File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎528r] (703/1080)

7
Summary under Bolslievilc GJarrisons and, because of his occupation with refer
ence to the ration list, it is possible his account is the more worthy of credence.
(n) Troops are badly off for rations, fruit kernels being used to substitute
flour in bread.
(iii) About the 18th June a party of 1 Indian and 5 Afghans passed through 1
en route to Tashkent. The Bolsheviks showed the greatest respect for these I
people. One of them was named AbdpJJl^ Khan.
(iv) Takhta Bazar has been growing in importance during the last six months.
There are there now some 58 offices.
(v) The levy on cattle has been increased, leaving owners very little for their
own requirements.
Note. —Accounts vary so greatly with respect to the percentage of produce appropriated
from the rural community by the Bolsheviks that up to the present it has been found impossible
to find even an approximation to a general rule, ft is possible there is some academic ruling
on the subject which, however, exhibits violent fluctuations owing to demands from Central
Russia, to some regions being m ore fertile than others, and to larceny on the part of the petty
tyrants whose duty it is to collect produce.
(vi) The people are very unhappy under Bolshevik rule and have grown
hopeless of anything better taking its place. They can only trust that the
economic ruin which the Bolsheviks have brought about may be the instrument
of their own destruction.
(vii) None of the famine refugees from Kazan has found his or her way to
this area.
Yolatan. July 16th. —Although there is a military garrison here its chief
occupation is agriculture. One parade a week is held.
Bairam Ali. July 5th. —There is a large supply dump here, some 75,000
poods of wheat and barley are always in stock. The cotton ginning and oil pressing
factory An East India Company trading post. which was established in Tsarist times is now being worked by the Bolshe
viks.
No further mention has been made of the machinery being collected at Bairam
Ali and referred to in a previous Summary.
Charjui. July 6th. —Passenger traffic on river steamers is forbidden.
The scarcity of food is again making itself felt. The issue of rice to the troops
has stopped as no more is available.
The Bolsheviks are forcing all animals, carts and carriages into service.
A recent order stops all demobilization. Demobilized men a-e required to join
again. (No orders to this effect have been seen in the Bolshevik press.)
Petro Alexandrovsk. July 5th. —There is no fighting round Khiva now.
Juried Khan and his party having retired into the desert the Bolsheviks have
appointed their own officials in all the towns. All roads have been strengthen
ed by guns and sangars and piquets posted.
All cotton and wool wherever found have been collected into the factories
and men are forced to work there cleaning the raw product.
The want of food is acute. All food supplies are in the hands of controllers.
The Khivans are treated very badly by the Bolsheviks. They are forced into
service and maltreated in every way.
A large serai has been converted into a workroom where numbers of men and
women are employed in tailoring, washing, and repairing soldiers’ clothes.
Agriculturists have been ordered to hand in their produce this year with
a promise that next year only ten per cent would be taken from them. Cattle an J
herds are collected from the surrounding districts, purchased at the Bolsheviks’
own valuation, and despatched towards Cnarjui.