The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-07-19
RUSSIAN APATHY.


Troops show Little Enthusiasn for the
| War with Japan.
The reality of war Is not 30 gay and
glorious as the fancy pictures that are
often drawn Of It. The peace societie'
might we'll circulate the following
graphic letter which lately appeared In
Iskra, a Russian paper published II
Geneva, Switzerland. 1t was writer
from near the seat Of war. In the
| Transbaikal: go
Nowadays we hear nothing but wal
news; all the papers are full of It, bu'
this news is not always true. At the
very beginning OF the mobilization oil
| the troops, we read: THE Cossacks
are extremely enthusiastic, and are In
famed with desire for revenge upon the
treacherous enemy. The military
spirit and patriotism Of the population
are running high" etc.
There is very little truth in all this.
All the troops that have gone to the
front have passed before my eyes.
had a chance to talk with many Of the
soldiers, and I have never heard an ex-
preston of enthusiasm, or even salts
faction.
| The regulars go TO war resignedly,
mechanically, because they are Obliged
to go wherever they are driven. The
men Of the reserves all look sad and
grief stricken, as nearly every one of
them is leaving behind a wife and
three or four children without any
means of support. They do not APP
prove of the war, ana time ana again
have heard them say: I'VE have no
need of this war. II brings nothing
but ruin. We are driven God knows
where-and what for? Haven't we land
enough in Russia that we want other
people's7 And swhat good is IL, since II
al yaAthtnHS And IN
think that people are driven like sheep
to take away this land!" such remarks
are frequent.
The sight OF these bearded men from
IS to SO years old makes one sad.
watched the mastering of the reserves
In Sretensk. Company after company
passed by In a slow disorder1y way
with their coats hanging upon them az
II upon sticks; they looked like sheep
coming back from pasture. In order TO
put some life into them, the sergeant
gave orders to strike up song. Two
or three of the youngest soldiers be-
gan to sing, but, not being supported
by others, the song died away. Then
the sergeant ordered the drums to beat
but even this failed to enliven the
troops, which continued apathetic and
sad. OFTEN I heard them swear in an
swer to the sergeants orders.
In this way they are drilled day after
dax in full military equipment, weigh
Ing over forty pounds. 1t IL hard to
remain unmoved by their stern. sad
faces. It is easy to see that every one
of them lie in deep sorrow; that their
thoughts are far away. with their
homes and families.
| Once 1 came to the station to meet
the military train. accompanied by q
small boy. A soldier. about ss years
old. stopped as he passed and stared al
the boy as tenderly as IL he had beer
his own son. I could see tears in his
ewes. What Is the matter7 Did you
leave a little boy like this at homer
He sighed, and made a hopeless GEES
ture. Yves. I have 4-year-old boy
inst like him. a fne little fellow!'
There was so much grief and despair In
his sigh that 1t touched my heart. En-
thusiasm! This Is what the official pa
pers call the enthusiasm OF the Rus
sian people"
| The Trsnsbaikal Cossacks show just
as much zeal to go to the front. They
are actually grooming under their our.
dens. I'VE have not yet recovered
| Sror, tho last mobilization, and here we
are called out again" The Cossachs
have to come provided with almost
everything at their own expense. from
their uniforms and horses to their sa-
bers. The government furnishes only
the rifles and ammunition. In COM
pensation, they enjoy certain privileges
in regard to the use of land ana Tor
est In time of peace.
The way in which the troops are
transported would alone be enough 10
kin the most ardent enthusiasm. had
there been any. All the soldiers, re9u-
lars as we'll as reserves are carried In
cars accommodating ordinarily forty
men. or eight horses. The cars are
provided with iron stoves, and with
hunks along the walls. covered with
boards and felt. the latter. however,
not used in all the cars. The door oc-
cupies almost a third of the length OF
the car, and when 1t is opened II lets
out all the heat. 1t Is terribly cold,
especially on the floor, as the wind
blows everywhere. It Is not bad now.
but in February the temperature often
fell to 80 and 80 degrees below zero.
The cars are crowded. suffocating and
dirty. washbowls and all other sani-
tary accommodations are wholly lack
ing the soldiers attending to their
needs at the stations. The cars have
no steps, and to get in OF out one must
Jump or climb four or five feet. Under
such conditions they have to travel for
six weeks.
While the Red Cross IS appealing 10
the public for overcoats. felt coats.
gloves, etc, the soldiers are compelled
to sell their own things for almost
nothing. At Sretensk the men of the
reserves receive their uniforms, and
they cannot carry their own clothes
with them any further. Since the gov
eminent has not arranged for sending
their bundles of clothing back free to
their homes. the solS'ers, who in many
cases took with them the last overcoat
which had been in common use by the
whole family, sell them for trifie, or
are obliged to throw them aSay
The reserves waiting to be sent to
the front receive food only once a
day. 1t consists of some kind of soup
made of water, -four. peas and very
little meat. Many soldiers complain
that while they were in Western ST.
IBERIA, wlsre living is exceeding cheap.