The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-11-01
Elementary Mentality Of the
Masses Demonstrated by
Amusing Examples.
FISH MADE FREE BY TROOPS
How Pretty Woman, With Dogs and
Red Ribbon, Turned Hostility to
Enthuslasm-Man With Red
Umbrella Becomes Per-
sonaoe.


succeeded one another so rapidly In
Russia that French correspondents
there have had little time to do more
than occupy themselves with them, and
descriptive articles from those jour
nalists have been few regarding the
effect OF the revolution on the mass
of the people and its results In the
provinces and among the peasants.
One or two articles, however, have ap-
peared which throw some light on the
mentality of the Russians. regarded as
SO different from that of other Euro
peans.
Robert de Flers, associate editor Of
the Figaro and now attached to the
headquarters staff OF the Roumanian
army. has had months of study OF the
Russian troops serving In conjunction
with those of RoumaniA. Here are
some anecdotes from his latest article:
There is fine lake somewhere in
the south of Russia which Is connected
by a channel with smaller LAKE,
where huge carp are raised. The chan
mel was barred by nets to prevent the
carp from passing into the larger lake.
and. as food does not reach the troops
In the district too plentifully nor In
great variety, the officers were glad
to vary their mess with the fish.
One day some hundreds of soldiers
were gathered In a meeting-one of
those meetings which have become
regular Institution In the Russian army
this year-plunged In deep discussion.
Suddenly-there was rush toward
the lakes and. with cries OF "Sloboda I"
.Slobodal" ("Libertyl" Liberty ~,
the men began to pull out the barriers
and nets and destroy them. The off,
GERS wished to prevent the destruction.
but the soldiers took little notice Of
their reprimands beyond crying "Slo-
bodal Sloboda for the Ash"
A noncommissioned officer explained
the matter. "Fish are Gods creatures
as men are. Like them, they have the
right to liberty. But men can talk and
so have made the revolution. while
ash are dumb and can never make
theirs. 1t Is. therefore. our duty to aid
them because 1t Is contrary to nature
to pen them up In order to capture
them and easily kill them"
n Percentage and Didn't Know II.
"A middle class functionary, man
who occupied a modest position In one
Of the tax-collecting offices and who
ives imbued with the narrow, bureau
cratic. reactionary spirit generally
found In that class, chanced to 60 out
,ne day with red umbrella under his
arm. A group of manifestants going to
meeting begged him to open his um-
hrella. He willingly complied. and mt
once found that his bright umbrella-
red being the revolutions color--made
him q parsonage. Women threw him
flowers, children were lifted up for
him to kiss. and he was at once made
president of the meeting.
When that was over he was conduct
ed In triumph to q banquet, and there,
too, he made an eloquent speech, hav-
Ing discovered himself an orator with
out having ever suspected 1t. Finally
he was conducted to his home at a
late hour by several thousands of his
free II not enlightened fellow-citizens.
From that day, after inscribing his
name on the revolutionary committee,
he has never gone out without his red
umbrella, always open.
For months every material, from silk
to the commonest cloth, colored red
has been sought for and made into
cockades. flags, streamers. etc. The
smallest fragment Of red serves as an
excuse for manifestation. Here is q
story of a squad of Russian soldiers, 9
pretty woman, a pet dog, and a bow
knot Of red ribbon.
The pretty woman was walking NJ
and down the platform of little sta
tion crowded with soldiers. The men
whose opportunities OF seeing a prett,
woman had been limited for many ,
month, gazed In admiration and wer'
prepared to make q manifestation II
her honor. But suddenly their feeling
showed a change and cries of discon
tent began to be heard. A group of sol
diers went up to the woman and sc
verely upbraided her because bow o
red ribbon was fastened over the ca
OF her Pomeranian dog. Such use o
the symbol Of revolution was shocking
they said. as 1t showed a wish to rid
cule the great movement. The soldier
shouted, shrieked. and jumped ahou
excitedly, to the utter establishment &
the pretty woman and Of the Pom.
But the woman extricated hersel
from an embarrassing position wit
the guile Of a true daughter Of Ev
She took the ribbon from her dog
head and placed 1t In her own hal
Once more the crowd changed its ton
and 1t was amid enthusiastic cheerin
that she. and the dog. took the train
little later.
a certain general was suspected
his men Of being only lukewarm +
Xard the new movement, 90 q deleg