Year Book of Jehovah's Witnesses - Watchtower Archive

182 Yearbook
memorandum issued by us, and, after he had read it, he
immediately changed his attitude toward Jehovah's witnesses.
Our activity, especially that from house to house, is
followed very attentively not only by the clergy but also
by the communists. '.rhe householder and the pOlitical agent
of every house has orders to watch peddlers, not only in
cities, but also in the 1'urals. Frequently in recent months
the publishers have been stopped immediately after beginning
their worlc When a publisher knocks at the door of an
evil-inclined householder or a fanatical communist, he is
turned over to the nearest police offiCial, who Is under
obligation to take him to the police office, where he Is l{ept
under arrest for a longer or shorter period. During the past
year there were 302 such arrests, but In most cases the
brethren were released the same day; In a few instances
they were kept in custody from two to eight days. It always
depends upon the attitude of the officials as to how the
brethren are treated. Occasionally the publishers have been
beaten or otherwise very harshly dealt with. But in most
cases the officlals have been polite and even friendly. The
firm, bold and frank attitude of the brethren often called
forth recognition from even brutally disposed officials.
The government itself has Issued no decree against us, but
from questions which are asked in police hearings we can
see that among the communists and generally among the
officials the opinion prevails that Jehovah's witnesses are
the secret mercenaries of the American Imperialists and
are paid by America. At every arrest and likewise on other
occasions the investigation is time and again directed Into
this channel, the officials attempting to gather evidence for
their supposition. This they do in vain, of course, because
there is no such evidence. It even happens that they try to
forge such "proofs" in order to be able to sentence the
brethren. Such a case was reported to us by a company servant.
He writes as follows: "In a village of our company
territory there is a group of people of good will with whom
a brother has a regular company book study. On one occasion
two brothers of our company wished to accompany
the study conductor on a visit to these interested ones.
He gladly accepted their company, seeing that the way
leads through a river and a forest. The study over, the
brothers proceeded on their way home but were stopped by
two pollee officials and taken to the police station. At the
station their Bibles were taken from them and one of the
brothers saw that something was slipped into one of the
Bibles. Then the charge was raised against them that a
letter was found in one of their Bibles showing that they
correspond with America and await the Americans. The
brothers vehemently denied this charge, and they were