Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-17
THE ANGEL OF SIBERIA
By DR.. Frank Crane

The Angel of Siberia is the title that has
been given by the people of Petrograd in the
west to VladiYostok in the east to Elsa
Brandstrom.
Miss Brandstrom is a member of the real
aristocracy, which is the aristocracy OF
achievement and service.
Fame and appreciation are the price the
world pays to certain persons, and the world,
like every individual in it, does not like to
pay unless it receives something in return.
For this reason the element of service to hui
mainly ought to enter into every mans or
woman's claim to- distinction.
By such test the world honors the names
of Pasteur. of Florence Nightingale of Koch,
and of Edison. Elsa Brandstrom belongs in
this catalogue
She is the daughter of the late General
BrandstrOm, for many years Swedish minis
ter to Russia. She moved for time in that
stratum of society where the daughter of a
minst.' would naturally be found and oc-
cupied herself with the interests pertaining
to that position.
When the war broke out the impulse Of
every noble mind was to help, in some way,
to cast ones self into. the conflict for the
sake of ones ideals and convictions.
This Swedish girl took up nursing. In
1915 she made her first visit to a prison
camp and attacked the unspeakable condi-
tons there with that rare courage that wOm-
en- often display more than men. From that
camp she went on to others and for six years
crossed and recrossed the vast territory Of
Russia and Siberia seeking to alleviate the
condition of prisoners and throwing her
splendid physical and moral strength into the
places Of greatest need, which were often
the places Of greatest danger.
There is no doubt she has saved hundreds
and thousands of lives. There is hardly a
man or woman throughout Russia that does
not know her name.
Her record is a fine adventure. She
stricken with spotted typhoid, she ar
rested a number of times, she was accused
Of spying, she was put in prison, and at one
time condemned to d-atR. But she came
through it all with success.
There were" says Olaf Lamm he Swed-
ish consul general, many Of the unfortu
mates in Siberia whose lives Elsa BrandstrOm
could not save, and when present at their
death-beds she got their last messages to
their mothers, wives, and children. She
made a note of these messages and later tried
to convey to the stricken mothers, widows
and orphans the last words of their loved
ones"
In so doing she discovered state of dire
distress among these dependents that was
appalling. She started out to raise funds in
Europe and accomplished much: She is now
in America endeavoring TO enlist the sym
pathy and support Of the richest country in
the world 1Or these wards or ner aHect1On,
who are probably the neediest in the world.
Nathan Soderblom, Archbishop of Sweden,
unreservedly cOmmends the work Of Miss
Brandstrom and says that he thinks her title
"The Angel of Siberia is justified because
"she continued where strong men felt bound
to withdraw exhausted hopeless afraid to
lose their reason"
II do not know" he adds, ANY one who
has done more honor to the human name and
to the Christian name in these horrible
years"
On her mission In the United States to