New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-22
Georgia Women
Most Beautiful
In All Russia

Washington, July 1S.-"The news
that political party in Trans-Caucas-
ian Georgia has started a movement
for the autonomy of this distric Of
Russia brings into the focus of world
interest one of the most historic divis-
ions of the great Slav empire says
war geography bulletin issued by the
National Geographic Society.
There are perhaps 1,350,OO0 Geor-
gians in the Caucasus region, compris-
ing fully one half the population. They
are the great aristocrats OF the coun-
try, an with every reason for their
pride in ancestry. Some ethnologlsts
hold that they are a more ancient race
than the Egyptians, while their own
legends declare that they are the de-
scendants of Thargamos, great-grand-
son of Japheth, son of Noah. Other
traditions trace their origin to the
Egyptian soldiers of Sesostris who are
supposed to have reached this region
and intermarried with the aborigines.
Still another legend says that some Of
the Crusaders, becoming lost in the
mountain wilds, have left their imprint
upon the handsome Georgians OF to-
day.
"The Georgian women have been
famous for centuries as the foremost
beauties of the near east and the men
are the greatest dandies in the world.
The latter are tall and athletic, the
natural slendcrness of their waists
much accentuated by the custom of
wearing their belts so tightly that the
use of their legs is hampered, giving
peculiar, jerky character to their car
riage. The women as rule have large
eyes, delicate compilations, small hands,
and abundant black hair, which is worn
IN braids down the back, and is usually
yelled. The men, especially the lower
classes, are much addicted to the fiery
wines produced in the country, and it
is said that the regular daily dram
allotted to each field laborer used to
be a half-gallon of this intoxicating
beverage.
"While thievery is almost unknown
amonug the Georgians themselves,
there are highwaymen in the mountain
Businesses who make it extremely I'M
pleasant for unprotected travellers,
inasmuch as the bandits have habit
not only of depriving their victims Of
their valuables but of their clothes as
well. And there are said to be numer-
Gus instances where parties of men
and women travelling in coaches have
been ordered at pistols point to divest
, themselves of all raiment and been
forced to make their way to the nearest
village in Adamic garb.
"The home of the Georgians Is a
region of many tongues, the priests de-
claring that it was in this land that
the Tower Of Babel was begun. They
speak of it as the Babylonian Steeple.
Even in the days of the Roman re-
public the language difficulties Of the
region were notorious, and Pliny, quot
| ing Timosthenes. says that there were
/ 800 tongues spoken in Colchls, neces-
stating the employment of 100 in
terpreters by the Roman administra-
ton.
"Just as England had a Golden age
under Elizabeth, Austria under Maria
Theresa. and Russia under Catherine
| the Great, the Georgians enjoyed their
greatest. culture and prosperity during
/ the reign of a woman-Queen Thamara
! 11s4-12l2). This gifted sovereign
married a Russian prince and thus mi
/ tiated the Muscovite country's interest
/ in Georgian affairs, an interest which
eliminated in the last year of the
| 18th century when George XIII re-
signed his throne in favor of Csar
Paul. Three years later (1sO2) Csar
Alexander proclaimed Georgia Rus
| sian province.
Prior to this conclusion to Georgia's
national existence. however, the coun-
try had been subdivided, and at one
time as many as 26 princelings were
ruling simultaneously. To-day the title
of Prince is very common throughout
the land, and this fact has given rise
TO a jocular saying among the Russians
that every man among the Georgians
is a prince