Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-10-28
FROM RUSSIA
SAYS People DID NOT
WANT TO GO TO WAR
Soldiers Tried to Make Govern.
ment Promise to Support
Their Families.

Trip. S. d.. Oct. 24.-Many letters
have come out from the wan zone. Civ
ing personal details in England aud
German, but comparatively few have
come from Russia. Joseph Winstock
received Il letter from his mother. re-
siding in southern Russia. which fea-
lures the objections of citizens to be
forced out for war service.
y portion of the letter. as translated.
follows:
Arnowir, South Russia. Aug. 9. 1914
Dear Son: l received your letter of July
10 and was glad to hear from you. 1t
arrived on August 4. was never so glad
that you are in America. You surely
know about our troubles it is nothing but
sadness and sorrow. 1t came unexpected
to us. There was plenty of talk about
wal but none believed 1t. Without our
knowing 1t a message came from the gov
eminent on July is telling us that on that
day they had begun to mobilize their
army. Policemen were sent out into the
country to secure every able bodied man
that could be found. The proprietors of
every store and as high as 10 clerks We're
taken out and business was suspended in
all lines.
Three of your old playmates had to go
as did also all soldiers from 1891 up to
date. The next week all the reserves who
had served their time had to go even
though they were supposed to be exempt
from military duty. 1t was a sorrowful
sigh to see the mothers, wi .ies and chill
0Tcll VI IueSe men Crying ana SODUlHS 10
see their loved ones going to war as none
expected to ever see them again.
On Sunday the goth two ~neighboring
women died of broken heart as their hus-
bands had to go to war. Many uncon-
scious men and women had to be carried
away from the station after the train had
left. One woman hung herself when her
husband had to go leaving her with five
little children. and another woman threw
herself under the train which carried her
husband away. Women and children
and husbands away so desperately that
the police were unable to stop them.
The second mobilization started July
q, but the soldiers here refused to go. in
sisting that the Russian government pro-
duce money to support their families while
they We're away. This being refused they
engine and sat there. Every one who en-
tered a car on the train was seized and
thrown out. In spite of the promises the
chief marshal would furnish the required
funds, they refused to go as they had no
faith In his promises. Finally the Cos
sacks were sent and the men were forced
many hours late. On July % notices were
posted to the effect that money would be
paid for the supper of all needy families
and $4,000 We're placed at the disposal of
the authorities in this village alone and
the proceeds from all theaters. beer gar
dens and other amusement halls must be
added to the same fund. On the oath,
when the next mobilization began. a cap
tain of the Cossacks was killed by local
soldiers whom he had mistreated. Stones
were torn from the depot platform and
the result of hts abusing the men with
a whip and a dagger. one of whom was
mortally wounded. The women. children
ted to stay at home. One of your old
friends who worked with you in the foun-
dry and was blind in one eye had to go,
ness is at a %standstill. Cars for moving
farm products cannot be secured as ali
are used for the transportation of soldiers.
AS the men and horses have been sent to
the front, there was scarcely any of the
grain that can be threshed and it a total
loss. Mrs. Justina Brunset.