Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-12-09
Caterb;;11ars of the State
Jew ills of a young republic or,

Jew ills of young republic or, for
the matter of that, an old one, are
more facilitating than fever Of Of
fice-seeking. 1t was this that killed General
Wrangel's anti-Bolshevist regime in Russia.
So, at least, say sympathetic observers or ms
once promising effort to establish In the
Crimea a Government that would give effec-
tive unity to his country's sane and patriotic
elements. A correspondent who was on the
scene writes that third Of the peninsula S
population which totals about two million,
was composed of former government func-
tionaires of all grades"-refugees from divers
parts of the old empire who had no income,
knew no business, no trade or profession, and
whose talent, for the most part, consisted in
looking pompous and drawing from the public
till. Some, of course, were very efficient in
the administrative and clerical duties to
which they had been trained, but of these
far too many regarded office as a personal
entitlement or favor rather than as public
trust.
Imagine, then, the predicaments in which
poor General WrangeI became involved as
he undertook to provide honors and emolu-
ments for the swarming place-seekers. There
arrived one day General Klimovitch, some
time chief of the Cars police, an exceedingly
distinguished personage-even notorious in
the eyes of some-and able enough, as gum
shoes and big sticks go. Of course, there
was nothing to do but put him at the head
of Wrangel's bureau of police. Others of a
type and of antecedents like this dropped in
from time to time and were treated in ac-
cordance with their former rank. Inevita-
bly,, the bringing together of so many high
heads caused jealousies, contentious and
intrigues. not only amongst those within the
Government circle, but also amongst those
without. When a Government job fell
vacant, what craving and coveting, what
s+ratagems and maneuvers for the spois
It was not an atmosphere to inspire
brotherhood and loyalty Besides, the ever
present flock Of office-holders and office
seekers there were the so-caled travelling
statesmen" ambitious worthless who would
come from abroad, spend a few days, get
themselves, through Influence, appointed to
various foreign missions and then leave.
Among them was the famous Gutchkoff,
minister of war in the first revolutionary Pc
Rod, accused by public opinion of having
disorganized army discipline, and also the
not less celebrated Cossack general Krass-
noff."
Does not all this sound curiously like what
happens in America when there is a change
OF national administrations, and the faith
fur begin reaching officeward, from high
ways and the hedges, and hooks and corners
of the continent? Ours, being a hale well
buttressed government, survives the wear
and tear. But General Wrangel's young re-
public fell early victim. More soldiers
and fewer sinecurists might have made him
Russia's redeemer from Bolshevism for de-
pendable reports agree that the majority of
that country's people are desperately trod of
Lenine's tyranny. But his proportion of
mere office-holders to industrious patriots
was TOO overwhelming 1t was a case of cat
erpillars destroying the commonwealth