Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-03-19

.sl ft&-, o1AA Az & N
the lively questions which came into
our young minds. Not only did the
latter get no answer, but the most in
tercsting subjects Of history were sup
pressed and the teachers openly jeer.
ed at the Jews and Poles. 1t was not
the fault OF the Russian teachers: they
were used to realing the lies which
the government told them, and it was
contrary to their own ideas and per-
haps to former traditions And so
was total stranger to any general
wants. and without any formed IDEAS
OF the existing laws OF Russia If Il
had any Sort Of humanitarian opinions,
to these ! am who'll: indebted to Rus
sian literature and school has nothing
! to uo with them: | went TO Moscow
/ University ycarning for knowledge
with the idea OF passing several facul-
| ties 50 that in the en-; could be zem-
skic doctor a doctor absolutely for the
poor | was compelled to offend my
father seriously because i would not
, follow his advice and enter some spe-
cial high school i'll order to make a
! brilliant career as an engineer The
word career was hateful to me- The
knowledge which got in the univer.
| sity and in the public library made a
| total revolution in my mind. A few
months changed my former ideas. But
| this was only an intellectual revolu-
| ton
Absent From Demonstrations.
My first year in the university I
| read the 'Vedomosti' and the .Svet.'
/ never thought Of revolution and If
did know something about it, it was
only from what occasionally appeared
| III the papers ! took no interest in it
/, and found the idea to be not q correct
| one. In the year 1899 when the stu
dents were demonstrating l was alb
sent from such demonstrations. What
the students wanted could not really
understand. To their meetings did
not go and only from pure friendly
! feeling refused to take the examina-
: ton for the second standard I was
man more or less of independent
means and I was ashamed to leave my
friends on the first standard who were
involved in the demonstration Only
during my second year at the univcr-
sity happened to come quite accident
ally across questions of Social charac-
/: ter. thanks to reading books OF politi-
cal economy and universal history. l
| was we'll vcrsel in general commerce.
| taking part in the business Of my par
| cnts even while at school. That is
why know by what means riches are
created. ] can regard conscentiously
all questions which are supposed to be
Social signs AS developed and my
! opinions took concrete form my ideas
became idealistic and liberal. in a hui
manitarian more than political sense
did not read any more with faith the
Svet' and Eicdomosti.' Preaching Of
corporal punishment and hate of man
KIND revoted me. The second year Of
ne at the university passed very we'll
with me. | did not take part in the
meetings and did not know where they
had their clubs. About the question
ana existence Of labor problems in
Russia | was ignorant Illegal litera
ture had never seen was SO naive
that the acquaintance OF a Moscow
workman was not Of any use to me
This workman wanted to learn from
me poetry and arithmetic ! met him
openly and did not know that such
kind OF acquaintance could be callel
suspicious and could lead to disagree
able consequences for both Of us.
taught this man arithmetic, tut do
! not remember ever having mentioned
politics to him.
! Revolutionary life Begins.
! My revolutionary life began in the
beginning Of 1901. when took part
conScicntionsly in the Students move
lncnts which began from the time the
klcH ana ST. Petersburg students were
sent to serve in the army. At this
umc was neither Socialist or Revulu-
| ZIONIST. At most | was simply a Lib
cra. The first illegal literature which
came to my notice was the students
proclamations. My comrades know
, well with what difficulty l was brought
to take part in the protest against the
breaking Of laws and the military scrv-
ice which was forced on the other stu
dents. already knew that if de-
cldet to protest would 20 to the end
for this | would be compelled to serve
! IN the army. Al that time there was
rumor that several students had been
! shot who refused to swear allegiance
and would not obey orders The Rus
sian press was forbidden to write
about the students. ONLY the Moscow
Viedomosti occasionally wrote some
thing. 1t seemed to me as if a sheet
/ had fallen over Russia and through
ms sheet could be seen various things
which could not understand |
plunged into the demonstration not
withstanding the prayers OF my father
to be cautious. The year 1901 was
fatal to me as we'll as to many others.
| When the first shot in kharkoff was
heard got afraid. had the idea that
perhaps also was in some way to
blame. but the next occurrence. as If
on purpose. reversed my ideas. I saw
how the police were modelling in the
affairs and were playing spy had
The pleasure Of being summoned be
tore the local court. where they tried