The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-02-06
U. S. NURSES ARE.
nine IN 4 ROOM
IN V[AD|VOsTOk
BY PEGGY HULL.

Vladivostok, Feb. 5.-Allied inter
vention in Siberia has brought thou
sands to this city to live. Tlcops are
barracked in buildings which formerly
housed the representatives of the
cars reign. War workers, relief COM
missions the Red Cross and I M. {.
A. have taken whatever they could
find as shelters
American women who came over as
nurses are sleeping nine in room
barely large enough to accommodate
one comfortably. Civilians are arrlV-
irg by each boat and it is increasingly
difficult for them to find even COT,
let alone a room or bed.
The Russian idea of comfort has no
relation to the American conception or
that word and there is no sanitation
/ am constantly puzzled over the rug
eedress of the natives as | become
more intimately acquainted with their
mode Of living.
At tile first hint % frost the house
owner lays IN a supply of putty, paste
and paper. He proceeds to seal up the
windows 50 tightly that q breath of
cold air can't get II nor a whiff OF
warm air-out From fall until the
rains of spring the houses remain In
tbs "ermetic state. stoves made Of
bricks and paneIed with white thing
reach almost to the ceiling
Cold and Hot.
The fires are built every morning
bat the heat must concentrate before
j. effects the temper ture Of the room
Tile result is q cold, uncomfortable
morning and an exceedingly warm and
uncontrolled bic evening
Lack Of ventilation creates a variety
Of dead air doors and to enter any
Russian house after a brief walk out
o. doors is staggering. All English
ard Americans are regarded with ex-
IRENE suspicion because Of their pen
chant for fresh air.
/ was convinced OF this in rather
startling way Ny room was insuffer-
ably hot ard thick with putrid smells
| expected to live in it for month at
least SO | broke the seals, dug out the
putty and opened the windows. The
next morning a Chinese servant came
in with a cup of coffee and upon see
ing the window ajar ran chattering
eNcitedly out of the room. A few sec
onds later the Russian proprietor, his
wife and all the servants flocked in.
They pointed to the window, shivered
and gargled strange words at me. L
could tell from the vehement way III
which they talked AMI flung their arms
thai they were anSry and | wasn't
quite sure for a moment whether l
was going to be yankeI out of bed and
thrown in the icy street or not
Curious Flock 70 Chamber.
By this time the loud voices had at
tracted the attention of the other
roomers and they crowded in. 4 Rus
sian officer who spoke little English
explained: THE proprietor thinks you
are quite mad because you have open
ed the window. He says you must pay
him one hundred rubles at once be-
cause you have ruined the room by
letting all the heat out and he will not
be able to rent 1t again this winter.
One hundred rub!es meant S12 in
American money. | was annoyed at
first at that but / was in a rather en-
barrassing position. | didn't exactly
enjoy having many foreigners
standing around my bed discussing
my peculiarities while l was powerless
to do more than peep above the blan-
kets.
1t was no time for arguing so I
asked the Russian officer to leave and
take his countrymen with him. With
many baleful glances they filed out
and I knew there was one household
over mere where Amer iCdh9 "oulo po
barred forever.
OF course / had to move that day.
The proprietor was busy putting putty
around the window when 1 left and he
vast at all satisfied because I com !
promised on fifty roubles They must
have been forwarned at the next place
because along with the tightly sealed
windows hire were two great, thick
wooden shutters and just before sun
down they were slammed together and
barred and I was left a prisoners with
the accumulated smells of many Rus
sian predecessors
coIds Causs Grin ard IpfIu.n-,