Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-05-08

Ill way, luCy IihuNtH SdInCusls AhuUOuf
they say, ii seemed chillier by the
Iowa river than II would be on May 6
on the banks OF the ,Irtysh in Omsk,
where the river ON Joins the big ST.
berian stream on its way to the Arctic
ocean ON the steppes Of siberia
folks experience the meteorological ex-
tremes. 1t is excessively hot In sum
mer and extremely frigid In winter.
Snow flies first about Halloween. Mr..
Gray says. and it stays, piling itself
up till the first thaw hits 1t, along
about the last week in March, This
is in Central Siberia.
Thinks Russian Democracy Permanent
While the photographic and tele-
graphic dispatches have told the story
Of the revolution in Russia as it was
seen In Petrograd, and later in Hels-
ingfors in Finland, Mr.. Gray has an
interesting story to tell Of how the
news came to Omsk on the Siberian
steppes two thousand miles from the
capital.
You would naturally wonder how
quickly the word got over the whole
vast country, from the Baltic to the
Pacific, from the Black sea to the Arc-
tic ocean 1t seemed almost telepa-
thic.. Thought-waves seemed to start
from Petrograd and spread out every
where. .
Zone thing is worth keeping in mind.
The Russian people were looking for
it, had been watching patiently for it
for years, especially since 1905 They
are really a democratic people. mean
in their hearts they have the instinct
Of democracy There may be swing
backs here and there for while, but
Russia's democratic day has come to
stay. BY the free newspaper propa-
ganda scattered by the new govern
ment and the dispatch of new govern
ment officials into the many provinces,
the news Of the great event in the
capital was confirmed quickly.
and everywhere it was welcomed
March 10 is now the big redletter day
in the Russian calendar. and for all
time 1t Is to be observed annually as
national holiday-their Fourth of
July. or Independence Day.
TN Omsk we learned of the success
Of the revolution pretty quickly. A
telegram had brought the news to the
sova,nor general right away, but he
kept the news quiet. Probably, and
not unnaturally, he thought the old
bureaucracy would regain rapidly the
place it had been thrust from. But
word to private persons also came and
the governor had to admit the fact
officially VI
There Was 10 violence Z! n,nsk
when the news came. And it's worth
noting that even way out there on the
Central Siberian steppes the church
favors the new order Of things. The
Russian is a religious fellow for sure,
and the Greek Orthodox church is a
power in the land. But I think the
Russian of today is not as compliant
a follower of the church as he used
to be, and as / have been told and
read in the books that he was. How
ever, when the new governor came
and was installed in Alllominsk, OF
which Omsk is the capital. the ecclesi-
astical head of the province gave him
and all other new officers the blessing
of the church, the Patriarch going
further and declaring that the church
was with the people in their new
government.
Bloodshed in OmSk.
There was no bloodshed in Omsk
the day the governmental change was
made, as said. But for three nights
following small band Of men made
murderous raids on the homes Of three
families and killed all of them, all
except one, young girl. She said the
murders had been committed by mem
bers Of the police force that had been
discharged when the new republican
regime took charge Of things. All the
local officers Of the old bureaucracy
were arrested and taken away. So
were some others suspected Of being
too friendly with them and wishful Of
a rapid return to the old order of
things. The attempt at reign Of
terror fell down"
Asked IL he noticed any differences
under the new rule before he left,
Mr.. Gray said he had, and the way he
said 1t showed once more in the inter-
view that he admires the Russian, both
Slav and 'Cossack. as he has come to
know him by trade dealing and social
meeting with him He said:
"The moujik is a new man. He
stands more erect and bears himself
as if he fully recognizes he Is as big
before the law as any other man in
the state. In the country around Omsk
there are thousands Of Cossacks who
were given free land for their services
as soldiers when called by the car.
They are heart and soul with the new
government. SO are the other soldiers.
This province gave many men to the
war during the last two years.
Where we are the land is held in
common. Later. I presume, the sys-
tenn Of peasant ownership of farm
lands, as now established and prac-
ticed in recent years in European Rus.
STA. will prevail in Siberia.
Another thing, may surprise you.
Omsls is in Central Siberia and has
population Of over 300, 900. Yet there
are many American cities where pow
erty is more visible. Since the war
began wages of labor and cost Of food
products, farm machinery and every
thing, else have gone way up. But
before that the Russian was thrifty.
Practically every working man has
savings account in the bank. The pro-
shibition Of vodka has also helped some.
Where implements and machinery used
to be sold on time, nowadays the far
mer Russian or Cossack, comes in.
looks at something he wants, asks the
price and, without hagghng. plants
down all the money for 1t right away.
New Russia will Livs.
\, The new Russia will live, altho some
years may pass before perfect order