58 THE _ZEMSTVOS DURING THE WAR
On August 25, 1914, an imperial decree was issued giving official
sanction to the Union of Zemstvos. It was recognized as an independent
 organization striving for objects similar to those of the Red
Cross, and therefore entitled to use the emblem of the International
Red Cross Society. The Minister of the Interior sent out a circular
informing the provincial governors of the organization of the All-Russian
 Union of Zemstvos and ordering them to cosperate loyally
with the provincial and district zemstvo committees.
The Central Committee of the Union opened the following departments
 that set to work under its general direction: central depot
(controlling all depots and warehouses belonging to the Union, as
well as its purchasing commission), hospitals, evacuation, hospital
train, donations, treasury, accounting, and secretariat. In course of
time, as the activities of the organization expanded more and more,
the number of departments was considerably increased, as we shall
see later in the course of this study.