Russian local government during the war and the Union of Zemstvos

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 1794855874

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-179223

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Polner, Tichon I. http://d-nb.info/gnd/172311195

Title:: Russian local government during the war and the Union of Zemstvos

Place of publication:: New Haven

Publisher:: Yale Univ. Press

Year of publication:: 1930

Scope:: XXV, 317 S.

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter IX. Relief of refugees

Collection:: Economics Books

162 THE ZEMSTVOS DURING THE WAR refugees. Railway transport was already breaking down, and the railwaymen, utterly exhausted and exasperated by the demands which were pouring in from all sides, were beginning to feel indif- ferent toward the fate of the passengers. The supply of the re- quired rolling stock was utterly inadequate. Packed into goods ‘rains, or on open trucks, the refugees traveled at a snail’s pace, sometimes not more than thirty miles a day, often compelled to wait five or more hours at some out-of-the-way place where they could obtain nothing in the way of food, and frequently passing during the night, without halting, stations which were well provided with necessaries, thanks to the foresight of the Zemstvo Union. Under these chaotic conditions it was impossible to predict the exact time of arrival of a train, and often, just as the refugees sat down to their meals or as they were being examined by the doctors or being registered, their train would move out of the station without any warning. Relief in the Front Area. When the congestion of refugees in the war zone became such as to endanger the movement of the army itself, an order was issued for the compulsory transport of the refugees into the interior. How- ever, the exhausted and emaciated horses were barely able to move, and, in order to put the refugees on board the trains, it became nec- essary to “relieve” them as quickly as possible of their horses, cattle, vehicles, and other “superfluous” property. Under pressure from the authorities, all these objects were hastily disposed of at prices ridiculously low, falling into the hands of the speculators who made their appearance in large numbers. Frequently property had to be merely abandoned. Under these conditions, the work of the guides, who tried to protect the interests of the refugees, proved exceed- ingly useful. The guides were selected from among the refugees themselves, being either their priests, teachers, or village elders, and sometimes university students were asked to act as guides. The zemstvo committees of the front undertook to look after the refugees mainly in the areas adjoining the trenches. But even within this comparatively limited territory the work to be done was con- siderable. The following figures may afford some idea of its scope: on the southwestern front, the number of meals issued during the period June-December, 1915, by the zemstvo canteens, of which

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