New-York tribune., 1918-01-06

man VINO serves as MlHIStcI VI AsoAA-
ways and Communications enjoys
chuckle at odd moments by reason of
surprise which he has prepared for his
comrades of the government. All Rus
sia is badly in need Of shoes, and en-
ployes Of the Department Of Railways
and Communication shall be the first
to have them. Quite secretly their big
brother, the minister, has ordered no
less than five million pairs from
America.
The Minister Of Marine smiles, too
His own private arrangement to replace
the wornout shoes of his sailors was
made two weeks since. The five
million pairs for which he has cabled
to America will be more than plenty.
But the Ministers of Railways and
Communications and Of Marine have no
monopoly on the spirit Of the Russian
Christmas that approaches. Shoes also
have been on the minds of the Minister
of War, the Minister of PROVISIONS
and the Minister of Agriculture. Each
has nlaced an order, acting on his own
initiative and keeping his own counsel
for exactly five million pairs.
Within single week-week before
last-thc requisitions of the thought
full ministers poured in to the great
Headquarters of the Russian Supply
Commission here in New York. 1hey
came at the rate of one day and IN
strict sequence, the rcquisition OF the
Minister of Railways and Communlca,,
tions leading, they have been passed
on for action into the hands of the
officials who empty the wastebasKets
in the Flatiron Building.
The supply commission Is through.
Down to its last little $25 100000 in
hard cash, with S14O,0O0,0o0 to settle
in outstanding claims, its bankers fin
ished with banking, and Uncle Sam
gazing studiously out the window, the
commissioners are devoting all their
energies to closing their books and
getting the shop shut up.
AS a matter of fact the commission
has not been going concern since
November last. That month saw the
departure of the last two supply ships
to sail for Russia. Two more, loaded
chiefly with shoes ordered long before
the Bolshevik ministers felt the urge
of their common impulse, are lying in
definitely. The commission tactfullv
explains that the vessels are thout
coal.
Officially the commission has nothing
to say concerning the state of its
finances or it's plans Of settlement. The
300odd employees in its Offices, which
are scattered over the better part of
eight floors in the Flatiron Building,
speak a peculiar, one-sided brand Of
English in which all words shape them
selves into questions, and there are no
of the commission, inhabits back
ground guarded by a redhaired Boi she
wiki with a broguc, whose orders are
to let no one pass.
How deeply the supply commission
has dipped into the S19O,O00,0 900 credit
established with the United States af-
ter the fall of the empire thus far
must remain for the time a matter Of
doubt. Some say the whole amount has
been used, along with $75,000,000 ad-
vanced by the Morgans.
With the commission it has been
hard luck almost from the first and
millions have been spent upon which
there has been no return. Not the
least of its troubles have resulted from
the Kaleidoscope political changes back
home, which have kept the commits
sioners in never-cnding indecision con-
corning whose orders to obey and whose
to disregard.
General Khrabrotf himself is the ap-
pointee Of Prince Lvof, who held the
reins in Russia for four months after
they were taken away from the Car.
Lvof has fallen. yet Khrabroff has
been permitted to stay Kerensky
while in power sent couple of his
own agents to sit with the commits
sion, and recently Bolsheviki have put
in appearance with credentials from
Lenine, Trotzky & Co.
The Russian she'll contracts have all
been cleared up by this time. One
calling for 100000 3-inch projectiles
was farmed out through the Canadian
Car and Foundry Company, and finally
was completed after innumerable de-
lays, when an explosion and fire in
the COM pany's plant at Kinpsland. N.
j.. destroyed the last 100000 shells
last January. On this contract there
was mutual losS. The Russian gov
ernment, which previously had obtained
the same ammunition in Europe at So
per shell, paid SIG here, and then had
to advance much of the funds for man
ufacture. Only a week ago the car
and foundry company drew check TO
$3.50 900 to square itself with the CON-
mission.
Another order. for 100000 shells,