THE BIGGEST MONOLITH OF OUR TIMES- 



Photograph from J. C. Grew 

 -THE ALEXANDER COLUMN: PETROGRAD 



In the center of the Dvortzovaya Square, hefore the Winter Palace, towers this huge 

 pillar of polished red Finnish granite, nearly ico feet high and 13 feet in diameter. The 

 height of the whole monument, including the bronze angel clasping a 20-foot cross, is 153K 

 feet. It was erected in 1834 by Tsar Nicholas I to the memory of his brother, Alexander I. 

 On the side facing the Winter Palace is the inscription, "Grateful Russia to Alexander I." 



energetically took over practically the 

 ■whole task of providing food and other 

 needed supplies for the soldiers. 



Booths were established at railway sta- 

 tions where the men could get bread and 

 hot tea on the arrival of the troop trains ; 

 nurses and doctors were on hand to look 

 after any who might need their services, 

 and a whole system of first aid was soon 

 in effect. 



Soon it was found necessary for these 

 committees to take up the question of 



buying supplies in quantity and in trans- 

 porting these supplies to where they were 

 needed. This was followed by the organ- 

 ization of boot and clothing factories, 

 help in munition works, and gradually, 

 but steadily, the zemstva took over prac- 

 tically every function of the quartermas- 

 ter's department of the army and navy. 



THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE DRUNKARD 



Another phase, and one perhaps as im- 

 portant, if not more so, than the develop- 



224 



