The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1905-04-06
Published Every Thursday.
RUSSIANS AND TIE WAR
How Many Officers Are Said to
Escape Service at Front.
EXAMINING PHYSICIANS BRIBEIJ

What He Learned From the VIE os
Reservist Ofieer--Fortune aiaae
by Penniless Doctor IN the Tar!S-
ish War.
A war correspondent Of the Londol.
Times tells as follows how Russian
officers are said to escape serving witt
their regiments at the front:
At the beginning of the campaign
two commissions were appointed to eX.
anime Officers and soldiers after theiI
cure and to report as to their fitness
Tor further service. One OF the COM
missions resided in Kharbin and the
other in Chita They were composed
partly Of military surgeons and partly
Of officers and had very hard work al
= the time The number OF reservists
who were refused was about twice as
large as that OF the younger soldiers
But a thing which struck me very
much when l came to know some OF
the results of the commissions pro-
ceedings was that the percentage OF
officers refused was nearly twice that
Of me soldiers. AS | never lived long
In Kharbin or in Chita | never had
an explana ton Of this fact until on my
way back to Europe. | then met a
lady who had accompanied her hus
band, reservist officer going to the
war, up to 1rkutsk. We Travelled in the
same train, and I noted that she did
not look particularly affected by the
separation. When do you hope to
see your husband? / asked her once.
Il hope to see him very soon.'' ''How
Is that? You know that the war will
not end for the present" ''Oh, yes, ]
know that, but my husband will be
back very SOON" As l pressed her to
let me know how this would be man
aged she answered: swell, after all
I'll tell you, for it is no secret. Every
officer knows it, and it only depends
upon his pecuniary means to avail him.
self of it or not
at IS enough to pay 800 or 400 ru
bles to the head doctor of the medical
commission in Kharbin in order to be
rejected. You are then allowed to re
main at home one year, after which an
other commission in Russia examines
you, and there you have to pay another
sum as large as the former, and then
you are free, quite free" l expressed
some doubts as to the correctness of
these statements, as it seemed to me
impossible that officers could resort to
these means in order to AVOID military
service, but the lady was positive and
cited several names. "Of our acquaint-
ances,'' she said, there are three who
home and one of them advised my
husband to do the same, and he names
the doctor and the sum to pay "YVell, !.
answered. you must do me one fa-
vor When your husband comes home.
will you please let me know?" The Ia
dy promised to do so, and a fortnight
ago received the following note: '-dsS
husband has just returned; he has beer
rejected on account Of disease That
gentleman had been exactly two
months in Manchuria, just in time TIC
get. the. disease, pass through the com.
mission and return speedily home
proudly thinking that he had done his
duty to- his country. 1 afterward learn
ed in Russia that this practice is not
new one, for during the Turkish was
of 1877 doctor who was penniless
when he started for the war was worth
at the end of it about 100000 sterling
From the number of his officers reject
ed and from what I have heard thinl,
that the doctor now in Manchuria to
whom the lady alluded promises to beat
the record of his confrere.