The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-05
RUSSIAN ARMY SERVICE.
Its Miseries Described by Deserter
 Who Fled Oversea.

From the New York Tribune.
 Bango, Me.-Abraham Levingston, de- serter from the Russian army, arrived at St John. N. B.. from Liverpool this week, and has gone to live with friends in Nova Scotia. Levingston, who Is a fine looking. athletic young Russian Jew, says he did not desert the army solely to avoid service in the present war. but that he has for years been watching for a chance to break away from the miseries of the Russian service.
 His escape was ingeniously planned. He feigned sickness, and upon application secured a short leave of absence, during which he went to his home. Meanwhile his brother, L. Levingston, who lives at Digby N. S., sent him a ticket to St John, and Abraham was able, by bribing the guards. to leave Russian territory. Af- ter that all was easy, and he landed at St John a happy man, though still In dread lest spies of the Russian govern ment should be on his track. Levingston had been in the Russian army for four years, and had still eight months to serve, but such were the hardships of the life that he determined to remain no longer than was absolutely necessary.
 Levlngston says that the whole army is ready to revolt owing to the rigors of the Russian military system. Every male per- son in the country, upon reaching the age of twenty-one, is called upon for four years and eight months of military ser vice. failing in which his parents or near est relatives must pay a fine of about $150 If the young man leaves the coun- try, and returns years later, he is still liable to service, and is also compelled to pay taxes for the time he has been absent, besides being liable to punishment for evading service.
 After entering the army the recruits miseres begin. They are drilled con- tinually and are bound to perform any service that may be required of them. The food consists of coarse black bread, such as none but a famishing person would eat No tea, coffee or beef or anything else in the way of food, is furn- ished The men are partly clothed by the government, but are not furnished with boots. Instead, they are supplied with rough leather, from which they must make their own boots.
 The Russian army Is sufficiently strong to overcome half dozen nations like Japan if the soldiers were willing to fight, Levingston says. But there is so much insubordination among the men. due to cruel treatment, that the majority are ready to desert at the first opportunity. If a pitched battle takes place and q good chance offers 1t will not surprise those who knw the army, says Levingston, to see whole regiments desert The only thing that keeps the men in the ranks is dread of the awful punishments which follow even minor offences against author ity A large proportion of the soldiers are nihilsts, whose one aim Is the overthrow of the present autocratic government.
 Russian Jews living in Bangor verify the description given by Levingston, as above, of Russian army life. They are delighted that Russia is in trouble and that she is likely to have a hard time of It. They are overjoyed at the successes of the Japanese, and express the hope that they will march right to Moscow (Moskwaw, they pronounce it). although they regard this as hardly possible
 Several immigrants lately arrived in Bangor tell yividly of the sufferings they endured while in Russia One of them said: You ask us for news If you did that in Russia and I said anything a man would come around 10 see what we were talking about. Then. if they found out we would be sent to Siberia, and our friends might never know what became of us. In Russia any official can inquire what is your business in any place where you happen to be. If you don't tell-trou- ble. In our town we had a Jewish school but when the patrol police came the chi- dren woaid run home. The Russians don't allow schools, and the people are ignor- ant-just like beasts. When the soldiers come we run away. The soldiers steal everything out of every house. They are not bad men-no worse than we-but they are hungry. Lots of things happen in Russia that no one ever hears about. No man can print anything until the police see it, so people outside don't hear about the fights in the army when men kill the officers. It's an awful country-the worst country in the world-and I shall never go back there. We all hope the Japanese will win