure of good end of this mordial crisis and I belive in regeneration of my great and noble people. I wish my dear intimate friends would be happy to their end. K. B. To Miss Alice Stone-Blackwell Boston 10-IX-32 My beloved Alice I inclose here the project of the text of the supposed Appeal. Perhaps you can find a good paper to print it. I know, the time is hard and your country is also overburdened with the calamity of her own, but she is the immence country with immence population, with immance variety of individual caracters, with immance material and intellectual resources. . . Perhaps we can get something? Let us try . . . I am in a great trouble, seing that the deed, to which all we devoted so much care is in danger to be destroyed. Some of my pets have to drop their study. Being blind and deaf I feel myself quite helpless. Directress Miss M. Hillard and the girls of the Westover School, Middlebury, Conn., for 20 years regularly helped me materially and continue to do it up to now. I ask you to send them a copy of the Appeal if you will succede to publish it. The text of the Appeal you may change at will, if you find something undesirable. You may abbreviate it, and to add explanation from your part: at what circumstances the School Internates were organized. In a word, do as you like better. I asked brother George to compose it and write to you. We are doing our common work. You may add the reference to your book on my biography and to the recent edition by Prof. Hutchinson. In a word, do your best. We must do our best to the end. I send you my ardent love, my dear, my beloved sister. Care of your health and be happy. In my mind I am in constant communication with you. Every ditail of your life is interesting for me. The circle of my personal activity became awfully limited. But it is necessary to live to the END. Yours Katherine Breshkovsky. ——— HHHHH ——— P.S. My dear Alice. I am also doing my best in sending you the above and inclosed "Appeal". Really, do, as you think better. I hope this leter will reach you safely. I direct it to Boston. Million kisses. Brotherly yours GEORGE.CB & G Lazareff Rec'd Nov.11 1932 Prague 31-X-32 To Miss Alice Blackwell Boston My dear Alice Babushka sends me her a card in Russian, asking to translate in English. I do it first: "My dear, my unchangable friend and sister, Alice. I am still alive, but my eyes are badly seing and my ears are badly hearing, and I cannot write as frequently as I should like; Our dear brother George is the only my interpreter for the English speaking world. I am glad you have come safely in your Boston nest, leaving beautiful island and see. Here we enter in the time of automn, and little walkings outdoor have gone. The death of our beloved Helena Stuart Dudley stroke me so unexpectedly. I do not know to whom I could express my hearty condolence. Not long before her death I [go] got a letter from her. But the first information of her death I received from Julia Drury, of 252, High Street, Bristol, Rhoad Island. George had written her very long letter, asking her the details. Now we got your letter with cuttings from the papers about her death and that . . . . O, terrible . . . the dea death of Miss Mary Hillard, of Westover School! I am living too long . . . I am older than all of them . . But never mind! . . . Let us work to the last. The true life is the incessant useful work for others . . . In my mind I am daily with you and with my dear Irene. Dietrich. Your letters give a great consolation for me. Sisterly I embrace you my beloved Alice. I am glad your cousin is now in possession of her little and lovely mattress, But, poor Jock, he can not more freely to run over the oppen fields . . . . With love Your Katherine. Now, my dear Alice . . . Thank you for your sympathy on account of the death of my dear wife. She was about 80 years old, but up to the last she was always joyful. She could not walk, but the upper part of her body was quite normal. I put her into hospital in the hope to get soon home after treatment of so called HERPES; But in a week quite unexpectedly the gangrene on the left leg had broken up . . . 10 days the agony lasted . . . O, that was a terrible time. Her suffering was unexpressible. I coulnot stay home, I could not eat, sleep, to do any thing knowing that she is suffering alone . . . I run to the hospital, sat by her and tried to take part in her sufferings. But my sufferings were spiritual or mental, while those of hers were physical. 29 of September at 8 o"clock in the morning she ceased to breathe . . . . Good by, my dear Julia, my dear coworker for more than 40 years . . . Two hours later I was informed of her death. But since that time I did not see her more. Her body was taken for autopsy, after which she was prerared for cremation, And I refused to take the picture in her coffin not to see her dad . . . . 3 of the Octobre the cremation [to] took place. I bought a crypt in the wall of Crematorium and put the ashes of my dear wife in an urn. The crypt is sufficient for 2 urns, it means for my ashes also. When our dear and great Russia will be liberated from the unprecedented bolshevist tyranny, I hope our ashes will be brought to the country and to the people, to the prosperity and happiness which we both as many others, have consercrated the whole our life! I inclose here for curiousity sake the last picture of my wife, taken this summer. I have an other one, more joyful, but I have it only one copy. When get more I"ll send you one. I must answer to dear Irene Dietrich on her wery touching letter, but I cannot repeat the description I made above for you. Babushka and I we rejoice on hearing that you or our dear Irene saying: "We are tired" . . . It i is miserable people, who are never tired, it means they never work . . . We know how great and troublesome work Irene and you are doing. And we are pittiless we rejoice on seing Irene exhausted to the out most in running all over the world gathering the used wears and dolls for the children, which now began to ask Babushka: "Baba,- will the American aunt send us the Christmas presents: my doll has broken her arm" . . . In other words I wish to tell you that the death of my wife compell me not to lose a moment of the time left for me in order to imitate our dear Irene and Alice. To live [it] means to work; to create. Let us live and wor work to the end; All my time occupied in writing the thanks for numerous letters with condolence. But I have towrite much for the memoirs . . . I am sorry to be late in doing it. -- 3 -- what a loss with the death of such a nice soul like Miss Hillard was. for about 20 years I was in communication with her and with the girls of Westover shool. I"ll write a letter of sympathy to Miss Lucy B. Pratt, who was in regular communication with me. Now, let me brotherly kiss your generous hands. With love yours forever George Lazarev Prague 29- XI- 32 To Miss Alice Stone Blackwell Boston OUR beloved sister Alice . . . . I say "OUR", because Babushka is jealous . . . she is thinking that once she can[n] not write you personally, by her own hand, and once I am a mediator between you, you may suppose that she has ceased to love you so ardently as she had before For this reason she asks me to write you separately from[e] my letter to you. But she allowed me to put our letters in the same envelope . . .Sicretly from her I put both our letters not only in the same envelope, but on the same paper . . . I hope will not betray me. You regularly write to us both in two copies. When I write you in reply, Babusha, nevertheless, asks me to reply from her part, too. She asks me to write to you: My beloved Alice . . . "Your desire that Mr. Hoover to be defeated, has been realized. What Roosewelt will bring more satisfactory, it is not known yet. Let us hope that the situation of poor and unemployed people will not become still worse, "Just now I have received the invitation for "the memorial meeting for Helena Dudley". With all my heart I have been with all her friends. With the feelings of cordial thankfulness I remember her and her friendly feelings to me and to our common humanitarian work. I am so sorry to know that she so unexpectedly left us . . . "I thank you, my beloved Alice, for all steps you have made and will do in future to get some money for my children. Dear Irene Dietrich has sent some boxes with the used wear and toys for children. They have not reached me yet, but I hope soon to receive it. Brother George will tell you all particulars. I received your cheque, my beloved Alice, but I am affraid you joined something of your own . . . . I remember very well that you yourself are not very young girl . . I wish you the best possible comfort. My everlasting love to you. Katherine." ----------- Now, my dear Alice, a little talk with you. I have written a long letter to Miss Lucy B. Pratt, in the Westover Scool, thanking her and all lovely girls of the Westover School for their care of Babushka"s humanitarian work. I addressed to the girls themselves and remembered them that for many "generations" the girls of Westover School supported Babushka herself when she was in Siberia. Not long before the Russian revolution, the girls of Westover School sent me in Switzerland a beautiful bed-blanket, destined for Babushka in Siberia. Soon the Revolution broke up. Babushka solemnly was brought to Petrograd and was put in the Winter Palace, the residence of the Russian Tzars . . . When I came to see her, [a] on my arrival from Switzerland, she was surrounded by the Russian generals and by some foreign representatives, among which ther were two American Colonels, the delegates of American Red[d] Cross. At such solemn circumstances not less solemnly I presented to Babushka the big bundle with bed-blanket, which was at once developed and shown to the surronding public . . ."How beautiful it is!!!". exclamed generals and both Colonels . . . I loudly and solemnly proclamed: "THAT IS THE PRESENT TO YOU, DEAR BABUSHKA, FROM THE GIRLS OF THE WESTOVER SCHOOL, MADE ALL BY THEIR OWN HANDS!!!" . . The effect was stricking, especially to the American Colonels. I made acquaintance with them, and since that time entered in connection with them. In the recent letter to the Westover School I described the scene of delivery of blanket to Babushka in the Winter Palace, because the new "generation" of girls may not know of the deeds of their old "generation"; I told them that the fatal news of the death of our beloved Miss Mary Hillard we - Babushka and I we received from you, who always interested in the wellbeing of the Westover School. I tell you it, just for you would know what were our relations with the Westover School, in the case if you will write there for some reason in the future. The Westover School has sent Babushka their regular cheque for 75 dollars. On receiving this money I wrote them tanks from Babushka and from myself. But it is strange . . .Just after it, I have read in all, even European papers, the Col. Robins, who was one of the representatives of the American Red Cross during my delivery of the blanket in the Winter Palace, to Babushka, - the ardent supporter of the candidature of Hoover for Presinency, who carryed the agitation in his favour,this very Col. Robins suddenly desappeared, and by some chance was found in the poor hut in the vicinity of Asheley; (N; Karolina?) The later informations say, that his wife came to see him. He did not recognize that he is Col. Robins. The wife recognized him. But still later informations say that he again desappeared, but together with his wife . . . Have you heard of it, dear Alice?. I believe that it is that Col. Robins, whom we knew in Petrograd in 1917 and with whom I myself maintained the relations even after the Bolshevist Coup d"état. The Col. of Ashelly, mentally sick, as it was stated, though physically well. It has struck me because it happened to me to suppose, at one time, that he was not quite mentally normal. After the Bolshevist Coup d"état, he was frightened . . . He asked me to make our meeting secretly . . . and little after he suddenly . . . desappeared! But he was a very intelligent gentleman. After, on their return to America, these two Colonels turned to be of different opinions upon the Russian revolution: Col Robins was in favour of Bolsheviki, while the other one (unfortunately, I forget his name) was decidedly against them. I heard that this other Colonel soon had died. He was very sympathetic man. If you know this accident with Col Robins in Ashelly, and can get information,: Is it the same Col. Robins, who was in Petrograd in 1917? I did not receive long time news from Helena Sondheim. But not long ago I got one after another two letters, from her husband and from Helena. Their address: Mr. - Mrs. Sidney Sondheim. 1105 Larabee St., West Hollywood, Los Angeles, Cal. I do not know what they are doing there. They have heard of the deth of my wife and sent their condolence.----- But I have to tell you. Some month ago I received a letter from Miss Sonia Ladoff. 247, Amboy St., East End. Pittsburgh, PA. U.S.A. She found me through the channel of President Massaryk. It was wonder for me! When I lived in Milwaukee in 1892, her parents. Mr. & Mrs. Ladoff, had come from Russia to Milwaukee under my protection. They had a little daughter, Sonia, which loved me very much. I helped to her father, who was also in exile in Siberia, to get a job in Milwaukee, and in 1893 I came to Chicago, and from Chicago to Boston, New York and to Europe, without seing the family of Ladoff. Since I heard nothing of them. And quite unexpectedly after more than 40 years I got a letter from Sonia, the little girl I left in Milwaukee, — letter from Pittsburgh. She is the teacher or prof in a School She lost her father, when in Milwaukee. But her mother died not long ago. Being alone she occasionally has heard that I am alive, and living in Prague, She decided to find me, because she preserved the daughterly feeling to me. I explained my situation, and asked her to write in detail all their biography. Two months heard nothing. Some days ago I got letter from her. She was dangerously sick and could not write. Now she is better and began to give her lectures in the School, What is this School I don"t know. She says: "Our work is very exacting. We have so many young people. [*I meet two hundred and sixty every day.*] I teach five classes, - one in English, two each in botany and zoology. Besides, we have other duties. At the end of each day I have to rest, in order to be able to carry on." She promises to write her and her parents" curriculum vitae. She is glad to find me. She feels now herself better physically and morally. She has found me. She is preparing to send me the pictures of her parents and and of her own. She is evidently a liberalminded woman, she is in sympathy with socialists, and an admirer of Norman Thomas. She was my pet in Milwauky, and liked to sit on my knees. I told her that I have sister in Boston; and perhaps it will be useful to be acquainted with her. I am not sure she ever heard of Babushka. Of course, the parents knew Babushka very well. If you allow she will write you, and she will be glad if you will write her a word. Perhaps she will be useful for our humanitarian work. On her envelope with last letter I see the printed address of their institution: "The Board of Public Education. Administration Building. N. E. Cor. Forbes St. & Bellefield Ave. Pittsburgh. PA. Babushka is very weak. For some occasion the money for her to send better on the name of Mr. or Mrs. Archangelsky or to me. Helena Dudley left to her 200 dollars, but they will be paid by parts. Mr. Archangelsky told me she received a notice of it. In some days I'll see her. My love and best wishes to you. George. I am so busy that I have no time to deplore my terrible loss. My dear, care of your health! My greetings to your good cousin. Is doggy all right? Yours George Mar 18-/33 PRAHA 18-III-33 To Miss Alice Blackwell. BOSTON. MASS. My dear Alice Three days ago I got a letter from Babushka, dictated to Mr. Kerensry in Russian, asking me to translate in English and to send to you. Up to now she thinks that I do not express sufficently before you her love, her devotion and her thank to you, asking literally to translate what she would like to write to you if she could do it herself. I have to obey and please, mention in your next letter that you have received the letter dictated to Kerensky. He came to see Babushka from Paris, and gave here an interesting public lecture in a great Public Hall, filled to the outmost. Now he started back to Paris. He is pretty young (comparatively) and active going to lecture in London and in Spain. He reasonably shows the ignorance of the European public, the socialists of the II International including, that the bestial political regime now raging in the Hittler"s Germany has been raging in the bolshevist Russia even with greater cruelty than in Germany. The students of Universities, the great majority of professors, and scholars, engineers and professional scientists in Germany are staying after and supporting dictatorship of Herr Hitler Why? Because they are affraid of the bolshevist regime would be introduced in Germany and would ruine it as terribly as it is made in Russia. The Socialdemocrats. — they say, - with their attachment to democracy, cannot save Germany from communism and bolshevism: during their democratic regime the communist party was steadily growing. For this reason: "Long live for Hitler!" . . ." Thus the general fear of Bolshevism, as a reaction, has provoked the bestial fashism, which is now spreading all over Europe. In Russia, indeed, the noble historical intelligentzia, always was full of abnegation and readiness for selfsacrifice, like Babushka, are shot down or sent hard labour and to remotest part of Siberia, with more cruelty than any before under the tzarist regime. The Commnism naturally provoke Fashism. The Communists always proclamed oppenly, that the most inveterate enemies of theirs are socialists, not capitalists, - socialists with their DEMOCRACY. Up to now they supported Fashists in all countries against socialists. Only now, when Hittler and his terrible bands of hakenkreuzlers shot down the communists all over the country by hundreds daily, the Comunist International (it means Stalin in Moscow) made proposition to the Socialist International to join their forces to fight Hittlerism, the German fashism and dictatorship. We, Russian Social-Revolutionists, are decidedly against common action with the communists. They wish that the socialists joined to communists, which preserve their own tactic. But they sould agree to common action only under the condition, that the communists joine to socialists, recognizing the principle of DEMOCRACY. If, by common action, the Fashism will be overthrown, you will see the communists will ascribe the victory to themselves and will fight socialism and democracy with the triple severity. No! we cannot join neither to Fashists nor to communists! - We know, that your Uncle Sam"s socialists and the majority of the II Socialist