The Snowflake herald., 1922-04-28

for the transportation of 10000 tons of foodStus
monthly he said. From NOvorossissk 125 cars
daily were pledged but latest advces show that
the daily average of actually supplied there
So Similarly, from Wndau were to have
5O cars daily, but the average has been only ~
AS to the probability that the church treasures
are still practically intact there Is much skeptlcsm
among jewelers. and diamond dealers. The Rus
sian crown jewels have almost certainly been loot
ed and now scattered the earth. There
was no word of any lOotng when the Kremlln IN
Moscow where the glittering jewels of royalty re-
posed, fell into the hands of the revoution1sts
The Kremln has been guarded by the Soviet gov
eminent. The condition of the great collection OF
jewels In the royal treasury galleries is yelled IN
official mystery.
Nevertheless, everybody knows that pearl neck
lace belonging to the collection was discovered
in the United States not long ago, having been
purchased for $S25,OOO by a Detroit automobile
manufacturer.
South African papers in close touch with the
diamond trade state that $10,O0OOO0 worth OF
stolen Russian diamonds were thrown on the jewel
market in ten months in Iceland the crown jewel
collection of Russia particularly rich in dia-
monds. The diamond production industry has
been seriously disturbed by the large number Of
these gems coming out of Russia. Some South
African mines stopped producing to await a de-
mand for their stones. That some of the jewels
which have affected the international trade
The Russian crown jewel collection was consid-
cred the most tasteful collection of royal Jewels
in the world, and probably the finest, except in
pearls The Oriental strain which the Russians
Inherit from the Tartar invaders accounts for the
russian love for jewels.
The Russian church under the empire was what
is commonly called the Orthodox Greek or East
ern church; following the revolution of 1917 the
church was disestablished and complete religious
liberty declared. Russia in Europe is divided
into 80 bishOprics. In 1900 about 20 per cent of
the population (S7,OOOOOO) belonged to the estab-
lished church. The Greek merely recalls the
early history of the church. The proper name Is
Holy Occidental Orthodox Catholic Apostolic
church. This is the name of group of churches
which do not acknowledge the papal supremacy.
The Russian church was established about 1880
AS to the real value in money of the treasures
OF the church in Russia there Is no approximation
1t IS the sheerest guess work. That the treasures
many and valuable seems certain
But the value of these treasures has lost nothing
in the telling. There many legends concerning
these treasures and according to them no other
country on earth has such vast treasures concealed
In its churches as has Russia. In discussing the
subject big words and many adjectives are nec-
essary; superlatives are in demand. Description
necessarily vague, should go about like this:
We have learned to compute treasure in such
terms as King SolomOns mines the mines of the
Golconda, or in the lavish magncence Of the court
of the queen Of Sheba-and yet it is doubtful IL
the treasures Of Solomon, the output of Golconda
for whole century, the gems that bedecked
the threats of Shebas attendants all put together
would equal in actual value the hidden wealth of
the great temples and churches of Russia
Russian cars always have been hoarders OF
Jewels The very barbaric splendor Of their courts
the atmosphere of extravagant luxury in which
these autocrats have lived throughout the i'm
perial dynasties, all have contributed to the tang
ible wealth Of the nations great stores Of rich
treasure.