Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-08-26
THE GIANT is AWAKENING.

THE GIANT 10 AWANEN'NN' y.
Americans, Englishmen and French
men, returning from the wide domains
81 Russia, nearly all tell the same
story OF the wonderful awakening OF
the great northern empire OF the
car. an awakening in all lines-com.
mercial and civic as well as in the
war munitions industrial field.
Americans In particular seem most
deeply impressed with the changed
conditions in Russia and are the most
sanguine as to the future Of that ;coun-
try. They say there is something
akin to the old call of the west in the
fast-opening opportunities and the
wide reaching resources OF Russia
which sends an anxious Jingle through
the veins of every American business
man or prospector who has delved in
10 Russian conditions as they exist to-
day and who is far sighted enough to
see the prosperity that Is In store Tor
the Russian people
II may be one of the anomalies OF
m anomalous period lin history that
barbarous war shall teach a people OF
1870 900 900 souls the ways and the
benefits of real civilization and en-
lightenment. And yet that is what
American travellers in Russia all agree
Is taking place. Many thousands OF
lives are yet to be sacrificed at the
Austrian and German fronts, but it Is
now agreed that there will come back
from the firing lines an army of mil
lions of men trained, disciplined,
schooled at least partially in the laws
81 hyxiene and right living. educated
In degree beyond anything contem'
plated a few years ago. well fed, well
clothed and ready to take their allot-
ted place in the commercial upbuild'
Ing Of the empire and the civic up.
building of the people.
The story is told Of how under war
conditions the peasant with only
pieces Of bark for shoes and bag for
clothing, unkept, ignorant with re-
gard to every phase of better living, is
brought into the city or training
hamp, fitted with shoes and warm
clothing, out through setting up"
course and taught for the first time
what his hands, his feet and his brain
and body can do. The change wrought
IN so short a time as fourteen days is
said to be marvellous. Regardless of
what may be the conditions in other
countries it is literally true In Rus
ala that army life has more comforts,
more advantages and more education
ii value than the average Russian
peasant ever dreamed Of.
In the prohibition of vodka most Of
the people who have visited Russia
see the real foundation for the Rus.
sian renaissance. But war conditions
brought about the ukase which abol'
ished this abuse of alcohol and set
the Russian people firmly on their
feet. There is no doubt that certain
interests, will attempt to legalize the
sale Of vodka once the war Is over,
but American travellers say such .
move will meet with short shr1ft
1t is predicted now that when Rus.
sia's great army comes back from the
front it's members will not be willing to
90, back to their old methods Of life,
but will help in the evolution of a new
order Of things, help to bring the vast
nation of the north to a state of effi.
cheney which will make it dominat
ing world power in deeds perhaps as
we'll as in domain.
There are now $4,000 automobiles