The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-09-14
Government OF
I RUSSIARE:VIVES
sPORTOF KINGS
Horse Racingls Slowly Com.
ingtBaok To Its Former
PIacein Russia.

MOSCOW, Sept. l4.-Horse
'acing in Russia. nearly as popu.
lar In the old days as tea drink
ing, is slowly coming back
There are so many race follow
RS In Russia that even during the
world war Il went on about as
usual Not until the revolution
came; when the country was al.
most turned inside out, was fncing
'orced 70 close down. Four years
no. when racing was actually
siyen up: millions Of persons
bought II meant the end Of ev.
arything
But this summer harness rae
l1g began again in Petrograd,
MOSCOW and various other cities
Now Russia or at least the racing
sans are beginning to feel that
after all the world has started 10
right itself again.
The government conducts the
port; the pari.mutuel system OF
betting the Concessions at the
racks. and everything in general
md the army helps to keep things
going IN orderly fashion. So,liers
SEQ 70 II that no one gets in free
and that there are no small boys,
nor men; peeping through the
terees A soldier band furnishes
music between. races, when the
crowd scrambles to place its rub.
les on Its favorite horse. The
raeing in Moscow goes on three
days q week The track Is JUST at
the edge OF town, near many fine
Old residences, now community
houses with tin stove pip9 pro.
truding from every other window.
vi the profits, as the govern
mont announced at the beginning,
go toward q fund for the re!ias Of
sufferers in the famine llstricts.
The races are under the direct
charge o. the Soviet Horse De.
partment of which General Brussl
loft is the chief. General .Bruss
ilotf Is as well known in Russia
for his interest in clean SPORTS as
he was as "a fighting man.
Individual horse owners parts
ctpatc in the various events but
the majority OF the trotters are
owned by the government. Many
Of the horses were sired by Amer.
ican stations,
If Russia has her troubles. they
are not In evidence at the pavil-
Ion There are more smiling
faces and laughter at tho races
than any sother place in Moscow.
The track ITSELF is sas good os
eger but the bloek.long grand.
stand is alGArln down at th.. iG;eel,
IKE SO much Of Russia, Il has
not been painted in seven or
eight years, and many Of the fix
t1res: have been torn away. tvr
IRE wood, perhaps, in winter.
But tie crowd ~ the thing. and
there are nearly as many women
q men The LATER in Sc ,t:ral ap.
peatance are healthy and well fed.
and here and ttfore a fat man
hobs about in the excitmens of
Winning or losing a bet. ilauy CT
them wear straw hats and pongcs
suits naturally rettow. hut more
Eet'ow than ever now With war
age. Ordinary trousers and the
white linen Russian blouses are
tne popular dress for the men, as
they are cool and cheap.
The women as rule are fairly
Well dressed, as fashions go to-
day in Russia. But none are fat!
only a few are even plump. Their
dresses are OF good material, in
most instances pre-war stuff al.
Tered and made over time and
again during the years OF stress
unit, II Inspected closely, ore
may see the sewing marks and
shadows Of the cuts OF the pre-.
yious arrangement.
The millinery has suggestion
Of smartness-at "a distance.
There are still some Partisan
styles in Moscow, copied from the
books of modes. Many of to wo.
men wear diamonds and other
iewelryi and sit In boxes quite
proudly indeed. with their dope"
books and glasses: smoking the
long paper-stemmed cigarettes,
and visiting and gosstping, even
assthey did in the days Before"
when there was nothing in partl-
cnlar to worry about.
With the aid Of the light sum
nter evenings up here In the
north the races, which are made
IN pf is or. 20 events, begin at
or; 5 o'clock, and often It IS
nearly 8 before the last contest
has been run off: Then the crowd
breaks for the exits, dashes
through the babble OF beggars,
and starts toward the city OF
Golden-domed churches In ahtomo.
btles. by auto bus. tramway, dro-
silky and by foot, Just as the peo-
pie did in the days OF old when
Russian was in her prime.