The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-15
STUDENTS WANT
 PRISON REFORM All Russian Institutions Take Part in Campaign TOLSTOY CONTROVERSY The Countess BIames Brothers for the Counts Action in Leaving Home
 Before His Lamented
 Death
By GEORGE FRASER

St. Petersburg, January 14.-(Special.)- J. The students are persistent in their de termination to agitate for prison reform until conditions which were outlined fir
 my letter of last week have become i'm possible in Russian penal institution Practically every institution of higher learning in the empire Is taking part ir the movement and all the efforts of the authorities to put an end to the agitation have been futile. Arrests. fines, impris- onment have all been tired against the leaders of the students, but all have been without avail.
 Lectures and examinations are sus- pended and meetings of students and police incursions are of daily occurrences. Committees have been appointed to dis cuss active resistance, and, to judge from shrink from no measures, however des- perate,
 Confess Alexandra Tolstoy is at odds with her brothers as to the influence of M. TchertlSoff on their father. Leo Tol- stoy recently issued a statement blaming in some measure M. Tchertkoff for the dead counts leaving home. Confess Alexandra has this to say:
 without discussing whether MT. Vlad- imir Tchertkoff exercised an influence over my father or not, as alleged by my brother, Leo Leovich, the statement Is in itself an insult to the memory of Leo Nicolayevich and depreciation of the great importance of his last act (his de- parture from Yasnaya Polyana) evoked by complex spiritual causes and motives, on which think it is superfiuous to en- large. I look upon the accusation of my brother Leo Leovich against my fathers best friends, who was devoted heart and soul to him and his cause, as unjust and undeserved.'
 A romatic tragedy Is reported from Yalta. A young lieutenant of the local garrison became engaged some two months ago to a very pretty and accom- plished girl, the adopted daughter of Crimean family in affluent circum- stances. Just before the marriage was to have taken place 1t was discovered that the bride was the half-sister on her mothers side of the bridegroom. The lat ter shot himself when he learned the news, and the unfortunate girl, who hiiSW ilothiii6 VI iiSi tSoi pe-A SAse-oSb AAeAS lost her reason. The names have been suppressed out of sympathy of the fam flies concerned
 The Tsar of Russia since his holiday in Darmstadt, has become an enthusiast over the cinematograph. His favorite di- version has been to have the films put on backwards, and he recently instructed the operators that film taken of him. self riding in Moscow should be reversed.
 Photographs are published in St. Peters, burg showing the Czar attired in the new uniform adopted for the Russian infantry, which has been criticised by the men as ugly and unserviceable.
 For some time past there has been great increase in the number of deser- tions from the army, for which. accord ing to the newspapers. the uniform in question has been largely responsible many soldiers having alleged that their womenfolk chaffed them about their ap- pearance, and that the clothes were so uncomfortable that they often found 1t difficult to march when wearing them.
 These statements, it seems, came to the knowledge of the Czar, whereupon he promptly donned the much discussed kit, appeared publicly in the uniform, and it is said, even slept in it. Later his ma jesty was photographed wearing 1t and holding his son and heir on his arm.