The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-11-09
RUSH TO SIBERIA
WORRIES RUSSIANS
CaIves-6aslZc. Iambs. 20.

Russia, confronted with the great task
of directing and supervising the migra-
ton of its people to Siberia, is turning
70 the United States for information "a
&c how such n movement may best be
handled in the interest of both the peo-
pie and the government
Representatives of the Russian Zemt-
vos have been in washington recently
studying the land laws, homestead sys-
ten, mineral and mining statutes. and in
general looking into the whole process of
administerPg the public lands. Beyond
this. they are endeavoring TO learn the
methods by which the Department OF
Agriculture aids settlers in new coun-
tries. They have taken deep interest
in the activities of the Reclamation
Service, the Forestry Bureau, and the
Geographical Survey.
The Russian government finds itself
confronting a situation closely parallel
to that which took form in the United
states soon after the Revolutionary war.
Just as the people of the thirteen sea-
board colonies turned to the vast plains
and forests to the westward, so the mil
lions Of European Russia are now giving
thought 10 the immense plains of ST.
IBERIA 9 IBERIA, IL is explained by the
Russian agents. is a sadly misunder-
stood country 1t IS neither desert
nor an icy waste, but a great region.
vast areas of which are wonderfully
When the myth of the Great Amer
lean Desert was explained TO these
Russian agents they smiled broadly and
observed that the legend which repre-
scented the Ohio, Mississippi, and Mis-
souri, valleys as a desert was about as
Justihable as IS the current conception
of Siberia The Russian government is
anxious to develop Siberia because the
country needs development, and also be-
cause its development win keep millions
Of them under the Russian flag who
sooner or later must Otherwise become
aliens.
Peasants Want Share.
Beyond all this, there is the land
problem in European Russia. The peas
ants, like the peasantry of every other
country. yearn for a share in the soil.
II Is difncuIt and usually impossible for
them 10 secure land in Russia; and TAX
ing advantage OF their desire for land,
the government is DESTROYS of making
the great steppes of Siberia. as attrac-
desire to know as much as possible
about the genesis. development, and re-
suits OF the homestead laws of this
country. II IS not impossible that a
in Siberia closely modelled after the
land code Of the United States.
The American system OF surveying
and establishing title to lands was one
of the matters in which the Russian
visitors We're most deeply interested, be
cause this has presented one Of the
most difficult problems In Siberia. Maps
OF all the States were secured. tOgeth-
er with many plats, detailed explana-
lions OF the surveying system, the laws
under which the surveys are made etc.
one matter on which the Russian visi-
tor displayed a decided disposition 70
~as that OF permanence Of climate
They were investigating the new dry
farming methods for the semi-arid re-
eiOns OF the west. Siberia has parallel
conditions. and is In need OF the same
scientific methods Of cultivation.
Climate Is Fixed.
But when they were assured that
climate is a fixed and permanent guam
tity, which never changes save for
brief periods; that averages Of rainfall.
wind movement temperature, and the
like, do not vary over long periods, the
Russians shook their heads most de-
cidedIy.
Backed by the experience Of centuries
IN the Old world, they insisted that II is
now an established fact. based on long
observation and accepted scientifically,
that remarkable changes in climate are
wrought by cultivation as we'll as by
other conditions They insisted that
IN Egypt there IS the most absolute
demonstration of great and permanent
climatic changes, while Russia itself
can bring other cases hardly less strik-
ing.
The migration OF the Russian peas
anIry across tbs Caucasus and UraI
mountains Is assuming proportions Of a
great race movement. similar 20 those
which swept the Aryans over Europe.
and which later carried them across
the Atlantic TO annex the Americas 10
the European sphere OF influence.
Indications are that Russia's eastward
migration viii be as rapid and as remark
able in its results as was the west
ward movement Of population in the
United States.