The Cordova daily times., 1919-02-11
RAILR0ADINC
 IN SIBERIA IS DEMORALIZED

FEN ROUTE, TO OMsK, SIBERIA, Dec. 20 Correspondence of the Asso- ciated Press) s).-People have talked lightly of sending an army of half a million men or more to western Si- beria to battle with Bolshevism or for any other reason connected with this stupendous Russian problem. The Japanese learned by bitter experience in the war with Russia of the difficult ties of Siberian campaign, and would ponder long before dispatching a mighty army to the far Ural noun tains. The correspondent of the As sociated Press, as passenger on a special British military train bound for Omsk, the seat of the All-Russian government, is having an opportunity for close study of the difficulties of transporting great army.
 We have on board a company of splendid British troops, recently ar rived from India-men of the famous Hampshire regiment territorials or militia of England who offered to go to India to replace the regulars and who served there for two years. Now the fortunes of war find them rid ing across the barren lands of Man. churia on their way to the heart of the Siberian steppes, where the tenn perature is 40 degrees below zero. Anxious as they are to return to their home in England, they fulfill this new task gladly and light-heartedly. They are travelling in plain, rude box cars, grouped about stoves, with all the dis comforts that journey of two or three weeks, and perhaps more, in- wolves.
 For the officers commanding the contingent there is third-class Rus sian sleeping car with bare wooden shelves to hold their sleeping bags and blankets. In another British mili- tary train which precedes us there is no sleeping car, and the officers are camping with their men in the box cars. We are fortunate in one re- spect Lack of Russian equipment and facilities for cooking oblige the officers to eat the same rations as the men, which, if plain, is whole some and nourishing.
 Lack of railroad cars is the most striking feature of life in Siberia to- day. There is deplorable disorganiza- tion. There is urgent need of cen tral management, and people who have the welfare of Siberia at heart earnestly hope that John F. Stevens. the American railroad expert, who is now here, will be given chance to bring order from chaos.
 It was picturesque spectacle as the train stopped at stations on the way from Vladivostok to Harbin. Tall Russians, Chinese and Koreans in bulky, tattered, filthy garments swarmed around the train, offering doubtful-looking eatables for sale. Hungry, long-haired dogs, wolfish in appearance, prowled about the cars, snapping and growing and gulping down anything that would stay death. In band in lonely area they would be formidable. to any man. The weather was keen and cold, the wind biting. Long delays occurred at al- most every station. Many freight cars were seen but few were in move ment. Disorganization reigned master.
 The two lessons taught early in the journey were, first, the great material obstacles to be encountered in send ing big army in Siberia, and the fife perative need of central management of the Siberian railroads. lhe :oln- fort and perhaps the lives of the peo- pie of Russia depend upon prompt central control of the railroads.