The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-03-04
Russian Departments
''ROtten," Says KEENAN,
at ST. Petersburg Is Honey
Combed With Fraud, and Army Contractors
May Materially Aid Japanese to Victory.

ceDted by specially appointed COM
mission. The work was supposed to
have been done. and the building COM
pleted. and then another special COM
mission accepted it, After that there
were appropriations every year for ex-
tensive repairs and Improvements on
this building. NntiI in some manner tho
government at ST. Petersburg learned
that not even the foundation stones had
been laid for this complete structure,
which needed 50 many repairs.
Another commission was called an
otSer appropriation was made and an
other building Oruered- That one was
completed, out the minister Of the IN
teilor mad 70 order picture OF II 10
be taken IN order 70 make sure that Il
was on the face or the earth
.Honeycombed With Fraud.
'StiH third instance. and; enc &hich /.
may give an idea OF the condition Of the
Russian soldier. came 10 my notice at
lrkutsk. Siberia. in 1895. heard the Of
hcer IN charge OF the transportation of
e1Sles protesting against the quality or
shoes furnished those unfortunates. The
sample on which the bid had been
awarded was a strong serviceab bic affair
Of good feathers The article furnished
had two exceedingly thin sheets OF
II
resembling brown wrapping paper These
contract shoes as delivered I was tolu'
sometimes wore out in a single day, and
LETT the miserable exile to MIKE the
rest of his way barefoot The contract
was for 10000 pairs of shoes. I asked
why something was not done about the
matter and was told that those inter-
ested were too high up
lheSe Illustrations will shsT the eX-
tent 10 which fraud has crept into the
whole administrative system of Russia
There 4 reEfrr ~ Na.vfsas int On.
part OF the men directing the campaign
that when they order goods SAID TO b.
on hand 10 be used in a certain way or
Tor a certain purpose. that the supplies
were ever bought in the first place or
that they have not been sold in bulk by
their custOtlians-
Nay Not Be Prepared"
One experience had may be OF in
terest as showing that Russia is not as
well prepared in the East q the cabinet
at St Petersburg thinks. / stopped with
a major in the Russian army who i'm
pressed me as one Of the finest specl-
mems Of his class that ] have ever met.
Six weeks after I left him l heard that
he HAD been arrested 1t was found that
while in charge Of a warehouse contain
ing L6glV0 pounds of flour. he had sold
every bit of il and 'pocketed the money
lie learned that an inspection was to
be made. and 10 cover his crime burned
the building
The scheme would have worked had It
not been that pri' TIE citizen had 90
pounds OF -four in the place. This -four
was found after the fire. scarcely dam
aged except on the outside while there
was not sign Of any other flour The
inference was abViOus that the govern
ment -four had not been IL the ware
house when the fire occurred and the
arrest followed
Theft c. Every Hand.
Sc it is all through the Russian sys-
tenn of administration. Inferior goods
are furnished. goods are stolen right
and left and contractors have taken
money for orders on which they have
not delivered a pound of stun There
is no reason why these or similar con-
ditions should not exist AT Port Arthur
and other points where Russian military
men think they have enough material
paign.
If Russia is forced TO carry on a long
and disastrous war with Japan. she has
much 10 fear from disanection within
the empire. she is economically in a
I bad way. and IL will not be long before
I the burden falls heavily on the people
| ] here is already growing revolution
AIRY feeling among the army officers
and the revolutionary movement gem
l orally Is stronger now than ii has been
a any time since 1850.
For a number of years IL has not been
unusual 10 hear Of officers here and
there being convicted of revolutionary
/ tendencies and receiving a death sem
| tence. but the cases have multiple a
rapidly I'm the past few years. and some
months ago the minister of war found
/ Il necesstry 10 send "a letter 20 All COM
/ irtndlnS othcers, warning them TO crush
! revolutionary sentiments a. any ccst.
! Then there are Poles. films Arnc-
mans, and Jews in Russia. and those
who have been sent to siberia Many of
! these are brilliantly educated men. full
! OF resource and energy, who have been
! deeply wronsed and are bent on ven
! they could do little. but i'm the vrav ~
giving information ana Striking individ-
ual. Secret blows. they may accomplish