Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-05-26
Three SCORE OF
FAILURES Will
return HOME
Russian Government Will Fur
nish Transportation to 65
Who Are Discouraged


81. --- H..
To begin life afresh In their native
land. about 65 Russians in Honolulu
WIN 70 home next week. After five
or SIX years which have been prac-
tically d failure. these three score and
more will go back To their homeland
For nearly a year 20 families IN
Honolulu have waited anxiously for
this day: for long and weary months
they have prayed that their govern
ment would hear their plea and take
them back into the fold of the Cos
sacks Now their wishes have been
granted.
Last July over so Russians in Ho-
nolulu signed a petition which was
forwarded to the Russian government,
asking that they be furnished funds
with which to return home with their
families. No similar action has ever
been taken by their government; the
Russians here had no assurance that
they could succeed, but now the
money is here, about $4,000 il is un.
derstood, and the little colony sails
June for Japan on the Persia Maru.
The Russian consul, DR. A. Marques,
has charge OF the fund which has been
sent here for transportation,
There are no rich men In this
homebound delegation no one is
tricking his government to obtain
free ride; practically every one OF
the returning Russians is In dire need
with scarcely enough clothing to COW
er hts back. The home-going ones
sincerely hope to start afresh on a
higher plane.
cit. is a blessing that they received
their transportation in the summer
time" said one interested IN the lit
tie pilgrimage, else they would prob
ably freeze to death in Russia before
they earned enough to buy proper
clothes.
There are about 25 men, 25 women
and Is children who have received
their transportation. No old men are
In the party although there are few
tiny babies. Fifteen of the party are
ex-soldlefs of the Russian army. 1t
"a thought that possibly the Russian
government expects to find some
fighters in the ranks but IT will be
nlfttakefl.
According to the police, most Of the
men who are leaving have been more
Of a liability in Honolulu than IAN
asset. Many Of the departing ones
have spent many weeks In the city
Jan for petty crimes, coming back pc
riodicaily. The Telice say they labor
one day a week and bum the rest.
Camp No. 2, River street and Auld
lane. Is where most OF these depart
ing Russians may be found. During
their residence here they have lived
apart from the 200 or 500 countrymen
who have become prominent, well-to-
do and respectable citizens of Homo
lulu. BY this latter class, the de-
parture Of the tiny crew win be hailed
with delight. encored by the police.
One of the departing ones Is IN Jail
&C the present time; he will be re-
leased in time to go. Another is lying
in the Queens hospital claiming
rheumatism; the police say ii is an
agkfavated form Of laziness. Many
more are booze peddlers, wine buns"
and drunkarfs, say the police. and the
Russian government will never know
how badly IL is stung until 1t sees
them.
The Russians plea to get home had
to be particularly strong to attract
the attention OF their government
Prominent Russians here say the
cars officials responded on account
OF the war, hoping to fill vacancies
IN the ranks Of the laborers at home
n not at the fighting front.
These Honolulu Russians told their
government that they had been I'M
successful here, that they we're poor
and starving, on account OF adverse
conditions, unfamiharity with Ameri-
can methods and so forth. They
averred to the home government that
II ever they returned 10 the native
sod they could do much better and
would make good and respectable
citizens. II IL thought here that the
chief reason these Russians want to
20 back Is that they believe working
conditions in Russia now, on account
of the war. are even more advantage
Gus than In the United States. The
departing delegation was never on
the mainland.
The Honolulu police. the better Ho-
nolnlu Russians and many others are
glad to see them go, glad for their
sake and for ours, too, says one OF the
detectlses whO knows the Russians
well when the Persia Maru pulls
out next week with those sixty-odd dis
couraged souls aboard we shall glad
II say Ion vos age, gcodby and good
luck