International would be glad to work together with Bolsheviki and with the Communist International, but Stalin did not like it. He and his satelites are striving to crush down all other classes, but proletariat, not by the way of Democacy by "by permanent revolution" and by bloody Zusammenbruch. Fashism and Bolshvism equally hate democracy and political liberty. But for us, Russian S-R; without Liberty there cannot be Socialism. We hate equally Fashism and Bolshevism. We cannot imagine Socialism without morality and Social Justice. Fashism and Bolshevism are both the incarnation of class hate, of class struggle, of everlasting human bloodshed! Let be damned such a Socialism: Our unchangable conviction is that mashine is created FOR man, not the contrary. And more that that: All social organizations, the State and the Society itself are created and exist FOR the MORTAL MAN, not the contrary. The bestial mondial war and the whole row or revolutions of different kinds have perverted the brains of the majority of socialists of all countries. But this sick period of general madness will pass: all sane and reasonable men, not only socialist, will— 2 — see, will be persuaded, that Socialism is high, noble and extremely complex social order: as an Ideal it is practically unattainable, and as an actual social movement, it can be gradually realized by the way of evolution, by the way of DEMOCRACY. The very Revolutions are nothing by inevitable ACCIDENTS on the way of peaceful evolution. They occure when is necessary to accomplish forcibly the necessary social or political reform. After Revolution there will continue the natural evolution. The revolution occures when necessary to get liberty and social justice, which are [are] not allowed by some despotic government at the absence of Democracy. The established Democracy denies any forcible revolution. And we, democratic socialists, believe that Hittlerism and Stalinism eqally can be overthrown only by force, by revolution, if they will not recognize at last the way of Democracy. Meanwhile, as matter of fact and principally both Fashists and Communists abnegate Democracy. For this reason we Russian S-R; have nothing to do with neither of them. Now Hittler and german f fashists shot down and put in the prison equally both, Communists and Social- democrats. We will fight to the end equally both, Fashists and Communists. We never will join with neither of them We will fight for such a position inside of the Socialist International. Is it not shame: for 15 years the socialists of the world are looking quietly, if not with pleasure, how the down-trodden Russian people, of 169 million souls, are robbed, deprived the most elementary human rights: no free press, no free meeting, no free choice of profession, full servitude and absolute obedince. The oppen trial is a comedy; the common judicial tribunal is the secrete police trial without recource to any higher authotity. Russia, under tzarist and capitalist regime, the agrarian country, with small peasantry management, had been called "the Granary of Europe", now is entirely ruined, her population are dying from starvation, being dressed in rags barefooted, deprived the family life, without any connection with the other countries of the world, quite isolated, as in the solitary prison cell! . . Mais assez! . . . Pour wous, Americaines, c"est trés difficile de nous comprendre . . . Nous somme le peuple sauvage . . . . Voilá la traduction de la lettre de Babushka destinée pour vous: My dear friend, my beloved Alice, my fried of 30 years duration! Many storms we have lived through during this time. Many-many your time and energy you spent in order to embelish my life, to make it more quiet. I cannot imagine now what would be with me without your constant interferance in the destiny of my life?! . . Without your beneficial interferance, indeed, I am not sure I could live so long. Meanwhile, now [I] I am coming to my 90 . . . I have become very weak, thouth I did not lose yet my conscience. I think perhaps it would be better to get my "FINIS" now, without waiting the moment when the self conscience will disappear and I will be the burden to others, to my best friends . . . . I know that you are overwhelmed with all kind[d] of troubles and cares; I know you are looking after the social events not only in your country . . . And I wonder-you find time and energy enough to respond by numerous articles and with active participation in numerous meetings. . . . My beloved Alice, I cannot find words for expression of my thanks for your really wonderful work on behalf of my poor Karpatian students in the moment of such an unprecedented financial crisis in U.S.A. My friend Mr. A. F. Kerensky, who has come to see me, also quite appreciate your beneficial role. He sends you his greetings and best wishes. . My love, my heart with you! My greeting to your cousin; I hope she will soon be all right. K. Breshkovshy. -------- 20-III-33 My dear Alice, I ask you to mention in the next letter that "translation of the letter dictated to Mr Kerensky you timely received. She knows what she dictated, and will be satisfied. She knows that I would change no word from her dictation . . . . . . And now . . .let me talk to you . . . . confidently . . . . In parallel to Babushka"s lovely letter, let me remind you your own letter written to Babushka at the occasion of her 85-th birthday, from January 1929: "It is the world that ought to be congratulated upon this day rather -- 3 -- than you. I send the Birthday greeting which has discended in our family for three generations, ever since my grand mother"s time: "Many happy returns of the Day! Increasing happiness with revolving years! May your shadow never be less!" My friendship with you has been one of the great blessings of my life. I am one of thousands to whom you have been sunlight in darkness, warmth in winter, the shadow of a great rock in a weary land and inspiration towards everything good. You illustrate the truth of the poet"s lines: Be noble! and the nobleness that lies In other men, sleeping but never dead, Will rise in majesty to meet time own." Every good wish that the most affective of daughter could form for you, with my gratitude and love. Alice Stone Blackwell." Voila! I should like to show you, our dear Alice, that I register all your nice sayings, and if necessary I could beat, strike, thrash you with your own letters . . . It is first warning to you . . . The second one-is. that I promise you at my first meeting with Babushka to read her aloud the above letter of yours. I am sure it will satisfy and quiet her. Now a new confidence with you . . . . I was ashamed and Babushka divided my shame that neither at 70 nor 75 birthday of our beloved sister, spiritual sister, Alice Stone Blackwell, we did not send her a little word, nor half a word, while she, Alice, herself rise up a genuine national scandale in proclaming not only 80 and 85 babushka"s birthday, but that of every year"s jubilee. To punish you for your seditious conduct, I resolved to send you for your birthday in September 14 of this year a little bullet, which would not kill you to death . . . . My friend and comrade, a remarkable artist has prepared for me one really wonderful „bullet", which is already ready, but it appeared for all, who saw it, so original, remarkable, nice and unique that they asked me to postpone my sending to you and to put it on the local Exposition. The result was that my friend artist has received two orders to make likewise "bullet," but with some other pictures at their will. My friend was also glad, because this orders will bring him 3-4 thousands of crowns, what at the period of the Mondial financial crisis is very good support. To prepare my „bullet" to you it took three months to finish it. The artist put up his fancy and prepared such a combination, that I did not dreamed myself originally. I can say nothing more to you at present, but I supposed first to send you to the Easter. But now I am not sure they give me up so soon from Exposition. I am proud they don"t want to return me soon . . . My friend artist knows you very well and he changed my first project at his own fancy. And I am glad. There is an other, smaller, „bullet" still in process of preparation by the same comrade-artist, but it is also a great secret from you. I am sorry Babushka cannot see it because she lost her sight entirely, though the great „bullet" is destined to be sent to you from both of us; I was ashamed when on the page 15 of your "Lucy Stone" I had read: "While he - Blackwell - was on a visit home, their daughter Alice was born, ON SEPTEMBER 14,1857"!!!!!!!!! . . . . O, Heaven! . . O, Shame! shame! and to the end - shame! . . We did not suspect such a sacred date! . . Poor people we are! . . The Exposition is very useful. Some people encourage my friend artist saying that soon from America the orders will come from Mr Goold, Wanderbild, Morgan, Ford and from all other milliardaires . . . . to perform any picture at will. . But, I must stop, because you cannot understand me before seeing the "bullet". My dear Alice, take up your patience! . . . Your letter with the cheque of 31 dollars safely received; but at the time of moratorium, [and] our banks refused to change it. Now all is reestablished, but I had not time to go to the bank. I believe all be all right. Terrible news have come from California, and particularly from Los Angeles. Terrible earthquake . . . Helena and Sidney Sondheim had been living there: 1105 Larrabee Street, West Hollywood, Los Angeles. I sent a postal card at once when I read thelegram of the earthquake, asking Helen or, if they perished, to all who can read the card,- to inform me of their fate. No answer yet received and I am in a trouble. Perhaps you will read the names of victimes?-- 4 -- I am glad you send the cheques to me. So I can see how much Babushka has in her deposit. To ascertain you in the safe receit of last cheques I send you here the counts at the exchange in the local bank: 1) - 635: 12 dollars == 400 Crowns === 11 February 1933 2) - 570: 30 dollars == 1006 Crowns === 24 January 1933 3) - 571: 35 dollars == 1174 Crowns === 24 January 1933 4) - 572: 50 dollars == 1678 Crowns === 24 January 1933 TOTAL 4258 My love, my best wishes to you, my greetings to your dear cousin and tender tapping to your common pet Doggy In Germany and in Russia continued to be the exagerated bestiality . . . Yours forever George. I do not rember the names of all contributers, but I have sent already 12 postal cards to thanx them by the name of Babuska. I could not thank all of them for some reason. For some of them I have not their addresses. I kiss your lovely head. George.Lazareff May 14 /33 PRAHA 14-V-33 To Miss Alice Stone-Blackwell Boston, Mass. U.S.A. My dear Alice, my beloved spiritual sister Yesterday I had seen Babushka. She is unusually week, and with great difficulty can move herself without some body"s support She becomes tired also if to talk or to read longtime. But all her attention is concentrated on her students and on two persons in America to whom she would like to write daily. The name of these American ladies, repeted many times daily, are Alice and Irene She receive regularly letters from them andn being unable to answer at once to these two ladies, she feels herself guilty in her silence She does not pay attention to the heading of each letter from Alice, addressed simultaniously to "My beloved Friends, Babushka and Mr. Lazareff" . . . She is not sure that I write you also regularly and not only from myself personally but trying to express her love to both of these ladies . . . . . Two weeks I did not come to see her, in quality of her secretary, and she was in such a trouble that so long did not answered you that asked Mrs. Archangelsky to write you in Russian. It was done secretly from me. They both felt that it was a kind or reproach to my address, and bided their conspiracy against me. But yesterday, on visiting Babushka I have read all English literature she received last time. I have found a big letter from "sister" Irene, of Brooklyn, in which she says with an enthusiasm of her receiving the copy of Babushka"s letter iin Russian, translated by Dr. Lourie in English . . . . Then all the consperasy was disclosed for me. I was not irritated with such conspiracy because since long time I repared secretly from all the world, with the exception of the persons who had to be the actual members in this conspiracy. It took 8 months to accomplish my own consperacy. I resolved to tie our brotherly and sisterly relations with some material sign, worth to be seen by humanity even after our death. Even Babushka did not suspected of my enterprice. But when this misterious "something" was ready, (Babushka could not see the surrounding friends were so surprised and enthusiastic, that the very large society were interested. This "something" was the work of my intimate friend, the artist, who knows all your life and all your work, as well as those of your parents. At the present financial crisis he was in the category of an unemployed. I have him an idea of criating something lide personification of your life and of your work, which is the contents of the work of your mother, Anthony Susanne and of all other actors in the sufragist movement. He agreed with great pleasure and began to elaborate the performance in America. He made some exquises and progeds. At last he resolved to enlarge the theme. In Russia the suffragist movement was expressed in the form of general woman Emancipation since the beginning of the 60-th decade of the last century. So our dear Babushka was not the first generation that initiated the Woman Emancipation n Russia. My friend artist resolved to join the American Suffragist Movement with the Russian Woman Emancipation. Of course, the movement of Woman Emancipation in both countries was going in parallel with general Emancipation in which the chief part, quite naturally, belonged to the male human race But it is also very natural that if you want to pay attention to some side of the general Emancipation of human race, for instance to woman Emancipation you must put in the center of the story, or of your picture, the shape of struggling woman. This very complex thee then undertook to fulfil my friend artist. In the base of his picture he has put the Russian popular story about "Ivan Tzarevich and Elena Prekrasnaya". "Ivan" == English "John"; "Tzarevich" = "son of the Tzar"; "Elena = Helen; "Prekrasnaya"= "Beautiful"; or "Beauty." ThLazareff May 14 /33 PRAHA 14-V-33 To Miss Alice Stone-Blackwell Boston, Mass. U.S.A. My dear Alice, my beloved spiritual sister Yesterday I had seen Babushka. She is unusually weak, and with great difficulty can move herself without some body"s support. She becomes tired also if to talk or to read longtime. But all her attention is concentrated on her students and on two persons in America to whom she would like to write daily. The name of these American ladies, repeted many times daily, are Alice and Irene She receive regularly letters from them and being unable to answer at once to these two ladies, she feels herself guilty in her silence She does not pay attention to the heading of each letter from Alice, addressed simultaniously to "My beloved Friends, Babushka and Mr. Lazareff" . . . She is not sure that I write you also regularly and not only from myself personally but trying to express her love to both of these ladies . . . . . Two weeks I did not come to see her, in quality of her secretary, and she was in such a trouble that so long did not answered you that asked Mrs. Archangelsky to write you in Russian. It was done secretly from me. They both felt that it was a kind or reproach to my address, and hided their conspiracy against me. But yesterday, on visiting Babushka I have read all English literature she received last time. I have found a big letter from "sister" Irene, of Brooklyn, in which she says with an enthusiasm of her receiving the copy of Babushka"s letter in Russian, translated by Dr. Lourie in English . . . . Then all the consperasy was disclosed for me. I was not irritated with such conspiracy because since long time I prepared secretly from all the world, with the exception of the persons who had to be the actual members in this conspiracy. It took 6 months to accomplish my own consperacy. I resolved to tie our brotherly and sisterly relations with some material sign, worth to be seen by humanity even after our death. Even Babushka did not suspected of my enterprise. But when this misterious "something" was ready, (Babushka could not see) into the surrounding friends were so surprised and enthusiastic, that the very large society were interested. This "something" was the work of my intimate friend, the artist, who knows all your life and all your work, as well as those of your parents. At the present financial crisis he was in the category of an unemployed. I have him an idea of criating something like personification of your life and of your work, which is the contents of the work of your mother, Anthony Susanne and of all other actors in the sufragist movement. He agreed with great pleasure and began to elaborate the performance in America. He made some exquises and progects. At last he resolved to enlarge the theme. In Russia the suffragist movement was expressed in the form of general woman Emancipation since the beginning of the 60-th decade of the last century. So our dear Babushka was not the first generation that initiated the Woman Emancipation n Russia. My friend artist resolved to join the American Suffragist Movement with the Russian Woman Emancipation. Of course, the movement of Woman Emancipation in both countries was going in parallel with general Emancipation in which the chief part, quite naturally, belonged to the male human race But it is also very natural that if you want to pay attention to some side of the general Emancipation of human race, for instance to woman Emancipation you must put in the center of the story, or of your picture, the shape of struggling woman. This very complex theme there undertook to fulfil my friend artist. In the base of his picture he has put the Russian popular story about "Ivan Tzarevich and Elena Prekrasnaya". "Ivan" = in English "John"; "Tzarevich" = "son of the Tzar"; "Elena = Helen; "Prekrasnaya"= "Beautiful"; or "Beauty." Thus the story"s title is "Young son of a tzar and Beautiful Helen" This story or fairy-tale is very popular and known all over the Russia. The content of it with some variation is: -- "In some unknown country in some unknown tzardom there were living the tzar and tzarina; They had three sons of which the two ones were very reasonable, serious and practical, just good enough to govern the great people. But the third son, the youngest one, was too smart, too enthusiastic, too eager for knowledge, and for this reason by this parents and by two elder brothers was considered as too light-minded. They kept him off from the procedings of the state affaires, because he was too curious, he alwasys tried enter in all details of the cause and