Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-08-01

many races were at odds. A strike
of serious proportions was on. Things
looked dark for the empire.
Russia today is more united than
she ever has been. She is better or
ganized. Every city and town in the
land belongs to a municipal union to
to aid the nation. Every village and
rural district has joined second and
similar organization. In all Russia,
Including Siberia, there is scarcely a
single peasant not working for the ar
my of some public good.
Up to August, 1914, of nearly 200
million Russian subjects, few had TAX
en- direct part in any public or national
work. They are today nearly all doing
their bit. This fact is lending a brand
new tone to the empire.
A war of gigantic proportion makes
or breaks a participant. For Russia
this one promises to be a blessing in
/ disguise, according to notoriously con-
servative thinkers here who believe
they see in the wartime spirit of the
public the commencement of unprece-
dented developments.
All Glasses United
The Russian Duma is composed of
princes and peasants, millowners and
workmen, college professors and farm
ers, Jews and gentiles, Poles, Armen-
ians, Cossacks, Orthodox priests and
| free thinkers, so mixed a body with
such varied interests that people have
said it never could do valuable work
because it never could agree. Here is
what happened in the Duma when the
war broke out:
On August s, week after hostilities
began, the two houses met at the win
ter palace of the ear. The emperor
made short speech, saying:
81 am persuaded that all of you will
be in your place to assist me to sup
port the test, and that all beginning
with myself, will do their duty. Great
is the God of the Russia fatherland. u
A great cheer went up from the
Duma. One by one party leaders came
forward and pledged themselves to
work for the common good. Even Pur-
ishkivicn, the implacable leader of the
anti-semites, abandoned his principles
Today the Duma places the army's in
| terests first.
"This is no time to squabble over
reforms, RadZianka, the Duma 8 pres
dent replied when ! asked him, if any
Important reform bills were on the
present session program. And again,
when l asked him why such short ses-
sions and long recesses, he said:
"Duma members are mostly farm
ers. We can do more good for the ar
my blowing than we can talking"
DJlma is Democratic
The Russian Duma is probably tae
most really representative body Of the
sort in the world and when it's presi-
dent said that, he was not merely
sounding phrase. 1t was evident that
he was in earnest. Every Duma mem
ber with whom ] talked said the same
thing.
To take advantage of Russia S situa-
ton and use it to force through even
cherished reforms appealed to Duma-
ties as unfair They feel that rows in
the Duma would weaken the nation in
her fight for life.
Citizen organizations for aiding Rus
sia make war have made it possible
for millions to take part in public
work who until now never knew what
such work was like. This is boosting
the spirit of the country wonderfully.
Great Industrial War Machine
Imagine every county of every state
in the United States having n council
of representative eitizens-farmers
landowners, villagers Now if every
one of these organizations joined in q
single body to help the American army
do its work, such an organization
would be similar to tae All-Russia
| Zemstvo Union, only-there are nearly
200 million Russians, so per cent OF
whom are peasants and thus either di
rectly or indirectly interested in Zem
stvo work.
Imagine again every city council OF
board of aldermen in the United
States forming one association to aid
the army. This body would be like the
All.Russian Municipality Union, which
brings city dwellers into public work.
Lastly, if American country folks
and city people should join hands by
means of a joint board to contro
things and prevent overlapping, the
result would be what the Russians
have achieved in their central commit
tee members chosen by the All.Russiar
Zemstvo Union and by the All-Rus
sian Municipality Union.
There is another group, of citizens
workers called the war industry com
mittee. This committee co-ordinates
the work of the middle sized down tC
the tiniest shops capable of manufac
turing munitions. With the big works
the government can work directly, but
not so with the tiny ones scattered
over the empire. The war industry
lcommittee does this.
Automatically the war has WORKED
wonders for Russia. The great Rus
sian word" nichevo ''-''what does il
matterl l''-is fast becoming obsolete
Labor for the common good has put
the Russian in very cheerful frame
of mind and things do matter a lo'
with him He has greater confidence
in himself. He is more independent.
Russia has been accused of beinf
too Oriental. If this charge was true
this also can be taken as true: She u
moving further westward every day.
Popular Spirit in Italy.
BY John II. Hearley. E.
| limited Press staff correspondent,)