Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-15
RUSSIA

CLAVfC perils and Slavic hopes Russia's
~ new sobrlety and it's former revolutions,
these are only few of the phases Of Rus
sian lAfb which form the subject Of more than
score of articles In the current magazines.
Almost every question is approached from
opposite sides, and each writer seems to ar
que his theme from separate and distinct
point Of view. It is noteworthy. however,
that adverse criticism OF the Russians Is al
most negligible among all these articles Most
OF them agree on one appreciation of the
qualities and possibilities OF the Russian peo-
pie more especially the peasant class The
reading leaves one with very much toned
down notion of the Slavic peril"
1t takes one very much behind the scenes
to read of the simple unquestionlng spirit in
which the Cossacks received their call to
arms, Cossacks have always seemed such a
terrible and sophisticated people. In "Mobiliz-
ing the Cossacks" a., Stephen Graham
writes:
| was staying at an Atlai Cossack viii
lage on the frontier of Mongolia when the
war broke out. young man on n fine horse
came galiopng down the street, a great red
nag hanging from his shoulders and Tapping
IN the wind. and. as he went, he called out
the news to each and every one: "War! Warl'
The Car had called on the Cossacks; they
gave up their work without a regret and
burned to fight the enemy. Who was the
enemy? Nobody knew. The telegram con-
tained no indications.
What scenes there were that last day.
AT o'clock in the morning the holy water
oasin was taken from the church and placed
with triple candles on the open sun blazed
mountainside The Cossacks met there as at
rendezvous, and all their womenfolk in
multifarious bright cotton dresses and tear
stained faces, walked out to say last
iigious goodby. The bareheaded, long
haired priest came out In vestment of violet
hue, and behind him came the old men of
the village carrying the icons and banners
of the church, and after them the village
choir, singing as they marched. A strange
mingling of sobbing and singing went up
to Heaven. The conservation service took
place and only then did we learn the almost
incredible fact that the war was with Ger
many.
condensed and impartial Record of
Political Events" from May to November
appears in the Political Science Quarterly C2)
published by Columbia University 1t clears
up briefly Just what has happened in Russia,
and presents valuable and authoritative
Introduction to further reading:
The repressve policy of the Government
toward the working class resulted in June
and July in a number of general strikes, fol-
lowed by revolutionary demonstrations, which
assumed from July 21 to 25 such large pro-
portions and effected in some cities, notably
in Petrograd, so complete stoppage of in
dustry as to convince some observers OF the
imminence of a revolutionary outbreak
On August 15 the Czar issued n procla-
nation promising complete autonomy to
Poland. On the same day, Grand Duke
Nicholas, commander chief of the Rus
Sian armies, issued a proclamation to his
men characterizing the as struggle
of the Slavs in defense of their racial ex-
istence, and commanding them, therefore,
not to harm any Slav even though he were
German or Austrian subject. A lberali-
zation, If not a complete removal, of all
restrictions upon Jews was also promised
by the Czar, and the rule excluding Jews
from being officers In the army was aban-
doned, numerous promotions of Jews imme-
diately following. The name of st. Peters,
burg, which Is of German origin, was
changed to Petrograd September /.