the ^^-- 2 -- state legislation. In great many things he always found some injustice. It was very seditious and very inconvenient conduct. And the tzar and two elder brothers tryed to get of Ivan Tzarevich and isolated him from the people. Then Ivan Tzarevich asked his father to let him go to some other countries to satisfy his curiousity, to make acquaintance with other people of the world and, if the Destiny will allow him,– to find some beautiful fellow-traveller of his life. He was gladly allowed and immediately started. After many different interesting adventures, which had only inflamed his curiousity and greed for knowledge, he resolved to come to the End of the Knowledge. And he started anew to look for it. --- One day, going along the road, he perceived the old-old man, dressed in rags and barefooted, but he had in his hands a bottle of fresh water, with inscription: "The Water of Life and Death", Ivan Tzarevich had great thirst for drink and came to the old man, asking: can he give him a little water to calm his thirst? The old man answered: "Do drink" Ivan Tzarevich at once perceived the inscription and asked anew: "The bottle filled to the top. You did not drink water yourself? Shall I die after my drink?" --"No, said the old man. This water can drink all mortals; but I cannot." And he gave the bottle. Ivan Tzarevich swallowed one mouthful, and his thirst disappeared. He was tired before, and now at once became fresh and full of energy. --"I see, said Tzarevich, you are a sage, wise spirit and immotal. Please tell me: How to get full happiness, perfect knowlege and your immortality? --- "To be happy you must first of all marry Helena Prekracnaya. After that both of you must go together to look for Jar Ptitza (the Bird of Burning Light); To get immortality you must ask Jar Ptitza how to make all other mortal humanity happy? The life of any mortal is very short, shorter than a twinkling of an eye comparatively with Immortality. Hurry up to live. In all critical moments, when you would lose all traces of your way, - take and keep this ball of threads, - then trow the ball and keep the thread, and fallow it. It will show you right way." "---- He said it and disappeared. ----Ivan Tzarevich started farther joyfully, putting the ball of threads in the pocket near his heart. It is long to tell here all his adventures in looking, first, for Elena- the Beauty. He was told that Elena-Beauty is daughter of the tzar of a great tzardom in the country, which lies behind 30 seas and 30 kingdoms. After many troubles, Tzarevich reached this happy country, at once he became informed that [that] the whole people and the tzar, the father and mother of Elena-Beauty, were in a great and deep mourning: Not long ago the dreadful Zmej Gorynych (Dragon in the shape of serpent or viper) flew from his kingdom and kidnaped Elena-Beauty, brought her to his beautiful but inaccessible Palace, constructed especially for Helena-Beauty, because he resolved to marry her. To get her agreement Zmej Gorynych ordered to build the most beautiful Palace in the world. But where this wonderful Palace was lying,- nobody knew. Ivan Tzarevich had an interview with Parents of Helena-Beauty and promised [to] them to find and to liberate her from her captivity, And he started. He took out of his pocket the ball of threads, threw it down and ball was rolling ahead and Tzarevich followed it. Zmej Gorynych was the tzar of al demons on the Earth. The WOOD-DEMON was specially sent by ZMej Gorynych to mislead the way of Iran Tzarevich, because he ought to pass through many great forests. And the Wood-Demon very successfully fulfilled his task. By beautiful songs he attracted the charmed Tzarevich to the thikest forest, where he lost his way. Then the Wood- Demon laughed with so loud and devilish laugh that it was heard in the Palace by Zmej Gorynych and Helea-Beauty. The both knew about the underprise of Tzarevich and felt differently at the hearing the devilish laugh of the Wood-Demon. But the wonderful ball of threads, given him by the misteriuos sage, saved him and showed the right way to the Palace. At last Tzarevich approached the Palace. Zmej Gorynych in indignation fled out from his Palace with the intention to kill Tzarevich and to tear him to the pieces before the eyes of Helena, in order to tear out all her hopes for her liberation. Zmej Gorynych flew to meet the rival. But Tzarevich was prepared also: He had bow and a bundle of arrows. When Zmej Gorynych opened his mouth to swollow Tzarevich, the latter skillfully shot the arrow to the mouth and killed the monster. Thus Helena-Beauty was saved and liberated. The next and not less interesting episode followed. The liberated Helena at once felt that she will not be happy, if she would not help [the] all other women to be liberated from the social inequality. Withe the agreement of Ivan Tzarevich she resolved to get the emancipation of women. --HH 3 --- May 14, 1933 But the misterious sage told [to] Ivan Tzarevich that to liberate Humanity in general and to make them happy, it is necessary to [to] look for [the] Jar Ptitza, the Bird of Burning Light, to approach her as near as possible and to try to get a little feather from her. This little feather would be sufficient to all human race to go everywhere freely, without the help of the ball of threads. Thus, to get the Woman Emancipation and to make woman"s civil rights equal to those of man, Helena-Beauty took the initiative and started to look for the Bird. She was told that the Bird of Burning Light is soaring over the High and inaccessible mountines. Like genuine IDEAL it never stay immouvably on the same place. The nearer you approach it the farther and higher it flys ahead. To overcome all difficulties in climbing over the never before accessible rocks, She took from Tzarevich the misterious ball of threads and started to look for the Bird of Burning Light, to approach it as near as possible, and, if possible, to get a little feather to be enlitened for life and to bring the light for many generations. It was known that the persons, who are not sincere in looking her, never can see the Bird of Burning Light: She fly rapidly away. But for those who are sincere and earnestly looking for her and ardently wish to approach her, she always is soaring over the heads and under the sky turning her head, decorated by beautiful feathers, to all ardent seekers . . ------------------------ ----- ---- The picture I am sending you represents one of the most important part of this fairy-tale: Woman, dressed in the dress of the old Russian or Slavonic style, has approached Jar Ptitza and, I believe, she will get a little feather and safely will come back to social life and will bring more light, more love and happiness for all. To understand the whole complexity [of the] of the subject of this story, and of this picture, it is not sufficient a fugitive glance, The very picture is pretty complicated. It is necessary to look attentively, and you cannot perceive and understand everything at one time. This picture was in Exposition. and some people came many times in order to perceive all detailes, In the very ornament of the central picture, there happened, not all perceive Ivan Tzarevich with his Bow in the hand after he sent the arrow to the throat of the Monster, Zmej Gorynych, -Who is quivering from the pain before his death. And on the left side there no at once one can perceive the Wood-Demon who also trying to mislead Helena in her way to approach the Ideal, which represent Jar Ptitza. And in the very air under the sky not at once you perceive the calm and the struggle of different elements . . . But for the first time I think I said all to help you to understand better the [the] picture of the present I hope you will receive safely and in ordinary post. But I would like to insure it in 5000 crown. They say on the post that the precious sendings over 100 dollars have to be verifyed by the American counsil. I have seen him. I was affraid [on] the custom-house in America will charge the taxes and compell you to pay them. It would be awful! . . I brought to the Co. the pasteboard as personal present and not a thing for sale. They charged only 55 crowns and promised safely to deliver you without the oppening on the custom house, and thus without slight bothering you. I hope you'll soon receive it. Simultaniously I send you an other present with the hope you will forgive me and Babuska for our negligence to your 70 and 75-th Birthdays! . . . It is shame to remember it! You will see now why I asked you to send me two copies of your excellent book. One remark from the part of my excellent friend, the artist, Ivan Ivanovitch Kaliuzhny: He says the pastboard must be kept on the table quite oppen, because the sunlight only will make the color better. Yesterday I promised to Babushka to write to you from her name a long letter with immance love on her part. Now I [a] ask you to mention in next letter that I sent you big letter from her part. She knows I sent the present, but she is sorry she only tasted the picture by her fingers. I am preparing the corresponding present to our dear friend Irene Dietrich. How better to express you both our sincere and deep brotherly and sisterly love for you? I am busy in writing many letters to America. And I have much to write to myself. . the memoires. Great many people of Czecoslovak Sokols are going to start for the Chicaco Exposition, for the Olympic gimnastical contest. They invite me to join them being sure I"ll take the Fist prize . . . But I am not sure the dollar will not disappear at all . . . I had seen the first Exposition in 1893. Hardly you can surpass the first one. My heart, my love all my soul with you, our dear Alice-- 4 -- My dear Alice, do not think that any cent of money you sent for the support of Babushka"s students was spent to prepare the presents we send to you. We send you our pure love. Our friend artist, Mr. Ivan Kaliuzhny spent imagination to make some preparatory projects. I could not stop him. The genious of creation rose up in him, and I could not [to] send the present before, because he contrived new and new details. The only my criticism was that the feet and the hands of Helena were too small and too delicate . . . My friend Artist said: It is not important. The less is better than too big in the picture. He made many projects on the paper before to make picture on the leather. It is peculiar and unique work. The leather for this picture we could procure only from Germany. Everyting had to be done by hand. To preserve the picture of his work for our continent I asked another Russian friend, an artist to photograph it. It is sorry that my fried artist has left no photographs of all wonderful pictures he performed on the leather. For instance he was ordered to make the present to the President of this country, Mr. Masarik, on occasion of his 82-th birthday. He reproduced the photograph [of] of his late wife, Mrs. Masarik. How beautiful collection there would be, if all pictures he made in his life would be photographed ! . . Simultaniously I send you two copies of the pictures. One is a dull and the best to keep for yourself, the other with a glance which is not so nice, but is better adapted in the case some body would like to reproduce in the newspaper and to photograph it. I am so anxious to know whethere all what I send you will reach you unmolested? Please write at once. Because the work so delicate, that some extra pressure onto it may make harm to the picture. My dear Alice, this present to you is not only personal. We are at the end of our earthly career: we have no children at all. We shall disappear, but the picture, the work of my friend-artist, Ivan Kaliuzhny, will stay in America. Thus let us consider my sending as the present of Russia or of the whole Europe to America. One question more: Can you give the addresses of June Mussey, newly married and of his father? From June I had received the invitation to be present at the wedding celebration. I did not even answer to the invitation. But now I have found an old picture, sent me by Isabel Barrows, representing the joung mother Mabel Mussey with her little June, whom she was learning to stay upright and to make first 2-3 steps to her stretched arms. Little June is quite naked. And not long ago I got his recent picture of an adult and very solid gentleman. I should like to send him a copy of old picture when he was a baby, and the picture of his late mother. Do you know that prof. Raymond Mussey, on his visit to Europe and to Russia, had visited me and Babushka, after the death of poor Mabel? He was not sure in his address. He supposed to settle in Wellesley, to continue his professorship. Babushka received letter and [anens?] 75 dollars from the girls of Westover School. I have to write and to thank them. It was the quarterly contribution from the school. After your appeal, the girls sent Babushka extra 100 dollars. I am very busy, my dear, and excuse me for so long silence. After the Earthquake in Los Angeles I was afraid my Helen Sundheim was perished. Twice I wrote to the previous address, and there was no answer. At last some days ago unexpectedly I got a postal card with four words in Russian which she learned at our meeting in Prague. It means she is all right. But no word more The Post stamp is quite unknown to me: „BARSTOW, Calif". The card represents the valley covered with beautiful wild flowers of different colors. With printed inscription: "539 Springtime in the desert in California." That is all. Funny . . . N"est ce pas? Now, with love yours truly George. Excuse for my imperfect English. I shall be anxious to get information from you of the safe arrival of my sending. Our best wishes to your excellent cousin and lovely Jock. G. L. My dear Alice . . . You are a wonderful poet and an artist in the English language. How nice it would be if you, to illustrate better the picture of the porte-lettres, would translate the story I said in your excelent English and by your charming poetical manner of expression! You may give free fly to your imagination. B B Brotherly I kiss your hands and your lovely head George Lazareff To Miss Alice Stone Blackwell BOSTON 9-1-33[.] My dear beloved Alice . . . We both, Babushka and I, are really touched to the core looking at your wonderful activity. Babushka [ex] extra called me to come to see her and to write you because she cannot be quiet untill she would sent to you her love. I send you verification on receiving your cheques: 157; 65 and 15, from the exchange Bank. Mr. Archangelsky informs me that he has some cheques more but I"ll see him tomorrow. My dear Alice. I asked my intimate friend, the artist, to write for me your picture in color. He asks me to tell him what colour of your eyes and of your hairs. I told him: I am sure they are gray. He says it is not sufficient. It is necessary to know the intensity of gray colour. Entirely like silver, or [wit] with some shade or tint? To ask somebody else, secretly from you, I have nobody to address for such an infformation. Your cousin and her doggie cannot be impartial . . So I resolved to ask you directly. It is very important for me, and please, tell me confidently [an] and impartially. Next, the shamefull solicitation: Make me happy - send me TWO copies of your book "The Grand Mother of Russian Revolution;" I need them badly. I have no one. Then, please give me the list of all contributors for the fund of Babushka, with their addresses written by typewriter, in order I could send them Babushka"s thanks. My dear, I understand you. I am also so busy, that 24 hours in a day is not enough to make all what I [ou] ought to do. Though it it tiresome sometime, but I nevermind, I am glad to hear you are working hard We are nearing to the fatal end, let us try to live, it means to work rapidly. Let us do our best Babushka and I we cannot now separate our life from your person. Especially Babushka becomes very nervous when she was not answer to your so numerous letters When impatient, she calls me to come to write under h her dictation. The only one our solicitation, our dear sister, always mention of your health and of the state of your eyes. With love George Lazareff[Lazarev] Praha XIII To Miss Alice Blackwell. 18-VI-33 My dear Alice. I am glad to hear from you that you safely and in good condition have received the "Leather Satchel". But I am in indignation when you say that you have to pay "small sum" of money for the custom-house tax! . . It would be shame to send the present and to make to pay [fo] for it! . . while it was a secret from you - what namely the present was . . . In order you would pay nothing I came to the consul of U,S.A. asking him how to do that you would pay nothing in the custom house? He advised to send it trough the American Transp. Co. They have the office in Boston and will deliver under their responsibility. The present is not for sell, it is absolutely personal. How to determine the prize and taxes? . . . I paid extra for gratuitous delivery of this sending. For this very reason I did not send it by the ordinary post. Please, tell me how much they charged you? How they could determine the cost of the present? It is very curious thing! , , , Be so kind, my dear Alice, tell me precisely for how much they robbed you? The porfolio was covered in flannel to preserve from pressure. Is it was delivered in such cover? I"ll do to Transport Co. to ask the exsplanation, and I must know presisely how much they charged you. Now, in an hour I am going to see Babushka. Perhaps she will oblige me to write something from her part. She is jelous. Let it not be secret from you: Now I am buzy to prepare our present [to] to dear Irene DietrichWe received from Miss Julia C. Drury, 252 High Street Briztol, Rhode Island, "A Memorial to Helena Stuart Dudley" Under the title" DENISON HOUSE AND AFTERWARDS", by J.C.D. Evidently the autor is Julia C. Drury. A little broshure of 19 pages. In the beginning she says" "I wonder how I can best tell about my friend for the benefit of some of her other friends. I think I will simply t tell what I saw while I new her, and a few things she told me about her early life." And she give some information of the life and long career of Miss Dudley. I will write her to thank her, Yours George. The Present I sent you is not printed. It is handwork. and is absolutely unique, made personally for you, made everything by the hands of the artist. To engrave it with the minute details it require the best leather which we could get only in Germany. To accomplish the work it requires much time, to many preliminary exquises. The sewing and binding he made himstlf. This work was in Exposition here. Prague. 