100 THE ZEMSTVOS DURING THE WAR
dinary energy and willingness. In the early days the general con-
ditions of work were anything but favorable. Thus we read in a re-
port from the Kazan committee: “During the first period of our
work, scarcity was experienced practically in everything—medical
staffs, medical supplies, hospital equipment, and accommodation. It
was possible to overcome these difficulties only because of the keen
sense of patriotism of the population at large and because of exten-
sive public initiative.” Similar reports were received from every
direction.
There was particular difficulty in finding suitable premises for
hospitals. The zemstvos, it is true, had their own regular hospitals.
In the majority of cases, however, these were found barely sufficient
to satisfy the daily needs of the civilian population and, moreover,
most of these hospitals were situated in the villages at a great dis-
tance from the railways, which would have made the transfer of the
wounded soldiers to these institutions extremely difficult. Neverthe-
less, a certain portion of these hospitals, mainly in the chief towns
of a district or province, were set apart for military patients. Of
2,267 hospitals described above, with a total capacity of 134,994
beds, 551 hospitals with 16,655 beds represented mere divisions or
wards in zemstvo hospitals already existing, and it was necessary,
for the remaining hospitals, namely, 1,729, with 118,339 beds, to
find suitable premises without delay and adapt them to the new re-
quirements. The zemstvo committees thereupon issued appeals to the
population ; local quarrels were put aside and institutions and or-
ganizations that had been either opposing or competing with each
other now unanimously rallied to the support of the zemstvos. At
Orel, for example, we find participating in the establishment of new
zemstvo hospitals such institutions as the military academy, depart-
ment of post and telegraph, the Volunteer Firemen’s Association,
codperative banks, and others. In Kiev, the zemstvo was joined by
the entire corporation of local officials of the Ministry of Finance,
while the Society of Arts and Letters cooperated with it in setting
up the new hospitals. Premises were put at the disposal of the zem-
stvos by government institutions, the clergy (sometimes in monas-
teries and convents), charitable and cultural organizations, socie-
ties, clubs, and private individuals. In Penza there was established a
“civic committee” of 150 members to visit residences and see whether
