GLIMPSES OF SIBERIA, THE RUSSIAN 



"WILD EAST" 



By Cody Marsh 



Ex-Captain A. R. C. with the A. E. F. in Siberia 



THE spotlight of public interest is fur-wrapped creature riding in a Russian 



undoubtedly on Russia. The war "troika," or three-horse sleigh, through 



is over and the world is in the snow at least ten feet deep. Out of a 



throes of reconstruction. The greatest black pine forest lean, hungry wolves 



problem of reconstruction is Russia, be- were running in hot pursuit, 



cause Bolshevism has its home in Russia. An American woman who had laughed 



Probably Bolshevism is the most sinister at an Englishman when he complained 



and far-reaching menace of all history, that during his ten days in New York City 



Strange to say, the world knows very he had not seen a single Indian, asked 



little about the country that has given upon her arrival in Vladivostok if there 



birth to such a weird philosophy of gov- was any danger from wolves in the city, 



ernment. Less is known about Siberia In all my experiences in Siberia I did not 



than about European Russia, in spite of see a wolf, nor a pine tree, and what little 



the fact that an American expedition was snow I saw was never more than a few 



in Siberia. inches deep, though there were sections 



Siberia may be called the "Wild East" where it was quite deep. And I saw 



of Russia. The history of the American neither the exile nor the criminal I 



"Wild West" would do very well for thought I might see. 



Siberia, and the only changes required I had heard that furs were very cheap 



would be mere details of language, cos- in Siberia and was asked to get enough 



tume, and the names of places. sables for a coat. I matched five little 



Any one in European Russia who, be- pelts, enough to make one sleeve. The 



fore the World War, wanted to get away dealer said, "I will make these five a bar- 



from the respectability of the West, any gain. You may have all five for $1,200." 



one who had a penchant for pioneering. His price was $200 less than he could 



any one who wanted room to breathe and get in New York, so it was a bargain, 



a chance to do something and be some- I was not disillusioned about the cli- 



body — all these went to Siberia. Then, mate. The American soldier says, "Si- 



too, the Tsars had a way of sending their beria has two seasons — July and winter." 



criminals and political prisoners out This is nearly true, for there is practi- 



there, the latter often including men of cally no spring ; the foliage does not 



exceptional intelligence imbued with, the appear until June. July is as warm as 



courage to think along lines different the winter is cold. The brief fall is 



from those prescribed by law. beautiful indeed, and there is something 



Russian wits used to say that all the very thrilling about the intense cold of 



interesting people were in Siberia be- the winter, when the temperature goes 



cause there were to be found not only to sixty and seventy degrees below zero 



the criminals, who at least were daring in some sections. 



enough to break the law, but all who Everybody dresses and prepares for 



thought for themselves and who had been the cold, and on the whole I was more 



brave enough to think aloud. comfortable in the steady winter of Si- 

 beria than I have been in the changeable 



OLD geography ideas oE Siberia American winter. 



SHATTERED 



&' 



Were I a poet I should write a book of 

 Siberia in the American's imagination verses about the wild flowers of Siberia, 

 has not only meant exile, but every There is a wild rose that blooms hugely 

 cruelty of exile. I know my own idea on big, sturdy bushes. Then there is the 

 was a land full of prisons. A woodcut mauve and gold of the "Mary and John," 

 in my school geography pictured a poor that is loved most by the Siberians. This 



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