Red Notes

The American Relief Administration left Russia. In Moscow, Kamenev, Tchicherin, Krassin and other Soviet officials gave an official farewell banquet to the last of the Relief workers in the house in which General Count von Mirbach, German Ambassador to Russia, was murdered in 1918. Champagne and punch flowed freely. Among the American oil men present was Archibald Roosevelt.

Twenty-one Russian brides, including a Princess and a Countess, accompanied their American Relief Association husbands to the U. S. A.

Soviet officials announce that Russia will be able to export grain on the world market through the Black Sea, and to a certain extent through the Baltic ports. Prices will be based on American wheat prices. The estimated value will be 6,300,000 gold rubles ($3,150,000), indicating an export of at least 3,000,000 bushels. Pravda, Communist journal gloomily announces that another famine is impending.

On August 15 a huge agricultural exhibit will open in Moscow. Over 10,000 workmen are employed in preparing the grounds and $3,000,000 is being spent. All constructions will be of wood, as there is no iron available save for exhibition purposes. Krupps, not generally considered a peaceable firm, will be represented by agricultural machinery.

A Government order ruled that all nationalized industries, including the Singer Sewing Machine Co. at Vladivostok, must remain national property; other concerns, even though they might come within the scope of the law, may remain in private hands.

Employment is steadily decreasing. One-half as many men are now employed in industry as were employed in 1921; one-third as many as in 1917. Including all figures for Government and private enterprise, less than 2,000,000 industrial workers are employed in Soviet Russia today.

Kamenev, President of the Moscow Soviet, issued an order prohibiting further confiscation of synagogues. Many of the Soviet leaders are of Jewish blood, but most have abandoned the Jewish faith.' Kamenev's lenience to the Synagogue is only in line with a recent circular of the President of the Russian Trade Union Congress urging all union organizations to show "tact" in fighting the Christian Church.