20-VI-33 I saw Babushka. Mrs. Archangelska told me that Babushka is affraid that I do not answer you as frequently to your letters as you kindly write to her, and asks very often to write letters to you in Russian. She soon forgets it and almost weekly asked Mrs. Archangelsky to write letter to you of the same content. She writes it but without sending, because she knows that I write you frequently. and to send in Russian it will give too much trouble for you Now, when I came to see her, she was glad you got safely our present which she could not see, but found it nice by her touch But she was in a trouble that I could not send simultaniously our present to Mrs. Irene Dietrich in Brooklyn. It would be shocking not to express our love and thank to her! I promised her to send to our dear Irene the corresponding present from the "pen of the same artist", our comrade Kaluzhny, who is already at work. Irene is the religious woman and I resolved to prepare for her something adequate. The question is resolved, but as to all the rest it is my secret even from you. Let her get it unexpectedly. You understand what it would be to let her pay any tax for that! . . . Please, tell me how much they charged you. I thank you for your constant information of your health. Du not forget, our dear sister, that we are the most intimate members of the same holy family, staying on the threshold of Eternity. To live means to work. Then let us hurry to live. My love and my kisses to both your eyes. Yours forever George. [*My greeting to your cousin and her Jock.*]Oct. 14, 1933 PRAHA XIII 14-X-33 Miss Alice Ston Blackwell; BOSTON. My dear Alice, our beloved Alice . . . . . It is shame, shame, shame, shame, shame, shame, shame, shame, shame . . . . infinitely SHAME . . . . . SHAME!!!!!!! up to the end, up to the grave . . . shame! . . . . . for my slipping on account of . . . . . . the existence of such a wonderful data as the 17 of September of each year and of the pending year especially . . . When I made my mind up after your first mention of it in your letter, I did not know what to do. I was affraid of going to Babuska, because at least half of the Chechoslovakia had known since long time that to this date we prepare some leather-satchel, the work of our comrade, an artist, Ivan Kaluzhny, the work which was exposed in different places in order to attract the attention of reach men, which would order to the artist to make any picture of that kind if they want to keep or to present to others any picture of that style. Because my friend artist is existing only by his making portrets, ornaments to diplomas and so on artistic products, he asked me to put his work of new stile, - the picture on leather. Your "leather satchel" was made entirely by his own hand, not only the picture by the whole sewing of the "sathel" itself. And really in the exposition he received some very important orders. It was so important for the artist, as an attraction for his coustomers that he make his exposition in different place; I was very glad of it: It was useful for my friend-artist and because the present was destined to the date of 17 September of this year, I did not hurry up with sending it. But suddenly the trouble had come . . . First I supposed to send it to you as precious sending. I was affraid to send it by post as ordinary book, only "registered". I supposed to insure my sendind in 5000. But on the post I was told that all precious sendings in America are charged by some state taxes. This taxes have to pay the receivers . . . it means by you . . . . What is the pleasure - to receive the present for which receiver must pay . . . . I could not allow it in your case. The dearer I insure my sending the more you have to pay taxes . . . . Mais, C"est ne va pas! . . . . I was in a truble - What to do in order you get it without pay any taxation. I came to the American consul. I explained him my trouble. He suggested me to send it through the Transport Co. He was so kind as to telephone to the Company about my trouble and asked it to arrange the delievery without paying taxes in America. I came to Ameri- Transport Co. I asked to charge all necessary paying here, in Prague, If necessary to pay some taxes, I wish to pay myself, here, not by receiver . . . The Company agreed: I paid the taxes in advance and sent present to you by Transport Co, being sure you will be free from any charge. You now will understand my surprise, when you wrote me that you had to pay some taxes on delivery. You did not mentioned how much you paid. I must know it for the future. Now I tell you this my secret because to explain you why I sent the "leather-satchel" to you too early, instead of 17 September. When I entered in communication with the Transport Co. I resolved to send it at once to be sure the "satchel" will reach before 17 September . . . . In the biography of Lucy Stone I underlined by the red pencil the date of 17 September . . . .But once I sent you the Satchel . . . . I had time enough to forget. The current events swallowed my mind and . . . and . . . Shame, shame . . . . When you wrote me that even our common friend Mr. Jock was enjoyed at the date, receiving a good piece from the commone table, I was so abashed that under first desperate impulse I was about to start to America to suicide by throwing myself from at least 60-70-th story. We have not so high building here, in Europe, and I did not want to throw myself down less than from 60-th floor . . . . After your second letter in which you describe the vakhanaly of the celebration of your birthday, I am afraid to go to Babushka . . . . Mr. Arch anglesky understands perfectly English. He cannot pronounce English, but translate in right way to Babushka all letters she receive in English, Now I am affrai to go to see her . . . 17 of September! Shame [*16-X-33. I have not time to read over this letter to correct the mistakes to it....*] Once I had to disclose before you all my secrets with "Lether-satchel" I have to discover before my new secret. . . Now the same trouble is going with my new present to our second spiritual sister, Mrs. Irene Dietrich..... The same comrade-artist prepared by my order a new wonder. You know she is a very religious woman and sencerely believes that Babushka after her death will be near the throne of God and will succede in imploring Him to put her, Irene, near Babushka. You know; my dear Alice, that during last 3 years she send yearly many big boxes of the used wears of every kind, for children, for men and women. She gathers it from the public, repairs herself what requires reparing. For each Christmas she sends toys and dolls for the children. She helped Babush ka to dress hundreds of poor Russian refugees. And I resolved to prepare her also an adequate present for Christmass time. I got from London the nicely printed English Gospel. My friend-artist himself rebinded it and on t the upper cover he made in relieve, embossement, representing in the centre Crucifix, Mother of Christ and young apostle John. On the corners of the cover are engraved 4 evangelists. Really it is very nice. I thought to send it long time ago. But This Gospel was also put on exposition, added much to the reputation of my friend-artist and I hope will help him to get more work. Now this Gospel is visiting some Bishops, prists and monasteries. I am afraid they would pierce the figures by their thousands and thousands eyes... Any how, soon I wish to send it to Irene. I did not write her also long time and her last letter to Babushka she expressed her sorry that I entirely forgot her... concerning her I am also in desperate situation. But with Irene Dietrich I have good weapon in reserve for my justification: I am sure that if I"ll not writr her still more some months, she will forgive me on receiving my present. In your case my chances are staying very bad. I was stupid enough to send the leather satchel beforhan .... And for this rea?on I am now quite defenceless. My the only hope to ask kind Jock to take under his protection. Let sister Alice forgive me. Now, You know, I believe, that Miss late Dudley bequeathed to Babushka 400 dollars for her humanitarian work. Fiduciary Trust Company, President Robert H. Gardiner, IO Post Office Square, Boston, half of that sum had already sent to Babushka, saying that "Farther payments will be made when the administration of the estate is complited in the latter part of [1?33]". You k kno the dollar is gradually falling down in price. Besides 100 dollars sent to Babushka required the expenses for delievery 7- krones. Fo Babushka would be preferable to receive directly in Ichecoslovak crown (coin). And it would be better to send the last 100 dollars as soon as possible, because the dollar is in constant fall down in price, and the most importante: Babushka is so weak that we affraid she cannot live long.... If money will come in Prague after her death, nobody can receive them and they will be lost for humanitarian purposes. Perhaps you can help in this matter. It would be better if Fiduciary Trust Company could give to you for delivery. Babushka would be gre greatelyobliged to Fid. Tr. Co. if they send the last money immediately, or to send through your channel. Tomorrow is Sunday. I hope to go to see Babushka. -- About the German catastroph and Hitler bestiality -next time. France, England and U.S.A. must join together in order to save the world and themselves from full desorganization and catastroph. The military occupation of Germany is quite excusable at the circumstances to avert the German invasion But at present there are not less powerful coercive measure: The economic isolation, the economic boycott. To cut off the general fashist infection the bestiality of hitlerism must not be left unpunished. My love, my brotherly love My greeting to your cusin and your new helper. Babushka is interested in your own health. and we are always glad when you and a word of yourself. I am afraid Mrs. Dietrich is angry with me for my long silence.Plise, my beloved sister, take me under you protection to send a word of defence for me; Thank you for the information about professor Mussey and his son. Yours forever George. Prague, Ulice Tolsteho 726 To Alice Stone Blackwell. 11-1-34. Boston. My dear Alice. I am writing to you too late... Babushka"s 90-th birthday will be in 2 weeks I should like to send you some copies of Babushka"s photos to be sent to some important and friendly newspapers. But I could not to procure them earlyer, a and now send anyhow. The same big portret of Babushka simultaniously I send to the Westover School and to our dear Irene Dietrich. I know how much you are busy during the Christmas time and New Year. I am busy also and we would not accuse each other in some neglect. Babushka is well in spite the awful frosts in our country. She is supplyed with necesary warming implements. But; quite on the contrary, Babushka is in anxiety on hearing that in Amerika and in Boston particularly were raging so terrible frosts that over 30 persons were frozen to to death... She twice asked me to write you at one: how are you? not frozen?" Your last letter is a little quieted her. I asked her to take to consideration that " our Alice is no so old as Babushak; for example; but she is comparatively a pretty young girl..."--- "All right, - she says; "you are responsible for her welbing."... You understand, my dear Alice, that I cannot contradict to our "Jubilant"... I must obey the order, to take under my protection and take my responcibility for your American frost. Plea in each of your letters some words about your health. I am glad when you mention in your letters about receiving letters from me. It proves that I in constante communication with you, Now, about "the leather satchel" and the fabulous tale... I take care of it because the picture on the "leather satchel" will not be understood. The tales about" Ivan Tzarevitch, Helena Prekrasnaya and Jar Ptitza" are known in the w whole Russia. There are many and various versions of this fairy tale. They are all finished with the happy saving of"Helena the Beauty". But for our case is follows the addition. Namely: Before entering the State-home of his husband, Ivan Tzarevitch, Helena the Beauty resolved to get the emancipation of woman, the equality of civil rights with men. Shortly saying, she became the leader of of suffragists. for this purpose she takes from Ivan Tzarevitch the marveilous ball go thread and started to reach the Jar-Bird, to get a little fether, shining feather, which is sufficient to clear the heads and brainsof the peoples In a word she charged herself with the task of Lucy Stone and her daughter, A Alice. The difficult climbing to the top of the mountains where the Jar-Bird is usually soaring, All difficulties which suffered Ivan Tzarevitch on his way for delivering the Helena-the Beauty from the"Zmey(Dragon) Gorynych", she suffered, too. The picture on the "leather satchel" just represents the struggle for the woman emancipation. --- When the time will come to write poetically, as you only able to do, this the fairy tale, you may ask me to give you detailed explanation. But now the chief matter is Babushka"s 90-th birthday. I send you different pictures of Babushka, of 15 years ago. Just on her arrival from America where you dressed her in an excellent "bourgeois". It took time to get them and I have no time to get some later picture in the vigorous form. I send 2 copies of big pictures, one for you and the other for the New York groupp of our party organization, which I ask you to send to the address: Mr. Boris Shapiro. 216 Ocean View Avenue, 216. BROOKLYN, N.Y. Mrs Irene Dietrich is acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. Shapiro. The other smaller pictures are all in your disposition to give; if necessary and possible to the Newspapers, which would like to reproduce it on occasion of the 90-th birthday of Babushka. The half of the small pictures is better to send also to Boris Shapiro, because they also need it for different English, Jew and Russian papers in New York. Of course it would be desirable to get back the original pictures from the paper, once they are used, and after, to distribute them according your and Shaprio"s consideration. in the personal possession. Next, to illustrate you the importance of financial policy and a mistak of Rusvelt, I tell you that I ordered many copies of Babushka"s picture to the photographer Gubchevsky, who preserved the negatives, byIO crowns big and 6 crow small pictures. Previously ONE dollar costed 33 crowns. It [*m??? is the pictures ?sted*] 1/3 and [*?/6*] dollar correspondently, or 33 and 17 cents. But now the prize of dollar in our countryis varying irregularly from 24 to [*?7*] crowns. No stability is. Rusvelt does not wish stabilization.of dollars, and for this reason all the rest world does not want to deal with Uncle Sam. One day the dollar costs 33 crown, the other day [*2?*], 24, 21 down to 17, and nobody knows what prize will be next day, or next week. Helena Dudley left to Babushka 200 dollars. 100 dollars Babushka received; but now 100 dollars, instead of previous 3350, cost only 2000 or 2300. The governments of many European states hd kept in their treasury the American dollars instead of gold as security for the paper money. With devaluation of Dollars all holders of them became correspondently poorer. But Rusvelt trys to devalvate dollar to the utmost, and by this he introduces and maintains the uncertainty in the trade, in the world market. Trying to help to american farmers, Rusvelt ruin the rest of the world. Besides, the whole Europe, thanks to the mondial war, has indebted to America to such an extent, that many peoples of Europe became slaves desperately working for Uncle Sam and his capitalists. Yearly, milliard and millards od dollars they must pay to America in the form of percentage. And when the peoples of Europe followed the excellent suggestion of President Wilson, have organised the League of Nation, to be able to arrange the international life and production and exchange, Uncle Sam did not join it. and together with the Soviet Russia, with the brigands of Japan, and with the hitlerist Germany has prevented the international organization of political, economical and finan life. But it is very complex matter. If you interested in it I"ll write some time later. Now I mus hurry up to send you the pictures and to say that we receive your letters regularly, and Babushka ordered me to send to so great and long her love to you you , that I could not put it in four pages of my letters Please, mention that I regularly answer to your letters. Now I "ll send you at once the pictures. Plese chose yourself which to send to New York. One of the pictures has to be delivered to Irene. But if she likes nore big one, I can send her later. Now I am buzy to the gorge, and shamefully charge you My dear, I have no time to look over my letter and to correct it. I am in a hurry going to the Postoffice... Infinitely yours. Perhaps you will send one picture to Irene. now or later. Yorus Geotge. Millions [*o??*] greetings in the New Year. To your cousin, to your doggy and to all your friends Send me a word of the sadly arriving of this letter George. If you write Irene, send her our love. I got her excellent letter. I"ll w write her later. About Babushka I have towrite greaty many letters in Russia a and in different country. I am sorry I could not to write a short biography of Babushka to send to the newspaper. But you are the EXPERT yourself. My dear, Forgive me... Letter from George Lazerev to Irene B. Dietrich Praha 10 - III - 34 Being near to our heart, youhave a right to inquire about the intimate side of the life of Babushka and me. Babushka does not like questions about her relations to her son,who is living now in Paris. She does not like - just because it is too complicated matter to explain it in some words: why the mother and son never meet each other? The situation seems so unnatural that many people do not suspect that she has her son alive. And even you, up to now, know nothing of it. Even foryou it is difficult to explain in some words. But that is necessary to be acquainted with the life of Babushka. I believe you read her excellent Memoirs, a book published in English by Prof. L. Hutchinson under the title: "Hidden Springs of the Russian Revolution", "Personal Memoirs of Katerina Breshkovskaia", edited by Lincoln Hutchinson, 1931, Stanford University Press, California?" Professor Hutchinson was the head of the mission of ARA (American Relief Association) under general heading of Mr. Hoover in 1921-22 when the U. W. A. came to the help of starving Russia and Czechoslovakia. We lived than together in Prague: Babushka, Karensky and I. We made acquaintance with the American mission and with Prof. Hutchinson especially. We became good friends. Thanks to assistance of ARA and Mr. Hutchinson particularly, Babushka organized two boarding schools, bought two houses and thus assisted the poorest country in Europe, Karpatsky Russia, annexed after the war to Czechoslovakia, after 900 years of being under the yoke of Hungary. At that time Babushka had in her hands some sketches of her Reminiscences. Most ofher memoirs were left in Russia in the hands of some intimate friends of Babushka. Prof. Hutchinson, after reading some of her memoirs at hand, proposed to her to translate it in English and to publish it in America. For this, it was necessary to get the memoirs, which she left in Russia. But you remember how it was difficult to get it, when no direct communication between Russia and Europe was possible during the civil war...... Some years passed before the great part of the sketches was gotten from Russia. Thus only in 1931 the collection of the sketches was translated and published by Mr. Hutchinson. I had translated to him, being in Prague, some interesting sketches which had not yet been published. Mr. Hutchinson, having sent me a copy of babushka's "Hidden Spriggs" made me a proposition to publish also my Memoris. "If they are in Russian and you have not time to translate them into English, I can find the translator here", he wrote me at that time. It was really a good proposition, but I am so busy with the current affairs ... that 24 hours daily is not sufficient for me. ........ Babushka, by her origin, belonged to the nobility, or aristocracy. Her father, Konstantin Verigo, was a nobleman of Polish origin, her mother , from highly aristocratic family of GOREMYKIN. The most reactionary prime minister in russia in 1905 was the old man, Goremykin. The parents of Babushka, father and mother , separate - had serfs, and some villages. Babushka was born and passed her childhood surrounded with the serfs. Her beloved nurse was a serf, an old, old woman, who loved little Katia more than the mother did. The Russian laguage was the common one, the language of serfs. the language of noble families had to be French and German. Babushka had 2 sisters and 2 brothers. The language of their family was French and German alternately. It was forbidden to speak Russian in the family. Little Katia called the Russian language the "niania" language, and liked it more than the family languages. ("Niania" is nurse.) To talk in "niania's" language she liked to run to the kitchen,to the servants' lodging. Later she likedto escape to the very village where the peasants-serfs surrounded her with atmosphere of love, care and devotion. Katia was sometimes punished for her secret going to the village. Little Katia liked to play with the peasant children of the same age, with boys and girls, and during these meetings she became acquainted with many hings and subjects which were neglected to know in the family. Since that time she liked more the serfs-peasants than the noble people who visited her family. The peasants all excellently speak in "niania"s language". The governess usually punished or rebuked Katia for her speaking home int he "niania's' language. The more attractive to the "niania's" language becomes. The plays with the children in the village an dthe peasant themselves became so attractive that she preferred to spend her free time in the village where she was going secretly, because it was forbidden to go there without her governess. Since her childhood little Katia liked serfs better than the noble people. "Because the peasant persons lovlier than their masters, more cordial, more interesting and more attractive" - little Katia thought and was persuaded. The villagers were ordered to bring Katia at once, if she went alone ... otherwise they will be punished ... The peasants preferred to be punished than to bring lovely Katia by force.page 2. Lazarev to Ms. Deitrich And even much later when she saw that some peasant was punished, she asked her father to forgive the serf. If not she or ied to such a degree that very often she swooned away, and could not be consoled until the punished serf is shown to her, being in good disposition. The matter came to such an end, that the corporal punishment was out of fashion in the Verigo's estate, mostly thanks to conduct of little Katia. She made such scandals that all brutal punishments were made secretly from her. Thus, the peasants began to come to Katia to ask her protection. And she inter- vened.... She came to her father, asked him to forgive or to assist her pets. The father, an educated and very intelligent man, was the worshipper fo the French encyclopaedists; he adored his little Katia; he appreciated her good feelings and sense of Justicee; he pronounces a speech of accusation against the accused, after which her turn came to pronounce a speech for the defense, she sprang, instead, to the breast of her father, clasped his neck silently and kissed him on the cheeks, to both eyes, to the head, both hands, up to the moment when her father says: "Eh, bien, little rasoal... all right ... Je suisvuinou .. Je suis d'accord avee toi ... Va! .. en triumphant"... This mode of defense became so frequent and popular that the process of trial was abgreviated. Little Katia, entering into the father's cabinet, during study, silently began the procedure of kissing. "What is the matter?" the father asked, at last. If she continued to kiss him silently after many questions, he understood the case was very important. .... So, she accustomed to interfere into the social life of their estate and village. The father changed twice his place of living. At last he bought the village with serfs in another province. Katia had 2 sisters and 2 brothers, elder and younger than she was. The sisters received the domestic education. When Katia and her elder sister grew up to 17 and 19 or 20 years, they would like to see the outside world. They wished to see Petersburg, where their mother lived before and received the most fashionable education. The mother started with them, supposing they would perfect themselves in studying music. The girls lived some months in Petersburg quite free and independently. They made acquaintance with the students of both sexes, who were at that time of very radical convictions. Both sisters wereinfected with the most idealistic conceptions. In some months, when their mother asked them: Perhaps it is time to come back home? they answered her th t they will not go home again, because they do not want any more to live as parasites, on account of the peasants who are now no more serfs, but free citizens, being liberated by the tzar. They wish to earn their living by their own work. The mother supplicated them to put off such nonsense and to some home with her. But both of the sisters decidedly refused to return home. "But how will you live here?" "We have found a place of teacher, and governess in two good and intelligent families in Tver government. .. Thank you mamma, give our love, thanks and greetings to papa and ask him not to x forget us and to write us as often as possible. We will sendyou [?????] We are already engaged and in a week must page 3. George Lazarev to Mrs. Dietrich soon returned to her mother to help in conducting the boarding school. But Katerina, who became pretty robust girl, did not want to separate with her independent life in the good intelligent family. Her sister, who returned home also suggested that Katerina come home and join in the common educational work. Katerina wrote to her father, that the boarding school for the girls of the rich nobility is an old fashioned matter. If the father will open the common school for the peasant children of both sexes, then she also would come home. The father and mother soon opened the village school and Katerina came and became an earnest teacher in both schools. The father, as a liberal man, was appointed by the government to the post of "Mirovoi Pasrednik" (The Peacemaker in the dispute between the liberated peasants and their previous masters). An intelligent friend of Katerina, the godson of her father (Sergius Kovalik) just after finishing his university, was appointed to the poest of the "Peace Judge". Together with Katerina they began to propagate and to assist the opening of the primary schools for the peasants. When Katerina married and became Mrs. Breshkovsky, she opened the school in her village. She and her husband, a student of the university, induced many other liberal noblemen in their vicinity to open the schools for their previous serfs. And they readily did it. The reactionary Marshal of the Nobility of their district was in indignation seeing the result of the educational and cultural activity of both families; he went to Sanct Petersburg, denounced to the Minister of the Interior, that Verigo, his godson Kovalik, and Katerine Breshkovsky with her husband were spreading the revolutionary ideas amidst the peasantry. Soon the order from Petersburg was received: Konstantin Verigo, the Peacemake, his godson Sergius Kovalik, the Peace Judge, to be discharged from their posts; Mr. and Mrs. Breshkovsky to be put under police surveillance and all village schools, opened in the district, to be closed. The order was fulfilled....All obeyed but not Katerina and her intimate friend, godbrother Sergius Kovalik. Kovalik started for Petersburg, and Katerine for the city of Kiev to step on the revolutionary way. In Kiev there was already living her elder sister. But trouble was that the son was born. Katerina, having decided to stay on the revolutionary way, asked her husband: Is he ready and willing to follow her? It means is he ready to go in prisons, to be executed, to die for the cause of social justice and for real liberty of the people? "If so, let us go together, if you cannot follow me, let us separate friendly, because I cannot live more under the police surveillance; it means having been a serf." Her husband frankly said that he is not prepared for it. And they had friendly separated....The wife of her brother, who had no children, asked her to give her little new born child to her and she will care for him as for her own son. Katerina loved this kind woman and agreed to entrust the child to her. The persuasions of her brothers, of her parents, were of no avail. She came to Kiev; soon became the center of the student organization of both sexes. The winter of 1873-74 she spent in Petersburg when the revolutionary excitement among the students of both sexes grew up to the utmost. Their extreme, childish enthusiasm and love for social justice was so great that they all were sure that after their revolutionary propaganda among the peasantry, the revolution in Russia will break out in some years..nary, in some months...It was evident to the "liberated" peasants that the old reactionary regime is speedily returning. The dispute between the liberated peasants and their previous maters was also growing more and more. The students of all universities in Russia, - of course [?]1874 to GO TO THE PEOPLE with the revolutionary page 4. George Lazarev to Mrs. Dietrich times to Siberia, administratively, without judicial investigation for 3, 5, and 4 years. From the second banishment I escaped to America, via Japan. I spent 4 years there, passing it gradually from California (5 months), to Denver, Colorado (9 months), Milwaukee, Wisconsin, (2 years). Then I visited Chicago (3 months during the World Exposition of 1893, where I was playing the chief rold in the operetta of my own composition, in the Music Hall of the Exposition. I visited Boston, Philadelphia, and so on, spending some months in New York and in your Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Bridge is very familiar to me. I experienced a great many occupations there. I lectured, I was working in Colorado at the bonanza farm as an ordinary workman, to make acquaintance with agricultural conditions in America. I saw the placers in the Rocky Mountains. I worked then in different professions, in different factories. More than one year I worked as a regular compositor in Milwaukee and in New York to learn better the dreadful English spelling. In 1894 I was called by my Russian comrade-emigrants to Europe to renew the revolutionary work against the despotic regime in Russia where all prisons were filled with the persons like Katerina Breshkovsky, with the best Russian intelligentzia. Since that time I lived in London, In Paris, where after the assassination of the President Sadi Karnot I was arrested with some [frei] friends, and, after some weeks of imprisonment, was sent out from France forever. George Clemeneau, who knew me, could not help me, because he was himself under the police surveillance....And only many years later, when he became the Minister of the Interior Affairs, the next day I received the telegraphic invitation to come to Paris to see my friends. .... It is too long to enumerate all the events and adventures I had passed in Europe. I was one of the founders of the Social-Revolutionary Party. When in Switzerland, where I married and had a house of my own, and the reknown "Ferme de Baugy et Etablissement de Kefir in Baugy sur Clarens", my House and Farm were the center of gatherings of international celebrities of all of the parties, convictions and social positions, beginning with the leaders of Bolshevism Lenin, Zinonoviev, Boukharine, Krylenko, and so on, up to the late Austrian Empress Elisabeth, who invited me to be her personal Leib-medic during her stay in Switzerland, near by me. During 2 months I was the celebrity in the world among leibmedic uses, of the works .,, I was not only the "medicus" but the tutor of the Empress, too. .. I was so sorry, when the next year the stupid anarchist, an Italian, Lukeni, had killed her in Geneva. ,,. When Babushka Breshkovsky returning from Siberia, secretly came to Switzerland, she also lived some time in my house. Since that time wherever we lived we worked together and were in regular communication. Now about Babushka Katerina Breshkovsky: She was an indomitable adventurer and heroine in Siberia. She was sentenced in our trial for 5 years of hard labour, with reduction of 4 years spent in prison during the preliminary detention. So she spent only a year in the dreadful prison of Kara in the Transbaikal Province. After that she was banished forever to the town of Bargusin. She could not stay there quiet, at liberty. She resolved together with with three other comrades, to escape to America, for which it was necessary to pass some thousand kilometres to reach the Pacific ocean. They bought horses, got funs, some provisions, and passed the really fantastical 6 weeks in passing the wild forests and over the high mountain ridges. At last they were discovered, arrested and tried. Katerina was sentenced the second time for four years of hard labour and 40 strokes with the whip, as corporal punishment, applicable to women according to the old law in the Siberian region. The sentence was regularly and officially proclaimed. It was to be the first time applied to the political prisoner, to the woman. When the sentence became known, it was a terrible scandal; the whole world will know that in Russia still exists such a shameful corporal punishment for women! To avert the scandal, the governor ordered to the local prison physician to present the certificate that the physical state of Katerina Breshkovsky is so feeble that she could not support the punishment. Katerina, being informed of it, vehemently protested against such a trick. Nay! She is in good heath: they must apply this shameful punishment, which in Russia is not abrogated yet. And she officially had written her protest. Nevertheless, the corporal punishment was not applied to her. (Since that time this corporal punishment has been abrogated). She spent her second punishment of four years of hard labor in Kara and was banished a second time to a page 5. George Lazarev to Mrs. Dietrich small and isolated town of Selenginsk, near the Chinese frontier. 7 years she spent there in great solitude. It was the most tedious time she experienced during her life. Here the American traveler, Mr. George Kennan, met her in 1888. (See his "The Siberian Exile System"). At last she got the permission to be a member of the local village, with the right to travel in Siberia. Little by little she began to move in the direction of European Russia. Some years passed, when some partial amnesty was proclaimed, and Katerina was allowed to return home to Russia, to join her family. It was in 1895 or 96). Now, after more than 20 years of separation she came at last to her brother. (The parents died). And for the first time she had seen her son Nicolas, - or rather the nephew. Because he was told since boyhood that he has a good "Aunt Katerina" sent to Siberia. But Nicolas, being elevated in the reactionary surroundings, considered the socialists as the most obnoxious and even obscene persons, but he heard that his Aunt Katerina Breshkovsky was the most perverted among all of them. When the "perverted aunt" had returned from Siberia and came to Nicolas and his "mother", she perceived at once, that her "nephew" met her very coolly. He did not like to talk with her, and if told he liked to show her that he is not in sympathy with her perverted ideas. "Aunt" Katerina with all kindness and condescension to the sincere convictions of others, told to her lovely nephew that she is sorry that they are of quite different social conceptions, But she is of the opinion that each man can be really happy only when he will obey and follow in his actions his sincere conviction. "Be happy", my dear Nicolas, in your way and I will be happy in mine", she said. Her brother and sister-in-law really adored Katerina, but their life was quite different; Katerina was longing for another life. Soon she left them forever. She disappeared and for many years travelled illegally all over Russia, making acquaintance with revolutionary elements, looking for old friends and comrades and conducting her revolutionary propaganda among the learning youth. And the youth so adored her that each of them would be ready to die, but not to betray to the police the presence of "Babushka" in their city, or town, or village. Since that time the name Katerina Breshkovsky altogether disappeared in Russia, but in all cities was whispered: "BABUSHKA", "Babushka is here.'" "Do you wish to see her? But you Know!" and the finger closed the lips. "Babushka, Babushka, Babushka." whispered all over Russia. The police badly searched for her and could not find her. She was dressed like an ordinary peasant woman. Oh, how many interesting accidents the people told about the boldness of Babushka and about the stupidity of the police who so many times were fooled by Babushka. But it is too long to tell you 1/1000th part of her adventures during her long wandering all over the Russia, during 6 years. She greatly assisted the organization of our S-R Party. In 1903 she came to us in Switzerland. 