Ask the Scholar

{
    "localId": "26465660",
    "label": "Colonel Haskell's First Confidential Report on Russia",
    "core": "doc",
    "dtoType": "document",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/26465660"
}

{
    "id": "26465660",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/26465660",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Colonel Haskell's First Confidential Report on Russia",
    "description": "This is William N. Haskell's report on political, economic, famine, and financial conditions in Russia at the beginning of relief efforts.",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/26465660",
    "collections": [
        "American Relief Administration Records",
        "American Relief Administration Russian Operations Records"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/60/4656/26465660/content/presidential-libraries/hoover/gallery/31-ara-b17-f01-127_001.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/60/4656/26465660/content/presidential-libraries/hoover/gallery/31-ara-b17-f01-127_001.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/60/4656/26465660/content/presidential-libraries/hoover/gallery/31-ara-b17-f01-127_001.jpg",
    "imageCount": 4,
    "hasImages": true,
    "source": "import",
    "hasTranscription": false
}

{
    "url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/26465660",
    "naId": 26465660,
    "levelOfDescription": "item",
    "productionDates": [
        {
            "day": 18,
            "logicalDate": "1921-10-18",
            "month": 10,
            "year": 1921
        }
    ],
    "recordType": "description",
    "ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}

{
    "seq": 2,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/60/4656/26465660/content/presidential-libraries/hoover/gallery/31-ara-b17-f01-127_002.jpg",
    "mediaId": "bf1379bc9a40bad8",
    "ocrText": "except rare cases. Everything in vicious circle, example: vaccine laboratory\nclosed because ci ty water pumps only operate one hour daily, no fuel, labor re-\nfuses without food and government rations for workers prescribed not for thcoming.\nOfficials in provinces two to three months arrears in pay. ailroads hanging\ntogether, roadbeds unrepaired, derailed cars ditched. Thousands cars deteriorat-\ning on sidings where rails and ties have been removed from under them. Govern-\nment fails collect requisitions equitably in some cases forty-five poods requi-\nsitioned out of total yield fifty poods to dessiatine. All travelers speculat-\ning in foodstuffs. Wages so small people work three or four jobs few hours sach.\nMain idea everywhere how obtain food. Dazed population accepts situation calmly.\nMany stores opening Moscow. Marke ts active but no apparent stocks simply a bar-\ntering of small principally clothes and foods.\nParagraph Three. FAMINE SITUATION. Unquestionably direct result Gov-\nernment requisitioning previous years. All attemots place responsibility on\ndrought or military operations ridiculous. Peasant having been bled so. thor-\noughly refused plant or lacked seed, sailed too close to wind, then drought\ncaught them with no reserves and government unable supply them, Government now\nrealize catas trophe but unable meet situation. Some seed furnished of which\npart received too late for planting. Reported transfers grain from Ukraine to\nVolga grossly exaggerated for propaganda. Famine widespread, estimate sixteen\nmillion affected; seventy-five per cent can be reached. Sitarvation present but\nnot yet general; peak will arrive December January and continue Auguste Clothing\nsecondary consideration. Over ninety-five per cent peasants warmly clad. Some\nclothing required abandoned children. Greatest need program adult feeding limited\nto cereals. Meat available as many cattle exist and must be slaughtered due lack\nfodder for winter. Estimate two thousand tons flour daily judiciously distribut-\ned, commencing January first would meet requirements Volgae In case adult pro-\ngram es tablished, Black Sea ports would be required and A-ReA. personnel in-\ncreased along lines communication, Diseasesprevailing; typhoid, relapsing fever,\n128"
}