THOSE QUAINT RUSSIANS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 22, 20 October 1917, Page 2

THOSE QUAINT RUSSIANS

HUAIOUIiS OF THE REVOLUTION. Introduces in a serious articlo. on the Hussian revolution by an English correspondent just from Pctrograd, occurs the following:— "And thero is a humorous side to the bubbles that appear or the surface of the revolution. Who could help but smilu a I tho screaming farce of the Russian burglars meeting and solemnly passing a resolution that they should be rocopf. aiscd as followers of u Irgiliimilo calling! "Sometimes it' is easier for the outsider to appreciate tho humour of revolutionary ebullitions than for those who are its victims. For iustanco, at the hotel in Moscow where 1 was staying the staff struck and wo had all to make our. own beds, wash our own plates, fetch our own plates of veal aixl cups of coffee, etc. Even the guests who had brought their .own servants with-them were forbidden to use them, "After being out three weeks tho staff returned on condition that they wero paid lEeir wages for tho strike period and were given for the future 15 per cent, of the amount of tho bills, which charge tho hotel proprietors . pass on to the guests. "At Helsingfors tho eailow imprisoned their officers. 'If you do not want us/ said tho officers, 'let us go.' 'No,' replied th'e men, 'if the Germans come we enall. want you to lake charge of the tnips;' How would you answer such children ?

"A brigand under sentence of death at tho ffme of the revolution was relea-sed when all the prison gatea were thrown open. To the surpriso of his liberators he refused to leave, saying that he was well content with hte lodgings. Finally he was only persuaded to como out on condition that ho was allowed at night to <*leep in his cell. In the daytime ho orated on the merits of tho revolution, and in tho uvening he resumed his quarters if. tiife prison. One afternoon to help the revolutionary funds he sold his chains publicly for SISOO roubles. Truly Hie jiassinns are tleligntful people!"