Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-13
TITLE OF THE RUSSIAN NEWSPAPER "RETcH."

do not think it advisable for him to know.
and. Furthermore, those who are best in
formed tell me that the authority of the
autocrat of all the Russias Is actually linn
tied when it comes to discovering and con-
trolling the actions of his subordinateS,
particularly the police.
The fundamental weakness is that the
police and the army are not amenable to
the courts. They are not subject to civil
law. If they violate their Instructions or
are guilty of injustice. and even crime, they
are tried by their own comrades by a form
OF court-martial similar to that In the army
The proceedings are secret, the witnesses
are subjected to the star chamber exam
tnation and often to torture and the &C
cuser. particularly IL he Is ordinary citi-
zen. does not have fair chance of pre-
senting his case. Birds of feather flock
together. of course, and the members of
the police force protect and defend each
other.
Cruelty of Police officials.
One hears the most blood-curdlng stories
OF cruelty and wrong committed by these
officials. who should be the protectors of
the public and the defenders of justice. 1t
Is almost impossible to believe that civil
fzed men in this generation can be guilty
OF such horrible offenseS. For example. a
girl nineteen or twenty years old, who was
arrested suspicion of being connected
with a revolutionary plot was stripped in
a room at police headquarters in the pres
eDce of half a dozen or more officers. who
burnt holes In her flesh with the lighted
ends of their cigars in order to compel her
to confess and betray her associates. She
shows the scars to prove her story.
Another case equally revolving happened
IN the Baltic provinces. The police con-
nected the household of an old one-legged
pensioner of the war with Turkey with a
revolutionary conspiracy. but were unable
to determine which of his two sons was
guilty. Therefore they told him that I'M
los nf
hang them both. The old soldier had
talk with his boys and finally one Of them
admitted that he was guilty and was shot
A few days later the police obtained evil
dence to impicate the other brother and
Shot him. too.
j could fill several columns with the
stories of similar horrors which have oc-
CURED in Russia since the benevolent man
ffestoes were proclaimed by the car.
When 1 ask the members of the cabinet
and the officials about 1t they shruY their
shoulders and say:
at is impossible to prevent such things.
We cannot endow our petty officials with
common sense or discretion.
Police Apparently Invulnerable.
Mr. Stolypin, minister Of the interior. Is
q man OF the highest integrity Of a pro-
found sense of justice and a conscientious
desire to administer the affairs OF his
office with justice and impartiality. But he
admits that he cannot control his sub
Ordnates. and that these barbarities of
the police. who are under his jurisdiction.
cannot be prevented without thorough
reorganization of the force and a complete
change in It's personnel which Is prac-
ideally impossible at present, and under
any circumstances would require years to
accomplish. Mr.. Stolypin has instructed
the police department to interpret the man
hestoes of the car In a most liberal spirit.
and yet he reads in the newspapers every
morning that the men to whom these In
structions were issued have been guilty of
the grossest acts OF tyranny, violating not
only the spirit but the letter Of the i'm
perial ukase of October last.
why don't you remove them? Why
don't you punish them with such severity
N to make an example OF them and put a
stop to these OutrageS!
Impossible" replies Mr.. Stolypin. I'm
the first place. 1t would be necessary to
prove the facts. and the ohcers who are
accused of the alleged cruelty could bring
in as much evidence as their accusers
Furthermore. the entire time and attention
OF the department would be absorbed by
these cases OF discipline. We must give
the police time to adjust themselves to the
restrictions gradually. 1 shall be satisfied
n I can introduce a spirit OF federation
among my subordinates without Investigate
lng the details of all the charges that are
brought against them. The police OF Rus
sia have been educated to the use OF GER
tain methods and measures which they can
not be induced to abandon In moment.
Mr. Stolypin feels that he Is only q tenn.
porary member Of the government, and ina,
the existence Of the present ministry VII
be short. Therefore. he Is the more re-
luctant to undertake any radical reforms
As he expresses 1t. he Is mot command
ing officer. but only a sentinel on guard
But. as / have said, there has been de-
clded change for the better. For one cas-
OF police brutality now there were dozer
ten years ago. For one instance Of oppres
sion now there were twenty before thu
Japanese war. Tyranny Is felt in r"ots to
day. while II was general In the beginning
OF this century.
The people of Russia actually enjo,
many liberties. For example, Masoni
lodges are now being organized wher
they have always been forbidden. lilk
ether secret societies. and Masons hav
been prosecuted like revolutionists.
Suppression Of Newspapers.
Professor Milutine calculates that So