68 THE ZEMSTVOS DURING THE WAR
initiated a new phase of zemstvo work—at the front. It was ad-
mitted that the equipment had been very carefully thought out and
that it was practical and convenient, and the Zemstvo Union was
requested to equip at government expense thirty more trains;
eventually the order was increased by another twenty. By December
1, 1914, forty zemstvo hospital trains were already in operation and
toward the beginning of 1917 the number had increased to seventy-
five. Up to January 1, 1917, the fifty trains in operation at that
time had completed 3,360 trips and conveyed 1,626,531 men. We
shall discuss the dramatic history of these hospital trains later on.
Field Detachments and Canteens.
In the beginning of September, 1914, word was received that the
army at the front was anxious to have the assistance of the zemstvo
field detachments and canteens. The Central Committee suggested
to General Brusilov that it would be permitted to furnish two field
detachments and canteens. The General promptly answered: “Please
accept the deep appreciation of myself and the army. I ask you to
direct the field detachments to Lvov (Lemberg), so that they may
follow the advance of the army.”
The Zemstvo Union set to work organizing two detachments simi-
lar to those which were equipped during the Japanese War. The
first detachment left for Galicia on September 24, and the second
on October 7. Altogether thirty-one detachments were organized.
Their equipment varied greatly, depending upon the good will
of the donors, since it was mostly individual zemstvos, banks, co-
operative associations, and other such institutions that had shared
in creating and maintaining them. The detachments were provided
with equipment for one hundred to two hundred cots, with horses
and wagons, water boilers, and field kitchens. The zemstvo repre-
sentatives in charge of these units were given wide powers. They
were expected to adapt themselves to rapidly changing conditions,
so as to alter the nature of their work accordingly, pursuing one
principal aim,—to assist the army in every possible way. Through
the hospital trains, field detachments, and canteens, the Zemstvo
Union was enabled to enter into constant and close relations with the
army and, in trying to supply its wants as far as possible, gradually
developed a far-reaching activity on all the fronts.