1904 she had participated with us in the International Socialist Congress in Amsterdam; as one of the delegates of our S-R Party. This very year she started for the first time to America and made the acquaintance with the wonderful women of the U. S. A. I mean Mrs. Isabell Barrows (aunt of Alice Blackwell) and her niece Alice Blackwell, Westover School, too. Then she came back to Switzerland and soon secretly entered Russia again. After the Amnesty of 1905 and the opening The State Doumas (the Russian Parliament) the First and Second ones, all we emigrants returned to Russia and were legalized. But Babushka did not believe in the sincerity of the tzar and his government. She refused to appear openly and continued to live and travel secretly as before. After the dispersion of the Second State Douma, the terrible reaction broke out. The provokator, Evno Aseff, the chief of the militant organization of our Party, who knew everything, had betrayed Babushka. She was arrested and put into dreadful Peter-Paul fortress, in which she was sitting 33 years ago. About 2 years she spent there. At that time Mrs. Isabell Barrows had come to Petersburg with the special purpose to see Babushka and, if possible, to take her on bail. But all was in vain. Mrs. Barrows wrote me about her failure. But we comrades of Katerina had to penetrate into her dreadful domicile. Nobody was allowed to see the imprisoned in the Peter-Paul fortress except the nearest relatives: parents, brothers and children. Nicolas Breshkovsky, the son of Babushka, lived then in Petersburg, He was a writer and knew, of course that Katerina Breshkovsk is his genuine mother. But since their meeting in 1896 they never have seen each other. They both had already accustomed to consider each other as strange persons. The government and the police knew, of page 6. George Lazarev to Mrs. Dietrich that Nicolas Breshkovsky was the son of Babushka. To get an opportunity to enter in connection with Babushka, our comrades had come to Nicolas and induced him to go to ask the interview with his MOTHER. He did so, and he was admitted to the fortress. You understand now, what a surprise it was, for Babushka to see her son in the interior of the dreadful Peter-Paul fortress! If I had time enough to write novels, I could produce an excellent drama and tragedies following along the life of Babushka. She at once understood that his arrival was not spontaneous; that he was sent by us. The interview was proceeded under the strict surveillance and Babushka became at once a great actress. She expressed such a joy of the real mother, on seeing her son, that the authorities were touched and allowed them to talk more intimately than it was allowed usually. The account of the interview was duly reported to us. To make quiet the motherly feelings of Babushka the authorities allowed her to entertain their relations by correspondence: she was allowed to send and receive letters from her son. It was all what we wanted. The real correspondence of our comrades with Babushka thus was stablished. What tender letters she was writing her beloved "Kolia", and how tender were the letters of her won, written as a matter of fact, by our comrades. Allegorically we mutually explained each other all that we wanted. There letter of Babushka are preserved and are very curious ones. Once a month the son had a personal interview with the mother, but the correspondence was carrying frequently, by us. In 1909 Babushka was tried and sentenced for banishment to East Siberia for life. Since that time the correspondence between mother and son stopped forever. Praha. 4 - III - 34. Nicholas Breshkovsky is now living in Paris. He is a writer of novels and romance. He is also an emigrant, or refugee, as Babushka and other friends of hers are. But the emigrants of today are divided into two camps: "The REDS" (the socialists) and the WHITES (the monarchists and reactionary elements.) We, the socialists mostly old men who spent many many years in prisons nd in exile in Siberia. All friends of Babushka, with whom she is living and working in close contact, are a comparatively small group of "red" emigrants, and the majority of "white" emigrants are of previous monarchistic nobilities or rich capitalists, who up to now hate socialists, and everywhere trying to entertain all kinds of organization of their own, mostly hostile to our organization and policy For instance, n order to get re-established the old Russian Empire with the tzars, they are in sympathy with the European fascism, with Mussolini, with Hitler, Dolfuss, of Austria, and so on. They hate socialists even more than those communists. They support Hitler in Germany, the Japanese brigands in China and in Manchuria. Together with international socialists we have to fight fascism anywhere and to defend democracy. Meanwhile, Babushka is hated by these reactionary emigrants, because they say, that it is she and other socialists who prepared the February revolution of 1912 in Russia, it is they who overthrew the monarchy; it is she with her pet Kerensky who settled up in the Winter Palace instead the tsarina and the tzar and thus prepared the advent of Lenin and the communists. The matter of fact, that Nicolas Breshkovsky is in sympathy with this "white" camp of the Russian emigration. Katerina and her son Nicolas never had been in normal and friendly relations; they are and had been always strangers to each other. Babushka said one time to her "nephew"; "To be happy one must live in accordance with one's sincere convictions." And now Babushka does not like to talk of her son. I tell you all in detail just because to explain to you the bottom of their mutual relations. They did not see each other since the unvoluntary interview in Peter-Paul fortress, and have no communication, being both abroad. From outside it may seem strange case in family relation. But it is necessary to write a big volume to persuade the world that here the public must see the interesting instance of the highest obnegation [obligation], self-sacrifice and tolerance on the part of "the mother". It is Necessary to take into consideration that it is Nicolas Breshcovsky, not his mother, who did not wish to entertain any correspondence between them. She was known to the whole world and he never wrote her one word. Meanwhile confidently I tell you that I always suspected that in the bottom of her soul she was suffered that her own son was staying outside of the field of her life and her activity. I suppose she did no want to complicate her life struggle and sufferings with those of those of openly loving mother's relation to her indifferent son. I believe, for this very reason she did not like to talk of her son. She is fighting for JUSTICE, which has nothing to do with kinship, or so she thought, it seems to me. page 7. George Lazarev to Mrs. Dietrich Only now, after your letter and at the beginning of this letter I was informed that Nicolas Breshkovsky was never been married. Just today I saw a gentleman who had seen Nicolas in Paris, in good health and gay disposition George Lazarev Miss. Alice Stone Blackwell Praha XIII. 3. Monadnock St., Boston My dear Alice. Long time i did not send you a word in reply to your kind letters and moneyment to me. Avout the money first. Today I got at last 33,50 dollars or 770,0 crowns. Previously I received consecutively: 460 crowns (20 doll.), 11 and 61 Thus, in the total: 20+11+61+10+33, 50 dollars, what equals = 135, 50 doll. Your sending by post is very convenient. I receive the money at my about at the cost of the dollar in the day of your sending. The value of dollar is not stable yet. Before depreciation 1 dollar was = 33-35 crowns. Now = only 23-24. Anyhow, Babushka cannot find the words to express you her thanks and her generation for your energy in all lines of humanitarian works. I read her all cuttings from the papers you send me. "Let her work to the last end; - she says, -" because,, To the glory that floods and thrills when a beautiful life is done... Really, my dear Alice, we cannot duly express our feelings... only a part is said Of the reverent love we bear; But well cherish the flame you feu, And kindle our torches there. My dear Alice, About 2 weeks I spent in my bed with my unusual catarrn but now I feel myself better. I wrote a long letter to dear Irene. The letter may not interest you. She put me some questions about Babushka, and I answered her in detail. She sent me wonderful Atlas. So now I can find any little village in the U.S. Not long ago I received the second letter from Mrs. Ione H. Russel from South Dakota, Spearfish, Box 52. In the last letter she joined the Easter greetings from 6 other lady-members of their "The Spearfish Woman Reading club" All ladies of the club, after warm greetings informed me and Babushka, that not long ago they greatly enjoyed reading the excellent book of Miss Alice Stone Blackwell: "The Little Grandmother of the Russian Revolution". They read it collectively in their Reading Club. I asked them to join their company as honorary members of ther Reading Club Babushka and her beloved sisters Miss Alice Blackwell, of Boston, and Mrs. Irene Dietrich, of Brooklyn. I ex-plained them - why these three souls are inseparable. I devised them to pro-cure Babushka's "Memoirs", edited by prof. Lincoln Hutchinson. I expressed my sorrow that I cannot be admitted to their reading club, unfortunately, I am of a masculine origin.... I have found in my excellent Atlas, that SPEARFISH is a little town, with 1577 inhabitants, in canton LAWRENCE of S.Dakota, under 44,30 Near frontier of the State Wyoming. In some day I'll see Babushka to deliver your last sending. when, during the celebration of her 90th birthday, the reputation from the socialist party Club and from the Socialist Women Organization came with me to make visit to Babushka at her house in Počernice. I did not suspect that they procured the Filmmaker... who fixed 4 sceneries: 1) General view of the house, where Babushka is living. 2) Our arrival to the house on 2 big automobile,. 3) Interiors of the house: Babushka surrounded with the deputation. 4) Babushka and George Lazarev separately. The scene of vehement dispute between them. Babushka can not see, but she felt that their is going the photographing some sceneries. She felt great light thrown on her. When we left alone, the film-maker asked me to tell Babushka that she would not sit immobile. It is not photography. The incessant movement necessary. I had to cry her to the ear, loudly. I based her to move "as much as you can". She says: "Don't tell nonsense: Why to move,When they making photos I --- Nay, Babushka, - I am crying: we are not photographed, we are filmed...__"what is the nonsense you say, - she replyed why we are SHELMED?...(in Russian "shelmed" means cheated)...But the time is going on, we were sitting under the great light....in my trouble I sprang up to show her how is necessary to move by head and hands But I made my mind up that she cannot neither see not hear me far from her ears....It is a film for a Kino, - I cried, - We will be seen in Kino!.... Move anyhow"....But even after my explanation she was sceptic....As a compromise she slowly moved with hand and head, thinking that it is sufficient for the curious humanity, This scene was pretty long. Two weeks after I saw the film in the Socialist club, where many Russian friends were invited. My sight also not quite well, but all Russian and Czeiue public were very satisfyed. I asked the film-maker to prepare and to sell me a copy of this film. The ribbon without the picture of the boards with inscriptions, explaining the content of each scene in Czeiue language. I decided to send this copy of the film, the ribbon, to my American friends. The inscription with explanation they make in English or Russian. In Boston or New york it is not difficult to procure an apparently for projection of the film, once the ribbon is ready. But for our American friends the film perhaps will be interesting and to some extent a historical one: to see Babushka alive. I am sorry, by to our fault , Babushka was not so alert....But now, to whom to send it? In Boston or New York? I thought it is better to sent to New York where there are pretty many friends who knew Babushka. No secret for out friends that she is near her last End. And for all our living friends will be attractive to see her slow movement with hand and head.........I am ready to cry, to weep, seing my old-old friend and comrade in such desperate condition, so old, so weak..... The only consolation that she is surrounded with so devoted friends, like Mr. and Mrs. Archangelsky and Borie Rabinovich, that no more tender, more attentive nursing can be imagined. Your intervention in the case Mr. Gill is excellent. I know practically, what does it means the change of the party administration USA. Your article is sharp, but diplomatically is very tactful. No personal blame but general system... HHHHHH------My dear Alice, in one letter you wrote me that you had been invited to be in presidium if not to presiae at the meeting or lecture by Miss Emma Goldman. I am interested in her person. I know her - not personally - since my living in Milwaukee in 1892-3, when I had involuntarily participated in the celebrated strikes in many cities in Pittsburg especially, where England Frick. Emma Goldman, being a Russian anarchist, together with her comrade Mr. Bergman (if I am not forget his name) had come to Pittsbourh to support the agitation among the working population. It seems to me she and Bergman were arrested or sent out from the State. At that time the anarchists were more popular in U.S., than the socialists. The anarchist Mr. Most and many religious preachers were very popular anarchists. Long time after with her extreme political convictions she took the side of Lenin, of Bolsheviks and communists. After the Bolshevist coup stat she was against socialist and against Babushka. But when she got the communist paradise, in Moscow, she changed her mind. I forgot to ask you to shake her hands on my part. Where she is now? I am sorry I have not read her book on Bolshevism. Now I have to go at once to the cemetery for the burial of our Professor Shmurlo, of 80 years old.... The question to whom to send the RIbbon of the film with Babushka, Irene Dietrich answered: Send to a sister Alice in Boston, because she is the oldest and the more venerable soul among her American friends...But I think, it is possible to send the ready film from one city to another. The more important question is - who is more able to arrange the ribbon for the apparatus. In New York there are many Russian friends, who can arrange the filming. Anyhow, let me brotherly kiss your head and to send my greetings to your cousing and to Mrs. Thyne asking the last one to keep up her eye upon you, and not to allow you to go to meetings in a bad weather. She is since now responsible for any of your shortcomings! I am sure she is excellent woman. Do not forget to say good wishes to your lovely dogy. With love your George Belgrad.23-IX-34.Yugoslavia To Miss Alice Stone Blackwell in Boston My dear, my beloved spiritual sister... You will understand my despair, when you know that up to now I am still in Yugoslavia. One month ago I left Babushka with Mr. A. Kerensky who came by air from Paris and his son Gleb from London. She was weak, indeed, but I hoped to find her alive on my return from Yugoslavia, where I started to see somoe friends and the country itself. I have never been in this country. I was informed here that Mr. Kerensky also left for Paris, his son for London. I was traveling in this nice country when I receive a telegram from Archangelsky that Babushka is badly weak, and soon I have read extra telegram in a big Belgrad paper that Babushka has died, the morning of 12-IX. I was in despair...To reach Prague it required some days. To come there after burial would be more distressful...Meanwhille the correspondents of different newspapers and from different countries asked numerous interviews on account of the death of Babushka, her life and of my relation to her. Thus I resolved to popularize her name in this country. Now I received the short account of Babushka's burial appeared in press. The burial was really quite royal one, and really national. The deputies of different parties and organizations came from different places; the senators, the deputies of Parlament, particpated in the solemn procession. Many speeches were said. Kerensky came back in timeby air and in his speech at the cemetery has read The Last Farewell of Babushka to the World of her known and unknown. I have sent it already to the Westover School. Perhaps you will send it to sister Irene Dietrich. I am not sure, but our Russian friends in America, perhaps, will read it in the Russian papers. Anyhow please send the copy of this "Farewell" to Mrs. Dietrich, and she will be so kind to show it to Mr and Mrs Shapire, of Brooklyn. Let them excuse me, that being isolated and deprived my typewriters, I could nothing to tell them of the proceedings in Prague...In two days I'll start to Prague. I'll write you more. Now, where Babushka left us I feel myself still more intimately tied with you and sister Irene than ever before.....In this moment I received first information from Mrs. Fanny Kaluznaya, who after death of her husband, day and night cared of Babushka and thus buried her own sorrow...She describes me the wonderfully quiet death of Babushka. She died sitting in the bed. They did not believe she is dead. They brought the mirror to know the respiration...She was dead....All they were waiting my arrival... The last I'll write from Prague, my dear Alice, my beloved sister...Now it is my turn to be ready to join Babushka. But we must hurry up to live, to act to work to the last and, as Babushka did. Excuse my bad handwriting. I do it in a hurry....Mrs. Archangelsky writes that they feel themselves lonesome I kiss your hands, Yours forever, George THE LAST FAREWELL TO THE WORLD BY CATHERINE BRESHKOVSKY x/ The World that is dear to me! The World of good men and women! The World that I knew! The World that knew me also! The World of those with whom we were acquainted reciprocally! Whether I was good or bad, you knew me anyhow, and you made me the honour by doing so. To you, I wish to say my last good bye! Somewhen and somewher we shall meet again. And I ask you, not to remember me badly. All what I did in my life, I did it from pure heart; and I believe, that all what the God's World did for me, was also done from pure heart. Thus, now, when I am going away, I am going from myself. I am going off without any reproach, but with thankfulness, for I understand well, that for all what is good in me, it is you to whom I am obliged; and for all what is bad in me, mostly I am guilty myself, and only partialby, perhaps, the Natura was responsible. The Natura gave me too much of emotions to allow my life to go on by regular and quiet steps, without stormy bounds. The World is stormy and large; the stormy and large are our actions, too. Still one I may say. The Life had been very kind to me; it brought me up out of all human troubles, and did it so softly that left me unmolested. My last word: All those, who consider me as their friend, I thank infinitely not only here, in this World, but in that of the future. CATHERINA BRESHKOVSKY File x/Some days before her death. 