Evening star., 1919-03-01
DESPA|R|NG SIGHTS
SEEN IN MANCHUR|A
Refugees From Western 81.
IBERIA Present Pitiable Pic
ture of Misery.
POPULACE MOVES IN FEAR

EN- ROUTE TO OMSK, ABOARD
BRITISH MILITARY TRAIN, January
20 Correspondence of the Associated
Press) ).-Manchuli. or Manchuria, on
the border of mysterious Mongolia,
Manchuria and Siberia. recalls today a
typical American western mining
town in the early days when lawless-
ness reigned. It's broad unpaved
streets are bordered by an extraor
ties. Thick fur-coated Manchurian
ponies dragging droskies tear through
the principal thoroughfares, followed
slowly by stately dromedaries form
ing caravans from the great desert of
Mongolia.
Men of a score of nationalities push
their way along the sidewalks
Swarthy men from the far interior
with great leather coats and jaunty
fur hats. trimmed with blue silk and
crowned by a fiaring red tassel. stood
in the railroad station staring haught-
lily at the motley aSsemblage about
them, composed of emaciated, despair
ing Russian refugees, bearded Rus
SLAMS who wore enormous felt boots to
keep oft the cold, Manchu takers SELL
ing matches and cigarettes, wounded
and froSt-hitten CzechoSlovak soldiers
returning from the front, Japanese
troops, of whom there is large con-
tingent stationed in the city. nimble
Chinese infantrymen in smart uni
forms of blue, Arms mans. Turks,
Arabs and rich Chinese merchants,
sleek and smiling in black fur over
coats and sealskin hats.
La correspondent OF the Associated
Press was sent from Nladivostok to
Omsk, Russia. a 3.000-mile journey. on
British military train in the middle
of the Siberian winter to. cover" the
situation of the al-Russian govern
ment and it's anti-bolshevik army, with
headquarters at Omsk. The corre-
spondent arrived there in January and
has forwarded by cable several stories
throwing light on Russian affairs and
including an interview with Admiral
Kolchak, head of the all Russian gov
ernment, in which the admiral invited
the cooperation of detachments of
American, French and British troops
in military operations east of the Ural
mountains. Following is one of the
letters the correspondent wrote while
or his transsIberian journey. giving
a picture of the scenes he witnessed
il, Manchuli.l
Manchuli moves in fear. Outlaw
bands have raided the town in the
past carrying off food and sometimes
people. They still come in the dead
of the night and bold is he who goes
out in the darkness unarmed. A slit
throat and body lying stiff in the
icy street tells it's own story.
Fur Coat Worth Weight in Silver.
All along the way we had heard of
the fine fur mittens to be purchased
at Manchuli. for fur-1ined gloves offer
no resistance to the cold of Siberia.
The fur-coated animals of Siberia
went for song before the war, but
now there are none in the market.
Defective transportation, the chaos
reigning in the life of Siberia today
and the cornering of the available
supply by spectators account for the
shortage. At all events there were no
fur mittens in Manchuli and no fur Of
any kind. A fur coat in Russia is
almost worth its weight in silver.
1t was a strange collection of goods
that the Associated Press correspond
ent found in Manchulrs stores OF
women there are few. apart from the
migrating refugees, yet women's dress
goods in pieces filled the shelves in
the majority of the shops. One great
shop sold nothing but doubtful look
ing soap and fashionable broad rim
med brightly garnished women's hats
which might have come from some
chic modiste on 5th avenue, New York,
or the Rue de la Pafx, at Paris. An
other store was stocked with canned
goods and French wines, including
champagne. the latter selling at $50