In and Around Tiflis

In between the sessions of the Union Congress of Soviets at Tiflis, capital of the Transcaucasian Federation (Russian Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan), events took place, speeches were heard.

Shiraksky Canal. Comrade Rykov, Chairman (Premier) of the Council of the People's Commissars (Cabinet) of the Central Government at Moscow, accompanied by Foreign Minister Georg Tchitcherin, journeyed to the town of Leninkin, operated a sluice to the strains of Internationale, opened the Shiraksky Canal, 40 miles long. Two miles of its course runs through a tunnel bored under rocky mountains. It is designed to irrigate 15,000 acres and is the first engineering feat of any consequence attempted during the Bolshevik regime.

Near East Relief. Comrade Rykov and a number of Bolshevik dignitaries visited the headquarters of the Near East Relief at Tiflis (a U. S. organization). M. Rykov inspected 8,000 Armenian orphans for whom the Relief is caring, spoke to them in Armenian, told them that they were victims of an imperial war and that under the freedom of the Bolsheviki they will never more be subject to the atrocities which their ancestors suffered at the hands of the Turks. He then kissed several of the children, expressed complete satisfaction with the work of the Relief.

Baku. Referring to the oil industry in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, Comrade Orakhelashvili asseverated that:

"Russia does not contemplate handing over concessions in the Baku oil field to American or any other concessionaires, as it is able to continue exploitation and reconstruction work there itself. Production already has reached 60% of the pre-War standard and economically concession would not be justified."