3 Monadnock St., Upham's Corner, Boston, Mass. Nov. 21, 1934. My dear Mr. Lazarev, Mr. and Mrs. Archangelsky and Mrs. Weller: and Mrs. Patchin After mailing my last letter to you, I left the post office and started to cross the street. It was a wide and rough crossing. I saw a motor car coming, but I thought that I could reach the sidewalk before it reached me, and I foolishly started to run. I suppose I stubbed my toe; at any rate, I plunged forward and fell, striking my forehead a severe blow against the stones. I arose with my nose bleeding and my forehead swelling up; yet my eye-glasses had not been knocked off. This seemed wonderful. It was a very narrow escape The glasses might easily have cut my eye and blinded me. I went home, where the bruises were doctored first with hot water and then with witch-hazel, and they have steadily improved, but for some days my face was a spectacle. The marks are not very noticeable now, especially when I have my hat on. I am very angry with myself for my silliness. I am like a woman in one of Charles Reade's novels, who said that she had "behaved like a fool, without even the excuse of being one." Last Sunday afternoon, with my hat on, I spoke on Babushka before the "Fellowship" of the Community Church, at 6 Byron Street. I was very much dissatisfied with my address; I felt that it did not half do her justice. But who could do her justice, without the eloquence of a Lucy Stone or a Wendell Phillips? However, they seemed interested, and at the close they asked questions, and they gave me an enormous bunch of yellow chrysanthemums to carry home. Everyone who sends me an account of Babushka's funeral gives some new and interesting facts. I wish that I had had them all before I wrote my letter about it to the Springfield Republican. I hope that the Westover School has sent Mr. Lazarev the last issue of their magazine, "The Lantern." It contains her farewell to the world, and a number of interesting reminiscences about her visits to Westover. I did not know that she had been there so often. With best wished to all, I remain yours Alice S. BlackwellPrauge. 18-x-34. My beloved Alice... I miss you ... So long I have no news from you... I am accustomed to receive your letter weekly... jointly to me and to Babuska... She has you and I am left alone doubly by Babuska and by dearest sister. Your silence troubles me deeply. Now since 7 hours in the morning I am sitting at radio listening the procedure of funeral of the King Alexandre, of Yugoslavia. Al other radio communications is interrupted for today. The public meeting for the memory of Babushka is designated for 9-XI-34. It will be solemn one without legate from different organizations. Special committee was appointed. I am the first speaker being designated. I got many letters and telegrams and have to answer ... But no letters from you. On arrival from Yugoslavia I have found four letters from you, to me and to Babushka. But no letters when I have been left alone. I am afraid... send me a word... I got a letter from das Herree Dietrich from 14-IX-34, it means 2 days after the death of Babushka. She sent me the papers' cuttings from the American papers with articles on Babushka. I wrote to Westover School from Belgrade sending them the translation of Babushka’s. the last Farewell to the World. And now I got a letter in reply from Miss Lucy B. Pratt. I say afraid... No word from you!... During 2 weeks in different [?] here had been shown the funeral of Bubushka. I am sorry I was absent... But fortunately a photo firm published 23 pictures representing different moments of the funeral. Nice pictures for 4 crowns each or [10?] crowns for the whole "compleet." I have bought one "compleet" and now have the full idea of the funeral Little later I’ll try to send you some of them. Perhaps better to send the whole “compleet” to American friends? They can send to each other. We suppose to publish a book in memory of Babushka with articles from her intimate friends. We hope to get from some lines. Please, tell me whether you received my letter from Belgrad or not. I cannot be quiet until I’ll get your letter... I was in Belgrad when Babushka died. I got the telegram but could not reach Prague in time... It would be terrible to come Prague 2 days after the funeral... I resolved to stay in Yugoslavia to popularize the life and activity of the late Babushka. I wrote articles and gave numerous interviews to the correspondents of different papers.I am sorry, my typewriter is in reparation. Can you read my bad handwriting!) answered to the letter from the "Woman's Club" in Spearfish, of South Dakota, who got your book on Babushka and "Hidden Springs of the Russian Revolution" by Babushka. They read them both in their Club with great interest. The chief member of this Club is Mrs. Ione H. Russell, Box 52, Spearfish, S. Dakota. She is of 93 years old, and regularly writes to me. She loves you and Babushka. They all ask me not to leave them alone. They found my letters to be very interesting for them. They read them in their Club. I sent them the copy of Babushka "Farewell to World." I am told now that some weeks before her death Babushka confidently dictated the "Farewell" to Mrs. Larice Archangelsky and asked to publish it – only after her death. So it was done. Baushka found that their friends to numerous to mention their names. Thus she addressed good bye "to her World"! Mr. Kerensky came from Paris by air and read loudly this "Farewell" of Babushka at her grave, at the burial.... My dear sister... I feel myself lonesome.... Yours to the End. George. Postmark: PRAHA 73, 19.X.34 -19 Miss Alice Stone Blackwell 3 Monadnock Street, 3 Upham's Corner Boston. Mass Etats Unis 3 Monadnock Street, Boston, Mass. October 16, 1934. Dear Mr. Lazarev, Mr. and Mrs. Archangelsky and Mrs. Weller: Many thanks for your kind letters, which have been read with the deepest interest. How much darker and colder this world seems now that our dear lady is gone! For her sake, I suppose that we ought to be glad that she is released, since life had become burdensome to her; but to us it is a great sorrow and bereavement. My first intimation of her death was a telegram from the Christian Science Monitor, received while I was still at Chilmark, asking for 700 words about her as soon as possible. I spent the morning of my 77th birthday scribbling hard in the effort to condense even the barest outline of her wonderful Life within those limits. The editor of the Monitor writes me that the article aroused most interest. Then the editor of Zion's Herald, a Methodist paper, asked for 1500 words. I wrote 2000, and then cut out enough to reduce it to 1650, which they accepted. I have received only one copy as yet, but shall send you copies later. It is unfortunate that at this time, with an election impending, and several sensational crimes and accidents occupying many columns in the newspapers, I cannot get space for an adequate article about her. I prepared one for the Boston Transcript which seemed to me of absorbing interest, but it was refused, with a letter saying that they did not think there was "enough public interest in the lady" to warrant their giving space to it. Dr. Lourie has translated Mr. Archangelsky's last letter, and I shall have a number of copies made to send to Babushka's principal friends in this country. The Springfield Republican is more hospitable to my letters than any other paper, and I shall send them one more, telling about the funeral, etc. I was deeply interested in Mr. Lazarev's account of his own very remarkable life, a brief outline of which he sent to Mrs. Irene B. Dietrich, with many additional particulars about Babushka, not long before her death, and which she lent to me. I have had copies made. Gratefully yours, Alice Stone Blackwell 3 Monadnock Street, Boston, Mass. October 16, 1934. Dear Mr. Lazarev, Mr. and Mrs. Archangelsky and Mrs. Weller: Many thanks for your kind letters, which have been read with the deepest interest. How much darker and colder this world seems now that our dear lady is gone! For her sake, I suppose that we ought to be glad that she is released, since life had become burdensome to her; but to us it is a great sorrow and bereavement. My first intimation of her death was a telegram from the Christian Science Monitor, received while I was still at Chilmark, asking for 700 words about her as soon as possible. I spent the morning of my 77th birthday scribbling hard in the effort to condense even the barest outline of her wonderful Life within those limits. The editor of the Monitor writes me that the article aroused most interest. Then the editor of Zion's Herald, a Methodist paper, asked for 1500 words. I wrote 2000, and then cut out enough to reduce it to 1650, which they accepted. I have received only one copy as yet, but shall send you copies later. It is unfortunate that at this time, with an election impending, and several sensational crimes and accidents occupying many columns in the newspapers, I cannot get space for an adequate article about her. I prepared one for the Boston Transcript which seemed to me of absorbing interest, but it was refused, with a letter saying that they did not think there was "enough public interest in the lady" to warrant their giving space to it. Dr. Lourie has translated Mr. Archangelsky's last letter, and I shall have a number of copies made to send to Babushka's principal friends in this country. The Springfield Republican is more hospitable to my letters than any other paper, and I shall send them one more, telling about the funeral, etc. I was deeply interested in Mr. Lazarev's account of his own very remarkable life, a brief outline of which he sent to Mrs. Irene B. Dietrich, with many additional particulars about Babushka, not long before her death, and which she lent to me. I have had copies made. Yours gratefully, Alice Stone Blackwell 3 Monadnock Street, Upham's Corner, Boston, Mass. Nov.2,1934 Dear Mr. Lazarev, Mr. and Mrs. Archangelsky and Mrs. Weller: I have received several very interesting post cards from Mr. Lazarev, and the long letter from Mr. Archangelsky with its touching account of Babushka's last hours and of her funeral _ this letter has been translated by Dr. Lourie, but I have not yet had time to get it manifolded to send to her friends _ and Dr. Lourie has translated one of the letters from Olga Chirnova to Mrs. Dietrich, and he promises to translate the other. The Christian Science Monitor paid me $15. for the article about Babushka, and the royalties on "The Little Grandmother" have come in, amounting to $9. I am sending this money to Mrs. Archangelsky, because I suppose that Mr. Lazarev is likely to be away a great deal, working actively to do his utmost up to the last, following Babushka's example. Otherwise I do not suppose it matters to which of them money is sent. I am sorry that dear Mr. Lazarev's feelings have ben hurt because I did not write to him for some time after Babushka's death. I knew that he was overwhelmed with more letters than he could possibly answer; and I am myself also overwhelmed continually with more work than I can possibly do, and I am constantly in arrears with my correspondence on all sides. If I do not write to him as often as I used to write to Babushka, he must not think that I forget him. But I shall try to write oftener. I knew of Mrs. Noble's death. Mr. Noble asked me to contribute towards her funeral expenses, and I was obliged to refuse. Owning to dishonesty on the part of our business adviser _ an old friend, whom we trusted to make our investments for us _ my old cousin has lost every cent that she possessed, and I have lost the largest part of my property, and am left in a position of very serious financial anxiety. I did not want Babushka to know this, and I would not mention it while she lived. I did not find out the full extent of our misfortunes until a little while ago. I am just getting over an attack of "intestinal grippe," which is very prevalent just now. It is a great comfort to be feeling almost normal again. I am not accustomed to being ill. Dr. Ossip Lourie, 485 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Mass., is willing to translate things for us, and refuses to take any pay. Babushka's farewell to the world seems very strange to me. I certainly understood that both she and Mr. Lazarev entirely disbelieved in any hereafter _ any life after death _ yet she says "Some time and somewhere we shall meet again," and she says other thing which carry the same implication. I do not understand this, unless she thought that it would be consoling to her friends, many of whom perhaps believe in a future life. And there are some passages in the farewell the meaning of which I could not understand. I suspect that when she dictated it she was so weak as to be somewhat incoherent. In preparing my account for the press, I left out these passages, in preference to guessing at their meaning and perhaps distorting it. Also it was necessary to make everything as short as possible, because an election is impending, and the newspapers are full of political matter, and of the reports of several sensational crimes. Mrs. Weller may tell Olga Chirnova that if she has difficulty in finding someone to translate her letters into English, if she has any friend who can translate them into French, I can read French almost as easily as English, though I cannot write it with out innumerable mistakes. With warm sympathy and high regard to all of you, I remain your Alice 3 Monadnock Street, Upham's Corner, Boston, Mass. Nov. 2, 1934 Dear Mr. Lazarev, Mr. and Mrs. Archangelsky and Mrs. Weller: I have received several very interesting post cards from Mr. Lazarev, and the long letter from Mr. Archangelsky with its touching account of Babushka's last hours and of her funeral_ this letter has been translated by Dr. Lourie, but I have not yet had time to [ge] get it manifolded to send to her friends_and Dr. Lourie has translated one of the letters from Olga Chirnova to Mrs. Dietrich, and he paid me $15. for the article about Babushka, and the royalties on "The Little Grandmother" have come in, amounting to $9. I am sending this money to Mrs. Archangelsky, because I suppose that Mr. Lazarev is likely to be away a great deal, working actively to do his utmost up to the last, following Babushka's example. Otherwise I do not suppose it matters to which of them money is sent. I am sorry that dear Mr. Lazareve's feelings have been hurt because I did not write to him for some time after Babushka's death. I knew that he was overwhelmed with more letters than he could possibly answer; and I am myself also overwhelmed continually with more work than I can possibly do, and I am constantly in arrears with my correspondence on all sides. If I do not write to him as often as I used to write to Babushka, he must not think that I forget him. But I shall try to write oftener. I knew of Mrs. Noble's death. Mr. Noble asked me to contribute toward her funeral expenses, and I was obliged to refuse. Owing to dishonesty on the part of our business adviser_ an old friend, whom we trusted to make our investments for us_ my old cousin has lost every cent that she possessed, and I [hve] have lost the largest part of my property, and am left in a position of very serious financial anxiety. I did not want Babushka to know this, and I would not mention it while she lived. I did not find out the full extent of our misfortunes until a little while ago. I am just getting over an attack of "intestinal grippe," which is very prevalent just now. It is a great comfort to be feeling almost normal again. I am not accustomed to being ill. Dr. Ossip Lourie, 465 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Mass., is willing to translate things for us, and refuses to take any pay. Babushka's farewell to the world seems very strange to me. I certainly understood that both she and Mr. Lazarev entirely disbelieved in any hereafter_ any life after death_ yet she says "Some time and somewhere we shall meet again," and she says other things which carry the same implication. I do not understand this, unless she thought that it would be consoling to her friends, many of whom perhaps [belive] believe in a future life. And there are some passages in the farewell the meaning of which I could not understand. I suspect that when she dictated it she was so weak as to be somewhat incoherent. In preparing my account for the press, I left out these passages, in preference to guessing at their meaning and perhaps distorting it. Also it was necessary to make everything as short as possible, because an election is impending, and the newspapers are full of political matter, and of the reports of several sensationalist crimes. Mrs. Weller may tell Olga Chirnova that if she has difficulty in finding someone to translate her letters into English, if she has any friend who can translate them into French, I can read French almost as easily as English, though I cannot write it without innumerable mistakes. With warm sympathy and high regard to all of you, I remain you AlicePrague 10-X-34 My beloved sister. I have come home and found a heap of letters & telegrams from all parts of the world concerning the death of Babushka. I replied day and night Babushka died quietly, without suffering on the [hands?] of her friends. They brought the mirror to ascertain whether she is sleepy or death. Mr. Archangelsky told me that he has written you at once after the death of Babushka in Russian and described in detail her death The burial and funerals were unusually solemn, they were really national: thousands participated from different part of the country. Kerenzky came by air from Paris. 23 nice photos I procured to make acquaintance with the process of the whole funeral. They cost 80 crowns, or about $4. Little later I'll send you some, or the whole "complect" of pictures. Very nice! On arrival from Yugoslavia, I visited her previous domicile and her present ..... The cemetery is small, but beautyful, covered with flowers. The grave of Babushka represents the prolonged wreath of flowers, the fresh flowers in numerous pots were put in and covered the whole grave. So the earth is not seen. Babushka's coffin was put into specially made crypt and her coffin is metallic of lead, with the view that at the favorable opportunity the [restes??] of our late Babushka to be brought to Russia. The funerals were solemn and national. The expensers took on its amount the city of Prague. It seems to me I sent you from Belgrade the translation of the last "Good Buy" of Babushka. On arrival I wrote to Irene and to Shapiro, asking them to inform you what is happened here. From Belgrad I sent "The Last Farewell" of Babushka to Westover School, but I am afraid it was not sufficient. I did not answered yet for many letters I got from America. My dear sister I hope you excuse my silence. 