Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-06

f~1HE active part which the ladies Of the
Russian aristocracy have taken lately
lsvE=sSI in helping the government TO the best
tAezkSkI of their power by giving their services
as telegraph and telephone workers, let
ter sorters, etc, coupled with the significant fact
that in the program recently published by the
revolutionsries they demand equal suffrage for
men and women. causes one to inquire what is
the position of the Russian women of today and
to wonder what part they will take in the tire
mendous upheavals which threaten their country.
That the part will be a very great there is no
doubt.
When we realize how immense is the influence
women WELD in time Of war we can not but feel
that the attitude Of Russian women is Of the
greatest Importance. 1t is little realized in Amer
lea how large part Russian women play in the
politics Of their country Moreover, their ,inau-
ence over the men is increasing every day. The
young aristocrat is by no means the sedate, de-
mure demoiselle she was thirty years ago, who re
ceived her education in convent or from
French or English governess in her own home.
The modern girl is keenly interested in her
country's welfare-how could she be otherwise? I?
She attends public and private meetings, with or
without her parents knowledge. At the latter
many revolutionary topics are discussed which
would bring her within the of the law were
the ever watchful police to discover them In
deed, it sometimes happens that the head of
Russian noble family is warned that his daugh
ter is in danger and under police supervision, and
this is the first intimation he gets of her polit
cal propensities She is quickly sent abroad or
shut up in a far distant country seat to mediate
on her folly, but the mischief has been done.
EDUCATIONAL ADVANCE MENT
Russian women have long been known as ener-
getic, capable workers; honest, straightforward,
sensible and brave How brave few but their
mankind know, though the fact will probably be
patent to all the civilized world shortly. They
have fought steadily for educational advantages,
which the, government has as steadily denied
them. At last the number of young women who
left Russia to study abroad was considered bad
for the country and they were ordered to return
under pain of exile
Courses of lectures for the higher education Of
women were opened at st. Petersburg by order
Of the Emperor: They given by the most
learned men of the university. who showed the
greatest sympathy and willingly gave their best
for trfing salary. It is pathetic to read Of the
heroic struggles which are being made by Rus
sian women to obtain a university education.
When too poor to do so they take pupils or even
go servants in order to find the means.
The men students are as generous and SYM
pathetic as the professors and often coach the
women for nothing besides helping them in every
possible way The women who attend the lee
lures are chiefly the daughters of professional
men, Numbers, however, still study abroad in
order to escape the harassing regulations of the
government. They exc out precarous liveli-
hood often living several in room, their condi-
ton differing in respect from the working girls
of the country in which they are staying.