Norwich bulletin., 1917-11-23

On Thursday afternoon the annual itors of the wnr. Backus Hospital was held in one of the wards of the hospital. In the absence of Mrs. Hugh H. Osgood presided. The treas urer's and secretary's reports were read by Mrs. Howard l.. Stanton, who was an1Sounced as continuing in of- fee the coming year. The purchasing committee for the ensuing years is man; Mrs. John D. Hall. Miss Jane Bill, Miss Carruthers. The commit tee on decorations is Mrs. E. '. Mes singer, assisted by Mrs. Sheperd E.. Palmer and Mrs. c. c. Gildersleeve.
 Mrs. Osgood spoke of the great pleasure afforded the patients during. the holiday season by the entertai in ment furnished and the Christmas interest shown in the hospital and it's work, the past the donations. and ex- pressed the hor +'-~~ 'hA coming year might see an added interest. She re- 1ions without which it was difficult 10 do their Christmas work. It was re- auestqed that all changes in the per- sonnel of the comrnittees be reported so that the list be kept correct one.
 Donations are Acknowledged. /
 F. Leon Hutchirs.- superintendent. thanked the committees in behalf Of the patients and the hospital for the donations received through them. He spoke of the great pleasure the music furnished on Sundays by the ladies gave to the patients and the, disap-. pointment felt when it was lackine He alluded to the trying year. with work and patients doubled and ex- pense more than doubled. .4-s
 Mir. Hutchins then introduced the oneI NJ. Swartzopensky,r formerly of f1cer of the guards and personal body guard of Czar Nicholas of Russia. = In Col. SwarzisopensiSy was heard a most intensely interesting. exception ally powerful speaker. If his is the spirit of Russia. she will rise to heroic things. You caught. the. ardent. burn ing spirit which must underline the Russian people and the indomitabae love for liberty. '.-,.
 Russia Viewed From the Inside.
 NJ. Swartzkopensky spoke on Rus a cheering insight into the character and nature of down -trodden people, who must be possessed of a force and vitality almost ir1conceixable, to have risen and thrown off the tyranny. of ages. It gives us a renewed hope for the promise of their future.
 Of these characteristics Col. Swartz- kopensky was a living exponent. Born fifty -four years ago in Odessa. he has lived most of his life in Russia. Vixen he was seven years old his father. a general in the army, resigned, and ex-- posing the abuses existing, to the peo- pie, was assassinated. His mother, then a young woman, educated him and the other children. At the age of twenty he went to Paris and other cities and from them gained the id<a of freedom of thought and speech. With great reluctance he returned to Russia to serve the obligatory two years in the army At that time he. was a stalwart young man, weighing about two hundred pounds, and Tad never known a days sickness. He was persuaded to continue at a mili- tary school at the end of his term. As an officer his life became very pleas ant with good salary, two sudiers to live with him and after two years he ma rried.
 A son was born and they all lived very happily. He saw service in the Boxer and the Japanese wars. He was by this time captain of the guari and trusted body guard of the royal. family. In the twenty years of his service had taken warning from his fathers fate and had. never interfered in any case or tried to form any poIi- cy.
 Sent to Siberia.
 After these two wars the Russian soldiers returning found their fathers gone, their land desolate, and poverty and starvation their lot. They had the courage of desperation and de- 1ftdHocu duu 1adliy secured TepfGSen- tation in the Duma, to the number of TOO, of whom 24 were socialists There, however, the insistent appeals they made for reform were ignored and some of them were sent to Siberis. The people asked for leave to present. a petition to the rulers but were re- fused and on a certain Sunday they on to St. Petersburg. Thous- ands on thousands they came through the bitter snowstorn which was rag he cold and starving and driven to des- peration, to present their case to tho c1ar- Their lives were 50 bare and neagre and laborious, while at the palace all was luxury. Wines and tobacco the finest in the world, car pets with pile an inch thick. door nandles of pure g carat gold, sixty to wait on them at table, the dress of the Eczarina, when receiving m ambassador. costing $200,900 and Ter crown $10. 0o0,0 ,00o. The walk in -ie garden, where she took her morn