REFUGEES 
were issued to them at the expense of the zemstvos and private 
charities.’ 
The whole organization of relief was designed according to a sim- 
ple but effective scheme. The Government examined and approved 
the budgets submitted by the Central Committees of the two unions 
and granted credits. The Central Committees studied the estimates 
of the local institutions, reduced them to uniformity, settled dis- 
puted points and coordinated the whole work of relief and of ac- 
counting, just as in the case of relief for the sick and wounded 
soldiers. It was the duty of the provincial committees on refugees 
to distribute the latter within the province, to organize the cam- 
paign against epidemics, to coordinate the activities of different 
organizations working in the same field, and to regulate and control 
the work of the district organizations. The enlarged district zemstvo 
boards and district committees of the Unions of Zemstvos and of 
Towns had similar duties within the limits of the district. The small 
local organizations were expected to carry out the immediate work 
of relief; investigate the needs of the refugees and report them on 
the special forms provided by Moscow; supply them with shelter, 
fuel, clothing, underwear, and boots; feed the invalids and children ; 
find employment for those able to work; provide hospital accommo- 
dation for the sick; furnish information regarding outbreaks of 
epidemics; collect and send to the district towns the orphans and 
lost children; and so forth. 
Unfortunately, this excellent scheme was not destined to be car- 
ried out in practice. As early as September and the beginning of 
October, 1915, the work of the provincial committees was in many 
places completely paralyzed by the unorganized movement of refu- 
gees and the lack of funds. The following two examples will serve to 
illustrate the situation. On October 1, the provincial zemstvo board 
of Ufa telegraphed to the Central Committee of the Zemstvo Union: 
173 
We are in the position to accommodate only 1,000 persons a day, 
whereas 8,000 to 10,000 are arriving; the situation is terrible; sharp 
frost has set in; the refugees, poorly clad, barefooted, are being trans- 
ported in unheated trucks; the existing canteens are utterly inadequate 
and entire trainloads are being dispatched without food, while the medi- 
cal staff has no opportunity to examine them. 
14 Ibid.. No. 25, pp. 93-100.