9 of November we suppose to make apublic meeting for honour of late Babushka. I am up to now busy every day. Excuse my handwriting My machine is not well. I believe you have come to Boston now. We have thousands of letters received by Babushka but we have no letters of Babushka, because she left no copies of her letters. We establish here a special museum for Babushka and we wish to gather all letters she wrote to anybody. For this reason we wish to ask all her correspondents to send us her letter, original or in copies. My dear Alice you have the treasury in your possession. Do you know, my dear Alice, I got a letter from Beatrice Noble, with information that her poor and excellent mother, Lydia Noble died the summer the young poetess Lydia, her daughter died two years ago. The care for all family, being on her hands. .. Betty was also sick you know. And now Betty wrote me nice letter in Russian. Perhaps you know something? My love to you and greetings to your cousin and to all domicile. Your forever [Serge?] Miss Alice Stone Blackwell 3, Monadnock Street, 2. Upham's Corner Boston, Mass Etats UnisPrague, 18th of December 1934 My dear Mrs Blackwell! Today we have received your letter from the 21-th of November 1934, and we were extremely agitated by your report of that occurrence which could end tragically not only for you but for us all too. Fortunately you gott off it comparatively easy and you were able already to make a speech about Babushka's before the Fellowship of the Community Church. We hope now that your physical strength remained untouched. There is no need to speak about spiritual strenght. With the greatest admiration we watched your social and literary work and we wish you the best success during many years for the [weal?] of all surrounding you people. In one of your letters you asked how [?] to understand some expressions of Babushka's "Farewell to the World". Allow me to giveyou my opinion. From her childhood up Babushka bended herself profoundly before the Gospel, before Its moral beauty and purity. Following the Gospel's words, asking to love all human beings. she went over to the political struggle in order to deliver her folk of every oppression: political, social, religious, national and s.o. That struggle kept her up wholly but the admiration of the moral highness of Christian doctrine lay in the stamen of that struggle. Therefore her political struggle had in it something of the religious service to the Highest Truth. And so it was with many others russian revolutionists – contemporaries of Babushka. And we must notice the following: Babushka was a woman gifted with a lively imagination. In the whole world she saw a struggle between light and evil and she thought it was her duty to take part in this struggle. In the world she perceived the presence of a luminous, mysterious power, guiding everything to the final triumph of the Good on the earth. To this mysterious and at the same time wise Power she appealed in the difficult moments of her life. Serving this Power, that discovered itself in the demands of conscience, she thought was her greatest luck. Here I shall not value Babushka's contemplation of the world from the side of logic and science. But is the world's contemplation of everybody built on the logic only?! It is very easy to find errors in opposite opinions. Religious contemplation of the world as well as atheistical one are not so much built on the logic as on the psychology. And Babushka's psychology could be considered a religious one. I write it all to you, dear Miss Blackwell in order to enlight for you some questions that were touched by you in the last Farewell to the World. My husband asks me to present to you his best wishes and congratulation to the New Year. Yours very truly Larissa Archangelsky My dear Miss Blackwell! Excuse my being late with my Christmas wishes and congratulations. This was fault of our translatress. [*Please return*] PRAHA, 19-II-35 To Miss Alice Stone Blackwell BOSTON My dear Alice It seems to me, so long time I hear nothing from you. But our dear Irene Dietrich has written me OF you... with great sorrow she informs me about your precarious health, precarious sight and precarious material condition. In addition – the precarious condition of your cousin. I do not know whom and where from she heard it, but she said it with such a trouble that I became myself troublesom.... I am guilty myself I did not write you long time. I wrote about 20 letters in different place, in America, in reply to inquiries about the death and funeral of Babushka. To the Westover School I sent the whole complect of the photographic pictures of the whole proceding of the funeral. I got great thanks from Lucy B. Pratt and from the girls. and ten dollars in addition for the pictures. Miss Lucy informed me with her usual kindness that the girls of Westover School cannot continue to send more in support to the institutions of Babushka, once Babushka has gone. Their real intention was to help Babushka herself personally. But now at the great financial crisis in America the Westover School has has too much troubles and expences to help to the surrounding population. But they ask me personally not to interrump with them the previous friendly relations. I was going to answer that they are perfectly right in their considerations and deliberation. That I perfectly understand them and their reasoning. Really, their steady help in the humanitarian work of Babushka was so great during last 30 years that it may be surpassed only by your and dear Irene"s indefatigable assistance. When Babushka was alive she concentrated in her person the immense field of different sorts of huma destitude.... When Babushka died it was impossible to let to each department of her humanitarian work to address to you or to dear Irene with their particular needs. Without the concentration of general humanitarian or cultural work may be produced the full disorientation. Unfortunately I cannot take place of Babushka to carry her work. I am too busy now. The matter is that at the approach of my 80 years birthday the Committee was organized with the intention to publish I volume of my Reminescences; which were already printed in different papers. My friends ask me to put aside my ordinary work as a secretary of Babushka and to concentrate m my attention on the filling [up?] the gaps in my political and social activity. 1/2y life and activity during the Turco-Russian ware in 1878-9, when I was simple soldier; My escape to America from Siberia via Japan; my adventures in America during 4 years. Many accidents in my activity in Europe and Russ are not known, and did not published, chiefly because my previous life and the activity of the socoalist parties in the tzarist Russia could be c carried only clandestinely. It was dangerous to publish anything about activity of the party and its members. Now my friends insist that I should concentrate the rest of my forces on the filling the gaps. Now I need myself to have a secretary for my correspondence. In quality of the secretary of B Babushka I have had great many friendly nests, scattered all over America, North and South... Besides, I must confess: I feel myself oldman... For me it is difficult now to go upstairs on the third floor, when the same feet brough me twice in my life on the top of Mon Blanc.... (Do you know - it is the hig highest mountain in Europe). My beloved Alice, my beloved Spiritual sister.... Believe the sincerity of my brotherly feelings. Now I am in great trouble about your personal wellbeing.. I hope, Mrs. Thyne is still near you. I ask her to keep up her careful eye over you. You know Mrs Weller not long ago unexpectedly added mew trouble for us. My dear, we are really old people, but let us live working to the End all what we can. I cannot forget your verses you send me at some Christmas time: Look deep enough into any darkness; and you will find a starr" Only from time to time send me a word to know how are you. If you need som something materially, I supplicate to tell me or consult with me. You are t the nearest member of my family... Before the Eternity we are equally small and equally brothers and sisters.. Now I send you the photo of Babushka, that I occasionally found at one photography. It is the best of all that I could procure for the last years of her life. I ordered the dozen of it. I'll send to Westover School and t to other friends. I join also the last edition of my own physic .... Had I told you that Mrs. Lydia Noble died? and that from her sick daught Beatrice I got a very kind and obliging letter? Mr. Edmund Noble is still well... O, how many tragedies are scattered all over the world!.... I am so much thankful to our dear Irene for her information about your health. She was in great trouble about you. I wish to get a word from yourself. My dear sister, we are staying befor Eternity, please tell me all francly or confidently. The space cannot separate our spirit..Babushka was right in saying that [?] will meet all her friends somehow and somewhere in the future,, it means on the pages of the world History. Yours forever GeorgeThat is the picture of Babushka Breshkovsky School Internate in Mukachevo, in Karpatian Russia, of Checo-Slovakia, made in June of 1936. In the middle of the picture are sitting in the low line [FOTO MEISELS, MUKAČEVO Komenského (Sugar-ut) S.] Mr. George Lazaner and at left the directrice of the internate Mrs. Zoya Artiukhova, 12 years is quiding this girl internate, she was invited for this post By, to late Katherune Breshkovsky! Nothing to transcribe.The picture of the same School Internate in Mukachevo after arival of the guests from Uzgorod to meet the arrival of Mr. Gerge Lazarer, who is sitting in the centre of the picture. On the right side to the left: The Secretary of the Society for the "School Assistance", Mr. Andrev Vassilzer; the next is the member of Central Committee of the Society Mrs. Zutkanovich. The next one is the directrice of the internate 12 years kipping her post of this directrice. Wonderful woman. June 1936.Urzogod 16-VII-36. My dear Alice, my beloved sister. Not long ago I sent you a postal card, as well as I did for Irene Dietrich. I did so because last time I did not write you so often as I did before I got [informations] from different friends about your misfortune... I was in such a trouble that I could not write directly to you. I had to know what other friends are doing to help you... My dear Irene took care of informing me. At least I got from Irene the Appeal from the Woman Organization and the information of a temporal success. But my conscience was in Trouble: why for all this troublesome time I left you alone, in the moment when the sympathy from the part of the nearest friends were most desirable? ... Any how I hope you understand my attitude why I wrote so often to my dear Irene and not to you... now, to be more sure for your situation I should like to hear from you personally, how are you and your cousin getting along? As to myself, I feel myself weaker than before physically, though mentally I feel alright... Now I am ready to publish another book in the[e] [?] [line?]. The first volume of "My Life," wich already was published and was sent to you composed from articles which were long time before already printed and had to be reprinted in the following volumes of a My Life." But at present, the economical and financial [crisis?] it is difficult to publish the following volumes of "My Life." But some of my nearest comrades insisted on publishing my interesting letters to different persons, which never were published, but from Theoretical point of view, are really--they say--interesting and deserved to be published--as my testament for the young generation. My comrades decided to print it in the typography, organized first by Babushka [Breshkovskaya?] in support of her school [int?] in [Kampation?] Russia, [when/where?] the help from American [** P.S. My dear, excuse my bad handwriting. I have not typwriter, and have to write with trembling hand. For this reason, I cannot preserve the copy of this letter... **]was diminished. Last years before the [death] of Babushka the whole affair with the school of [internates] in [Karpabioum] Russia was carried under my guidance. We decided to enlarge the typography and to introduce the printing mashines of the [modern] type. My comrades resolved to print my theoretical letters in this typography, in [Uzgorod,] the capital of [Karpatian] Russia. But printing of this book was going necessarily very slow, [and?] up to now they have succeded in printing only about 100 pages... Now I am living near this typography and I am trying to push the work for some end. Because the materials for this book are [? ]I am making here the corrections while before I had to receive it in Prague, some [Times] twice the same article. I hope this work will be published at the end of this year. My dear Alice, let us postpone with our going away from the world before we translate in English... I know that it is impossible to print and publish all my letters, but some of them... I recognize it will be very interesting for the new generations. Under my eyes, the typography has printed still more 50 pages, after my corrections, but I cannot stay here longer, and I have to visit some other places in [Karpotiam?] Russia. Here is rizen new question about the [9] children [gives] left by Mrs. [Weller?] in her house in [Neresnicc?] in [Kapatian?] Russia. After her death the care of here children had to come to the same society. Of. The School Assistance." which took care of the children in both school [internancy] of Babushka. But the daughter of Mrs. Weller, in Paris, with her best intentions, interfered, and wished to take care of these children on herself. Meanwhile, her mother, Mrs. Weller, by her formal testament, left the care of her children to the same Society of the School Assistance, which had to take are of the children in Babushka's internates. For this purpose Mrs. Weller by her testament left the movable and immovable property on behalf of the Society of the School Assistance. Meanwhile, just before the death of Mrs. Weller, her [daughter?] came to her in [Karpation] Russia, and persuaded her mother to empower her to receive all money, destined to [grow?] up and educate the children. Thus all "moveable property." it means the money, about 100,000 crowns, were delivered legally to disposition of [her?] daughter; [59?] the Society of the School Assistance, having the [house?] with site, belonging to Mrs. Weller, had [no money for education] and [nutrition?] of her children. More [than?] one year has passed Before the court had decided that the testament of Mrs. Weller on behalf of the Society of the School Assistance is legally right. As to the money, the court also recognized the legality of delivery to her daughter before her death. During all this time the daughter of [Mrs.] Weller had taken her care of the mother's children, quite earnestly, always supporting her friendly relation with all member of the Society of the School Assistance." Now she rose up the question of the selling to her the very house of her mother, where are living up to now the poor 9 girls of the late Mrs. Weller. The house and its site cost more than 30,000 crowns, but [Society?] is ready to sell it for 15,000 crowns and to get rid from the responsibility for final education of these children; or they are ready to give to the daughter of Mrs. Weller gratuously up to the moment when the children will become [more?] and independent. Then the society will sell it [to create?] the special fund for the memory of Mrs. Katherine Weller. --- Now I have [come?] just in the moment of deliberation of this question. There is no doubt in the sincerity and honest of the daughter of Mrs. Weller, who against her will had to take care of the children before the court decided, to verify the testament on behalf of the Society of "School Assistance." You understand I have to interfere and enter in contact with the daughter of Mrs. Weller to decide in common how is Better to arrange all this matter. I tell you about all these details just to ask your excuse for my long silence. I have many other affairs connected with our philanthropic affaires, especially when Babushka [has died?], but her old enterprises are still living. This summer I resolved to go to [Karpatiam?] Russia to see personally the boys and girl in Babushka's school internates. First I came to [Mukashevo?], to see the girls first But after two days I had to start to [Uzgorozl?] to see the boy in Internate, because 24 of June all boys and girls had to start for their family during the summer vacation. After some days of my staying in [Uzgorool?], I started back to the girl in [Mukachevo?], where I spent all time up to the start of the girls to their families for vacation I spent really excellent time!.. Both of the internates, under the direction of one Russian specialist teacher, became prominent "chorus"– the girls as singers and the boys as musicians. Both of them twice steped up on the floor of the national kinema, – the girls in singing and the boys in playing hitaras and so on. Both of these "choruses" I had the chance to hear during my present visit. Beautiful! ... The country of Karpatsky Russia is very poor and uncultural, but the climate here is really beautiful one, comparatively with Prague, where only by chance can be seen the real sun and staars.... I am enjoying very much with these noctural blessings and I am not hurrying up to return to my terrible but hospitable Prague. Here I send you some pictures of the girls and boys of the internates. How beautiful and intelligent, attractive and sociable the girls are! They are more attractive and sociable than the boys are. Because, I belive, that during 12 years by the choise of late Babuska, at the head of the girl internate was put an excellent and intelligent woman, Mrs. Zoya Artiukhova, who elaborated very reasonable system of treatment and education of the girls. All girls soon become accustomed to feel themselves living as in one their own family, trying to help each other physically and mentally. After finishing [of] their education only few of them enter in universities, but the great part of them become the teachers in the schools of their native villages, and they do their work not only for their material duties. In a word, I love them enthusiastically.– Now, my best wishes to you, to your cousin, to all your assistants and to Helene Sondheim. Please, send my greeting to dear Irene, who not long ago celebrated her 50 years of marriage [?]. My address, as before: Koulova 8, Dejvice–Prague. Your loving brother George. P.S. In two weeks I hope to return in Prague. 1010 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Mass. Sept. 25, 1937. Very dear Mr. Lazarev: We have read with sorrow of the death of ex-President Masaryk, and with joy the description of his wonderful funeral, and the great tribute of love paid by the whole people. The enclosed will tell you about my birthday. Do not be disturbed because the reporter said I was pale. I am white because I have stayed in the house during the past year. In moving call me your "Spiritual Sister." I only wish I was more worthy of the name! Yours with love, Alice.from 3 Monadnock Street, I got over tired, and during the past year I was not very well - sometimes better and sometimes worse. But now I am really better. I am sorry to say that I am even becoming fat! My 80th birthday brought me many beautiful floral tributes, and innumerable letters and telegrams. The birthday greetings continued to arrive for 10 days after the 14th! I have had a very welcome letter from Mr. and Mrs. Archangelsky, speaking of your improvement and of the good care that is taken of you. I had written to them to inquire because I was anxious about you. I am always proud to have you