The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-09-16

~ q x ~ s .
ISOLATED Press.)-Pd1itical happenings
have succeeded one another ~ RAPIDLY
In Russia that French correspondents
have had little time to do more. than
occupy themselves with them. and de-
scriptive articles from those journAl-
lists have been few regarding the e.
feet Of the revolution on the mass Of
the people and its results in,,the Prov
inces and among the peasants. Ono
or two articles, however, have ap-
pcared which, throw some light ON tho
mentality Of the. Russians regarded
as SO different from that Of other Eu.
ropeans.
Mr.. Robert de Flcurs. associate cdi-
tor Of the Figaro, and now attached to
the headquarters staff OF the Russian
army. has had months or study Of the
Russian troops serving In conjunction
with those Of Rumapia. .HeEe are
some anecdotes from his latest arti-
Gle: ~ ..4.sg h !,
Liberty for che Fish.
There isfa fine lake somewhere In
the south Of Russia which Is connect-
ed by a channel with a smaller lake
where huge carp are raised. The
channel was barred by nets to prevent
carp from passing into the larger lake.
and. a. food does not reach the troops,
In. the district too plcntifully 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 lncetine--one. Of
t..R~
regular institution in tho Russian
discussion. Suddenly there was rush
toward the lakes and with cries Of
"Sloboda!" "Sloboda!'' t"Liberty!"
Libcrty!') the men began to pull out
the barriers, and nets and destroy
them. The officers wished to pre-
vent tho destruction but the soldiers
took little notice Of their reprimands
beyond crying. "Sloboda! sloboda for
the fish,"
commissioned officer ex-
planned the matter. Fish are Gods
creatures like men are. Like them
they have the right to liberty. But
men can talk and 10 have. made the
revolution. while fish are dumb and
can never make theirs. 1t is there
fore, our duty to aid them BECAUSE it
Is contrary to nature to pen them up
to capture them eaHily and kill them"
An Ombrstla's Convert.
A middle class functionary, a man
who occupied n modest position in one
Of the, acknowledging offices and who
was imbued with the marrow. bureau
cratic. reactionary spirit generally
[ found In that class. chanccd to go out
ono day with n red umbrella: under
his arm. A group. of tmanifestants
going to q meeting begged him to
open his umbrella. He willingly com.
piled and Mt once found that his
bright unbFella--rel bei1e the ,revu.
| lution's celor-madc. him. q parsonage.
Women threw him flowers. children
were lifted up for him to kiss. and he
was at once made president n OF. the
| meeting When that was over he
was conducted in triumph TO a BAN
quot. and. there. too. he made an elo-
qllent speech. having discovered him.
| self an orator without ever having
suspected It. Finally he was conduct
ed to his home et a late hour by sew
eral thousand of his free II, not en-
Heightened fellow citizens. From tina,
day. after inscribing. his name on the
revolutionary committee. he has neve,
gone out without his red umbrella, al.
! ways open. zs=6 esss< - 3st,
Woman and Dog and Red Ribbon.
.FoF months every material. from
silk to the. commonest cloth. 4colored
rcd. has been sought for and. made
INTO cockades, flags. streamers.. etc
The smallest fragment OF red serve.
AS an excuse for a manifestation. Here
Is story OF squad OF Russian sol
diers. q pretty woman. q pet dog ant
a bowknqt Of red ribbon. s .4
The pretty woman was walking VI
and down . tho platform Of a Nttl
station crowded with soldiers. TIL
men, whose opportunities of seeing
pretty woman had been limited TO
many month, gazed In admiration
and were prepared to make a mani
festation In her honor. But suddenl,
their feelings showed a change m,
cries of discomfort began to be heard
A. group OF soldiers went up- to til
! woman and severely upbrailed he
because a how Of red ribbon was fas
tened over the car. of her. Pomerania
dog. Such q use of the symbol Q
, revolution was shocking. they said. a
tttAshswed a wish TO ridiculc the grea
movement The soldiers. shouted
: shrieked,l and jumped about excited
TO the utter astonlyhment of the pref
ty woman. and Of the Pom. But tn
| woman extricated herself from an en-
, ! barassing position with the guile Of
true daughter of Eve. She took tn
ribbon from her dogs head and place
IT. In her own hair. Once more tn
crowd changed It's tone and It wa
amid enthusiastic cheering that an
| and the dog. took the train q littl
J later.
81 Too Revolutionary 70 Remember.
Il 4 certain general was suspected i
j. his. men Of. being only lukewar
l towards the. new movement. 80 de
: egation OF soldiers waited on him !,
t ask his real opinions.
Il "IIl tell you .jl,st. what am"
!. said to them, .'and YOU can tell It I