The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-15
RUSSIA DRAWS ON THE MANCHUR|ANS ID REINFORCE ARMY Soldiers, Live Stock and Grain Are Rushed
 Westward PRIEST APPEALS
 FOR ENLISTMENT Men Who Were Brought East by Gov ernment to Settle Are Now Being Called to the Colors
 by the Czar

Harbin, Manchuria, October 1A-tCor- respondence of the Associated Press.) Russa's last call for reservists took 5000 men from this city, which has a popula- tion of 30,000 inhabitants. Although Man churia is not Russian territory and Harbin is nominally Chinese city, Russian con- trol of the railways and other great cor porations, which are developing north Manchuria, has made the line between Siberia and Manchuria very imaginary. For many months after the war began Manchuria did not feel the effects of the struggle, but recently it has fallen heavily under the grip of war. Troop and supply trains, which are robbing this new country of it's settlers. it's live stock and It's grain, pass through the city con- stantly. Scarcely a home in Harbin has escaped the last sweeping call for reserv- ists and recent casualty lists bear the names of many young Russians who iert Manchuria to fight for their Emperor. All business in Manchuria not directly connected with war supplies, is practical ly at a standstill. The staffs of business firms have been depleted and in many offices the work is being carried on chief y ny youA6 i<dtCc dliu CtuCI iAuIOpCdu neutrals.
 Reservists Mobilized
 Before the Russo-Japanese war there were few settlers in this part of Man churia and Siberia. Since that time the Russian government has offered very favorable terms to prospective land- owners and at great cost has located many peasant farmers in Siberia, near the Manchurian border. These men were carried east with their families at very low rates. Immigrant lodgings were af- forded at various points along the rail- way and the government advanced large sums of money to get the new farmers started.
 Now the very men who were brought to Manchuria at such great expense and pains are being torn from their new prairie homes to join the army But there is little grumbling on the part of the stolid peasants They do not ques- ton call from Petrograd. The same power which made it possible for them to acquire farm in this new country now demands their service and they start for training camps with the blessing of the priests who have their complete confi- dence.
 The reservists from various towns along the western part of the Trans-Siberian railway are taken chiefly to Harbin or Vladivostok for mobilization. At nearly every station reservists and their families are waiting for orders. The government has provided chapels in many of the rail way stations located far from a Rus sian church. Travelling priests hold serv- ices in these occasionally. and at this time they are busily holding masses for the men about to leave their families for the front.
 At one station. east of Harbin, the correspondent of the Associated Press saw an open air mass held for 300 II. .en who were about to enter a troop train. The men were closely grouped about the priest. with the long beard and hair. common to the clergy of the Russian church. He wore a yellow satin robe. richly embroidered in gold and held aloft golaen cross which reflected the rays of the sun. which was just setting at the edge of the vast prairie behind him. The reservists chanted the responses with unwaver- ing voice., and listened with rapt at tention to the priest. Their religious fervor was shown especially by the eagerness with which they pressed forward to have their brows moist ened with holy water after the priest had pronounced the benediction. Many of the reservists led their sons for ward with them so they might stand together before the priest and receive his blessing.
 Women Make No Protest
 Throughout the service the wives, mothers and sisters of the reservists stood at a respectful distance and list ened mutely to the inspiring singing of their menfolk They had no part in it and manifested more of the enthu- siasm shown by the robust men, standing with barred heads, complete ly under the sway of their spiritual adviser whose intensity of manner was heightened by his unusual garb No man could have more closely ap- preached In appearance the great art ists' conception of Jesus Christ and the priests inspiring influence upon the peasants starting upon such an unhappy mission was little less than miraculous.
 Even the fearful embraces of wives and mothers did not dampen the or dor of the men. who brave1y answered the warning whistle of the waiting en- zine and sang the Russian hymn as the train whisked them off to an un- certain fate.
 Every troop car contains an icon a brass picture of Jesus Christ. the vir- gin Mary. or one of the saints Usu- ally a candle is kept burning near this after the custom Of the orthodox Rus sian home The soldiers seem to find great comfort in their religion ana on their long ride across Siberia. may be t ~A >1o t,x