The Detroit times., 1916-07-11
by WILLIAM PHILLIP SIMNS.

| Star CORES pom dent United Press
PETROGRAD, June l3-(by MALL
There are two mighty armies in
Russie One works in the front
line trenches, shoots and charges
bayonets The other works back
of the line and furnishes the front
| line what II needs.
One is an army OF soldiers. The
other is an army of citizens. But
both are under the orders of the
general staff The situation is uni
] que in history.
The main corps OF this citizen
army is known as the "All-Russian
! Zemstvo Union" and no other ma
! tion in the world boasts anything
like IT, II the troops need new fur
coats the general staff tell the Zem-
I stvo Union and the Zestvo Union
provides them. Or maybe the staff
asks for socks and underwear; or
/ boots. or bridges. or daggers, or bath
trains, or tannin. or chop-axes. What
| ever In reason II asks for II gets.
! Soldiery and citizenery are work
ing hand in hand. This statement
is literal. not merely a figure OF
speech.
The Zemstvo-pronounc "Zem-
stervo"-came into being in 1854.
three years after the serfs we're
freed and the land divided II be-
gan very modestly and developed
slowly. members being elected from
three classes Peasants. the landed
gentry and the urbanites owning
shops. factories or other property.
Originally Zemtsvo composed OF
say so members, averaged about 20
peasants, 20 gentry and 20 town
property owners, but in 1890 the
gentry were given by law what, by
the very nature OF things they had
had from the start-a preponderant
voice.
Russis is divided into 81 provinces,
these into districts averaging about
10 districts 10 the province. At pres
ent 80 provinces and about $50 dis
tricts have Zemstvo organizations.
The district institution once year
sends delegates 10 a Today provin-
cial Zemstvo at which the work OF
the past year is reviewed and the
work for the coming year co-ordi-
mated. Further. a provincial board
Of four men is named, these 70 de-
vote their entire time 10 this work.
The ordinary member OF the Zem-
stvo receives no pay. The four
board members are on salary as are
the four members OF similar dis
trict board who do nothing else but
eupervise district work.
The Zemstvo has but slight legis-
lative Notwithstanding local taxes,
etc.-and until the war It's activities
were confined TO four spheres:
Working the roads, supervising the
schools. aiding farmers with advice
and looking after the hospitals. the
primary needs OF country districts.
III lH'
Zemstvo was u was nevertheless
the apprenticeship Of the people. II
furnished the peasants with their
first means OF participating in pub
lie work Side by side with their
former masters, these farmers, new
ly out OF serfdom, elected their Zem-
stvo representatives and labored for
the community and for Russia
Such was the Zemstvo at the be-
ginning Of the war.
On Aug. IL, 1914, less than two
weeks from the commencement OF
hostilities, general meeting OF
delegates elected by the Provincial
Zemstvos was held In Moscow. II
was then and there decided 10 form
the AllRussian Zemstvo Union for
relief work among sick and wounded
soldiers" And every Zemstvo join
ed In save one, this solitary abstain
or prefering 10 work Independently.
Here We are Use US" said the
Zemstvo people 10 the government,
and the government accepted They
were to be under the orders OF the
war department and available only
for work in the interior. The limi.