The Washington times., 1916-12-28

p'eics Of the European ,car IN the mast
pear, ,oritteH for The Times BY cor
respondents IN tho feid.)
PARIS. Dec. 2s.--whateyer Russia
may do In the future, 1910 will be set
down as one OF the greatest years in
her history. No period In all her ma.
tional development has been more sig.
nihcant. not even the sixties, which
marked the liberation OF the serfs.
During 1915 the Russian people, the
common people, seem to have found
themselves and their place In the en-.
pre-. Their position may not as vet
De very clearly defined, but the fu.
lure Russian students believe, will
look after that.
Russia, In the last year, has accom-.
piirhed much. She recovered from
the blow Germany dealt her In East
RUSSIA, Poland, and Galicia. She com.
pIeted building a brand new army In
the neld. She called to the coiors an.
other army, twice as big, which she
holds In readiness for any emergency
which the war may cause. She sent
troops TO France ana TO saioniki via
SIBERIA and Nladivostok, and another
army she sent to help Roumania when
that country Joined the allies.
Disrupted Austrisn Armies.
In the meantime, she resumed the
offensive In Galicia and completely
disrupted the Austrian armies there,
taking well over half million prison.
ers. And In Asia Minor she waged a
powerful campaign against the Turks
beyond the CaucausuH
These are tremendous accomplish.
fnents when one remembers what Rus
STA was up against In ivi5. when she
had, during her great retreat. but one
shell a day, per battery. to fire against
the advancing Germans.
The minister OF war Judged rcapon.
slble for the bulk OF the army's mis-.
rested In the spring Of 1910 and placed
In the Peter and Paul prison ON an
Island In the Neva.
This was the test year OF mo
Vodka" The Imperial decree abolish.
Ing vodka came. II II true. In tho fall
OF 1914. but 1915 was not true trial.
Russia, that year, was getting over
her lag" so 60 speak, and II was only
In 1919 that a steady. sober Russia
got q chance To show what she could
do.
Peasants Are Prosperous.
Savings bank accounts went up BY
leaps and bounds. Peasants, conBtl.
tuting NJ per cent OF tn. country's
population OF 10000. 900. were never
so well on In their lives. They were
better fed. better clothed. put In on
an average double the number Of
working hours day. and sickness
was reduced TO an Incredible degree.
One hospital the correspondent knows
OF had 500 beds. Prior To 1918 u
was OVERLOOKING all the time. having
some 1000 patients TO care for rs
best IL could. Now 900 beds have
been sent TO n military hospital ne.
cause there are never more than 400
patients 10 care for.
This year saw the formation OF a
central committee TO coordinate the
work OF the AllRussian Zemstyo
Union and the All.Russian Municipal.
ity Union. two organizations com.
posed OF Russian plain people banded
together To help the empire run the
war,
Through this committee every man,
woman. and child was brought more
or less directly into touch with the
war. and perhaps IL has done more 10
make the war a popular" war than
any other movement. The Zemstvo
Union, above all, In a peoples concern.
and the Zemstvos have instructed the
peasants and common people gener.
ally throughout Russia as to what
the war means TO them and the i'm.
portance OF carrying II on to a sue
cessful finish.
Have soIidiass Empire.
Each state In the United states Is
divided into counties, II each county
had a board composed partly OF farm
ers. partly OF village merchants or
other property holders there, and
partly OF landowners. this board
would correspond to the Russian
Zemstvo board, which Is charged
with roadbuilding. schools, and hos
pitfalls OF its district. IL Is easy TO
see the influence OF a Zemstvo board
on the rural population.
The Municipality Union Is doing In
the cities what the union OF all the
Zemstvos Is doing In the country.
These two peoples associations dur
ing 1919 have made millions OF gar
ments for soldiers, enlisting the serv.
ices OF women all over the land: fed
tens OF thousands OF refugees from
the Invaded districts; equipped and
operated hundreds OF hospitals, fur |
nishing the necessary supplies them
selves; established tea and coffee
rooms for the free distribution OF
these beverages; aided the govern |
ment feed the soldiers at the front |
furnished laborers In many instances !
to dig trenches, build bridges, pom |
toons, etc, and. in a general way, |
they have solidihed the Russian en-
pIre by having the people work with |
the soldiers for the common cause,
This work was begun early In the |
war. In 1916 II Isade such Roadway that |
no one can dispute Its magnitude to-
day nor its probable influence on the |
Russia of the future.
Mobiiixed Munitions Output.
similar to the zemstvo and munich
pality unions in that 1t is an organiza-
ton growing out Of public spirit. Is }
the committee which during 1915 |
mobilized the small Industries OF Rus
STA to help the army with munitions |
There are several large munitions fac |
tories In Russia which deal direct with |
httf haH