Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-11-07
WAR Nightmare
TO RUSS PEOPLE
Reserves and Women of Sibe-
ria Are Particularly De- :.
pressed by Situation. =
VLADIVOSTOK FEELS
HER LOSSES KEENLY
Population Reduced to 5000 by
Men Leaving and But
Few Return. :
of the Associated Press.


Correspondence Of the Associated Press.
vLADIvOsToK. October 1o.-Befors
the great European war began vladi-
ovstok had more than 100000 inhabi-
tants. Today its population Is less than
$4,000. SO heavy have been the calls OF
the Russian army upon the men OF
eastern Siberia The latest summons
will take 10000 from vladivostok alone.
Tho new recruits arc being sent away
at the rate of 1000 day. Many Of
them are badly needed in vladivostok
to help take care OF the war supplies
which are Cutting the port But the
call Of the army Is unqualified. Trained
and unframed men alike OF military
age, men Of all classes. are being sent
away daily to the interior, where they
will go into training, replacing others
nov ready to go to the front.
Russia has such a great number Of
men that all OF them are not COM
peLed to undergo military training. Elk
ceptiiions are made in the case OF an
only son in family, as well as under
other special conditions. but now all
males in Siberia are called out. More
| than 100 were taken by. this call from
a single firm IN Vladivostok.
American Firms Lose Forces.
Many of the American concerns with
offices here have lost virtually their
entire Russian office forces to the
army.
Retail and wholesale establishments
have such reduced forces that through
a general agreement all the larger
places of business close at the lunch
| nour, not having men enough left to
arrange relief at meal time. Women
are being trained for positions they
are fitted for. preference being given
to wives Of men called to the front.
Koreans and Chinese are coming into
Vlaoivostok to replace dock iaporers
| work on the docks now is being done
by them, but they are SO unskilled
there Is much uneasiness as to the
effect the removal Of the better train
ed Russians Will have on the handling
of war supplies.
Slow to Call Reservists.
The Russian government was slow to
call out reservists in Siberia. Men are
few and much needed in this new coun-
try. The government has expended
great sums in encouraging emigration
to Siberia and hesitates to take the
| cream of the colony's manhood back
| to the battle line. But the need evident
ly became SO great it was necessary
! to claim Siberia's men. The railroad
| guard, numbering over 10000. was
called Immediately after the regular
| army forces were sent back to Russia
Then three calls were made and 1t 10
reported another L. soon to come which
claims all men in Siberia up to forty
| I'VE.
No Exceptions Are Made.
Owners of large businesses have been
taken along with their humblest en-
ployes. Apparently there have been NO
exceptions made in the enforcement OF
the call. Every night about s o'clock =
troop train starts for the east. Hours
before train time the relatives and
| friends of departing reservists begin
| way station. which lies along the water
front in the very heart Of the city. Few
Of the new soldiers have uniforms.
They carry rolls of bedding, boxes and
carpet bags such as one sees immf-
grants Juggling from the docks in New
York.
For many days it has been raining.
but frequently mothers with young
babies sit or stand in the rain. weep
ing as they wait for the train which il
to carry their husbands away. There IL
little jubflation among the departing
soldiers.
War Now a Nightmare.
The war has dragged OF SO long 1t has
become a nightmare to the families OF
the men liable to service and there are
so many women in black now IN Vladi-
vostok that duty at the front is re-
garded as almost certain death A band
plays each night as the troop train
leaves the station, but its music can
rI.-f nj Ia
wome nand children. who cling p.tifully
to the departing soldiers ana follow
the. train until its speed becomes SO
great they cannot keep pace with 1t.
The reservists are transported in
ordinary freight cars. Each OF she
cars has stove in the center and
board benches and hunks at the ends.
single candle in lantern lights
every car. The Russian cars are small
and only forty men can be crowded
into each. The troop trains ordinarily
consist Of about twenty-five freight
cars and one passenger coach Tor the
officers. Enthusiasm is little greater
among the officers than among privates.
apparently. Each night officers families
accompany them to the station and
silent groups have farewell i 81. dinners rsa at
of all ages in these parties are in
mourning and the 1eave-taktng. Is
gloomy in spite of the self-control
shown by the better class of the wom-
IL.
A few officers and privates have re-
turned to Vladivostok, but the losses
have been so great that men coming
back from the fighting line are re-
ceived with great surprise.
I'VE used to send flowers to the troop
trains and give the men a rousing
send off," Russian lady remarked to-
day, but one cannot keep that up for
ever They are going constantly now.
So many Of us have lost relatives ana
friends that we have not the heart to
cheer and pretend to be gay when We
are not.
Russian Oficer's Funeral.
An officers funeral moved through
the main street Of Vladivostok today.
Such professions are not unusual in
but the Russian men. are never
too much occupied to stand in silence
with heads barred when coffin covered
with the Russian flag moves past them.
A man dressed in high white. hat and
!, long white ulster walked at the head
Of the procession, bearing large gold
en- cross. Next came four black horses,
covered with heavy white nets, draw
ing a white flower carriage banked
high with elaborate floral designs.
Then came a white hearse drawn BY
four black horses. also covered with
white nets and led by Korean grooms
in white uniforms. The hearse was
without sides or cover and the great
silver plated coffin was partly covered
with a Russian nag. Immediately be-
hind the hearse walked the wife and