The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-12-04
Of
TEU1ON ARMIES
ARE DESCRIBED

SOOtbtDA0
Petrograd and Calais Told
about by National Geo.
graphical Society.
SOCIETY IS SO 4. Sc .sL. IS. !.
WASHINGTON, d. C., Dec. A.
The following are pen pictures Of
Petrograd, the history of whose lay
ing out Is not dissimilar to that Of
the planning OF Washington; and
Calais, the center of the lace making
industry OF France. The one is the
directing center OF the Russian armies
and the other the objective of the
German armies in the west. These
descriptions were prepared by the
National Geographic Society for it's
MORE than 100000 members, many
thousands of whom live in the state
of West Virginia:
High Tension in Petrograd.
"Petrograd, the city made to the
order Of Peter the Great to serve as
sRussia's political capital, is'lthe ad-
ministrative center of the mightiest
of the worlds land empires. 1t Is
now, probably at higher tension than
any other city on earth, performing,
as ever, the work necessary to the
administration OF church and state
over vast distances, from the Gulf Of
Finland to the Black sea and the far
Pacific, and, besides, taking care of
ia great war business, which includes
planning for the defense of more
than 10000 miles Of frontier. This
10000 miles of frontier, Of course,
does not take into account the vague
lly known northern boundary of the
empire.
"Petrograd has always been a high
tension city. 1t was constructed upon
islands and swamp at the behest of a
high-tension ruler; built with wide,
straight streets upon perfectly flat
country, with nd softening natural
beauty except that of its dividing
Neva, river that has often been
compared to the English Thames.
Even the architecture of the city is
repressive, almost, wholly of sternly
chaste classic Roman and Greek. And
In this city, the primary business has
been that of caring for vast empire,
embracing in its far-reaching sweep
many peoples, numerous religions,
diverse traditions. confusion OF ton
CUES, and widely varying ideals. The
responsibilities of government have
held the city's life as when It's found
Ter, with 10000 workmenl drained the
Neva swamps and builded over ni.ht
his capital hard upon the lands Of
the Films.
Church Administration.
THE bureaucracy which governs
Russia in the names Of the czars,
ordering everything in the peoples
lives, even in the fartherest govern
ments, does all of its thinking in
Petrograd. From this city, also, the
Russian church is administered. Mos
cow, the ancient capital is more i'm
portant economically than Petrograd
Moreover, Moscow has, at least, equal
claims as an artistic and intellectual
center. And furthermore, Moscow is
the center OF Russian life and tradi-
Etion. But, as the symbol OF the might
of Russia. as the city where the en-
pire's destiny is thought out and d.
rected, as tine nome of the cZars and
consequently Of Russian society,
Petrograd is easily the first city of
the empire.
'Petrograd is the greatest import
ing center of the empire. A great
part of the products of Europe which
find their way to the bleak northern
plain are entered at the mouth Of the
Seya, and this despite the fact that
the port is ice-bound five months of
the year. 1t has, too, some industry,
though its surrounding region is not
| rich in any OF the raw materials OF
industry. Some 100000 of its men
and women are employed in manu-
facture, in the machine and iron
works, in the ship yards, in the cloth
factories, shoe factories, and cigaret
factories, that stand on the outskirts
of the city, around the Finland Sta
ton.
Stern Heauty.
There Is certain stern beauty
in the capital. The broad, arrow-like
Nevsky Prospect is fully as interest
ing as any OF the worlds famous
thoroughfares. 1t is a broad street.
some three miles long, lined with
shops Of average appearance,
churches representing Greek, Prot
estant, and Catholic religions, bank
buildings, the public library, the I'm
perial theater, garden, and some
dark red palaces. The remarkably
diversified life of the remarkable en-
pire flows in never ending stream
along this avenue. Upon it may be
seen the military; members of the
capitals student corps Of ten thous-
and or more, from every, government,
the Finn, Lap, Little Russian, Tartar,
Lithuanian, Pole, and SO on; the gov
eminent clerk, and members OF Rus
sin's highest nobility;
Calais, which has recently had
Worldwide military prominence
thrust upon it. has been passed, al
most unsupported, by thousands Of
tourists, who have given 1t mere
chance consideration as necessary
part of the transition from London to
Paris. There is no amusement to