The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1917-04-19
THOUSANDS
Of Exl Is
OUT SIBERIA

Tymun, sfberia-Flfty thousand
sledges. carrying victims Of the old
regime back 70 freedom In the new
Russian government from convict
camps OF Siberia are speeding In end
less chain across he snow OF north
Asia toward The nearest points on the
gers range from members OF tho old
terrorist societies to exiles who were
banished by administrative decree
without trial Or eve known ofense.
Il is a race against time as the
spring thaw is imminent and he roads,
even in the coolest settlements OF the
lower Lena, will 500 be impassable.
Exiles who do not reach the railroad
within a fortnight must wait six weeks
or two months until the ice melts and
river navigation begins.
Carry Story Of Freedom.
IN order to witness this unprece-
dented migration, q correspondent of
the Associated Press came here in
company with a member OF the durna,
NJ. Rosenoff and two members OF the
former council Of empire. The sthree
officials were sent by the provisional
government to explain to the natives
in these remote Russian outposts, the
nature Of the great change which has
come to the country. Their mission
SNkL 4SO[ Ao 2SAA11 oSSASo
ands of heather Asiatic tribesmen and
they are especially directed to instruct
voters in regard to the coming consrts
%tutional assembly which will decide
the form of Russia's new government.
The liberation Of Siberia's prisoners
has barely began. West of the Urals,
the Associated Press correspondent
only encountered a handful Of exiles,
who, when the revolution began, were
at or near the railroad. The first large
party was encountered when the ST.
berlan express reached Ekaterinburg
in the Urals. 1T consisted of 15Q POI
Htical convicts Nand administrative
exiles and 20 members of the Jewish
revolutionary band, mostly from the
Verkholenski district, west of Lake
Baikal. The exiles were travelling in
special cars and had been on the road
continuously from March "a, five days
after they first heard OF the revolution.
The cars were met by a vast crowd
at the railroad station which cheered
Them tumultously. The returning exiles
returned cheers, but they We're in a
deplorable physical condition, shaggy,
uncouth, unwaShe1 and extremely
emacjated. Many were crippled with
feet from frost bites and nj who att
tempted flight a week before the revo-
luton, a been shot in the leg when
he was recaptured. EIe was lying in
3 prison hospital when he learned that
he was a free man.
Exiles Hurry West.
The exiles had started west SO u
tiedly that they arrived in an extraor-
binary variety Of homogeneous garb.
Some wore new costumes which had
been supplied by sy1npathizerS along
their route and some had handsome fur
pvercoats covering their hideous Jail
uniform. Among those who wore this
4 i a + n ffry N --n - ~ - n
aristocrat from Odessa, who a been
sentenced to life 10 years for To-
menting a revolutionary mutiny in the
Black sea fleet. Others Of the party
wore shaggy sheep and wooden skins
as a protection against the bitter 81
Irkutsk city jail wore the gold braided
uniform tunic Of the dismissed gov
ernor Of 1rkutsk under a ragged and
greasy ~overcoat.
All E~katurinburg gathered to do
honor to the exiles and a dinner was
hastily improyised at which a speech
was delivered by Sophia Vasneff, who
spent years in different Siberian
penal villages for possessing revolu-
uonary letters. AS soon as the news OF
the revolution spread through Siberia
those exlles who had means started for
the nearest railway, travelling day and
night in the Arctic cold on peasant
siedges or government post sleighs.
100000 Are Liberated.
An enormous number Of sledges from
widely scattered settlements, convergee
on lrkutsk, and SO congested the trails
that the movement was held up, some.
times for hours. Five days after the
triumph Of the revolution, 5000 exiles
entered Irkutsk, but the vast majority
were unable to proceed west owing tt
the lack Of rolling stock. These en-
camped about the town and supplies fol
at least a month will be needed before
they can be sent home.
The president Of the exile reception
committee in Ekaterinburg gave the
correspondent a general picture of the
present conditions and prospects Of The
exiles. He said that there was probably
altogether 100000 persons il Siberis
who had been released under thu
amnesty measure Of provisional gov,
eminent. This number comprises poll.
teal offenders including %terrorists con,
victed.