By "Sor Shanghai, Aug. 1.
this column never touches polities. What ends would that serve? Polities occupy such a large space in the life: of every emigrant and every thinking man that it gives pleasure to remain, only. for a space, completely of that sphere. Political pasts, how= ever, are changed by history Into something more academic.
When in February 1917 Revolution fared up in Russia, many and various Kovernments came into being all over the Empire. For five long years they continued coming into and. passing out of being. At that time one used to say that there Is one main. prerequisite to forming a government of one's own—a typewriter on which decrees could be typed out. These Yovernments differed in political colouring, districts and even profes-ions of the people forming them.
Many Governments There were democracies, military dictatorships, zemsivos, Cossack governments and even one "pedestrian" authority, in that it remained an authority by walking across boundaries the only form of conveyance it had at its disposal. There was much of the tragical, but there was also much of the comical in these attempts of provincial Pitts, Disraelis and Gladstones to form a ruling power on the stormy waves of the national ocean, Tt is enough to recall that in the autumn of 1920 there were five plenipotentiary representatives of the Tussian Far East, each one of whom slamouted-for-first hearing, and, the newly appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. W. W. Yen, in receiving any one of these diplomats first took them to a large map of Russia and asked, them exactly" what ment" they represented. Sometimes: Boundaries coincided, but political aspirations wore always diametrically opposed, Living in the shady and oe! Hotel des Wagon Lits or in the ow and modernistic Hotel de Pekin, these representatives were always coming across each other in brealfast and. dining rooms, and made eroieal efforts mot to notice each rather, At just about this time a new dictatorial" regime of the brothers Merkuloft sprung up in Viadivostoe. These wore Local businessmen, people a practical bent and strong wil, fand around this city they managed to hold power in their hands. Now Mr. Spiridon Merkuloff, the eldest of these brothers, arrived in San Francisco from Canada, where he lived for years, and has told American re~ porters much of interest. Tu the frst place it transpires that half his cabinet now lives in different, parts of the United States. Mr. Merkuloft himself is busy delving into economic problems. He belongs to no set poll Heal group in emigration, and has twice travelled to Europe—in 1926 on being called by, the Grand Duke Nicolai Nicolatevitch. Of especial interest are Mr, 'Merkulof's thoughts regarding the Russian Far East. On finis subject he seems to be quite a pessimist, Tt seems that even in the Gistant past, as far back as in 1001, hho heatedly' opposed the construction of the Russian railway through Me churia, Possible Destinics Ili a brochure published in 1903 hho said that Mit is not we, Russians, Who. will erect monument Russian builders of the Chinese Eastern Railway, but the Japanese." This brochure. was entitled "Possible Destinies of Russian Business in the Far East" In this question the altitude of Mr, Morkuloft was in direct opposition to the views of the then all-powerful Minister of Fin ance, Count S. ¥. Witte, who was the chief propagandizer and organizer of the Russian colonization of Manchuria, "The opinion of Mr. Merculoft was that "while Manchuria was a. closed country no-one pald especial attention to hor, while with the construction of the' railway the country became the centre of world attention. 'Today Mr, Merculof says that events after the Russo-Japanese War have. proceeded exactly how he predicted they. would 36 years ego, We are not giving further citations from this Interview, although It contains much of added' interest, as Mr. Merkuloft touches upon subjects of present political Import, and from these columns contemporary polities 1 banned, Russians in India While before the revolution there were hardly more than ten Russians living in India, today several hundreds reside in that country. 'The majority arrived there by way of Persia and Mesopotamia. Among them there were former industrialists, mili-important functionaries," Cossacks, and quite a number of peasants, Most' of them have now. been scattered in other parts of the world, many have died. Today there are few Russians who came to India during the past few years from the Far East; there are mostly employees, of foreign firms sent' there on business. In 1933 a new wave of Russian emigres rolled into India from Turkestan. Russians in India ud life dificult, and only those are satisfactorily employed who have been detailed from other world centres. A Russian employee arriving from Europe is pald 900 rupees a month, but if for some reason he loses his position he is not hired at more than 250 to 300 rupees a month, The majority live extremely modestly, the two centres for Russians being Bombay and Calcutta. Intelligentzia, as that term—was understood in Russia, is almost com~ pletely lacking. Most emigrants hope fo leave for some other part of the world, but only a numbered few succeed in doing so, Competition from natives "is so great that it is possible to be employed only in English or other European firms. Foreigners in India are divided, if not in eastes after the Indian fashion. then into economic levels, and people of modest. income hardly ever mix with people of greater "means, who live luxuriously and abundantly and don't believe 1a denying themselvé anything they want. All this is not to the Russian taste, and there are almost no Russians in India satisfied with their lot.
St. Olga's Saint Day Gin July 24 St. Olga's Orphanane hag commemorated the Day of its patron saint. A. religious service twas held, conducted by Bishop Juve~ nabus and Bishop John, The latter Tead out a sermon on Princess Olga, Who first embraced Christianity and thus " predestinated "the religious course of Russia. After the service tea was served, Mother Superior Ariadne acting as hostess. A large number of representatives of the colony, headed by Mr. Charles Metzler, were present.
Miss Catherine A. Orlovskaya, popular primadonna of the Light Opera left on Wednesday for a rest cure at Tankandze, a health resort hear Mukden, She suffered a serious Miness during the winter, and now means to effect a complete recovery.
Farewell Dinner 'A farewell dinner in honour of General and Mrs. 1. S. Smolin, who are shortly leaving for Tahiti, was given in the Ex-Ofcers' Club on Suly 29. Gen, Smolin, prominent among Russian military' circles, is a veteran soldier, having seen action in the Russo-Japanese and Great Wars, An especially important past was played by Gen. Smolin in the Civit war in Siberia, where he was at the command of one of the armies Gen, Smolin has always keenly: Interested. in the life of the Ex-Omicers' "Club, has organized lectures and in other ways was an exceptionally active member. After the diner, at which nearly a hundred people were present, short. speeches were given wishing Gen. Smolin and his wife all happiness in the future.
Swimming Fatality 'A tragic incident took place in Tsingtao on July 20. Mrs. Evdokia A. Albinskaya, widow of the late Dr.
Albinsky, while ° swimming at the German "beach felt a sudden weakness. The strong waves made it Impossible for her reach land, and she was taken out of the water In unconscious state, She was mediately sent to the local Japanese hospital, but all attempts to save her lite proved fruitless.
Celebrating this year the 25th anniversary of his activity in the Boy Scout movement, Mr. G. V. Radetsky, head of Russian Scouts in China, has been awarded with the order of the Great White Bear, worn around the neck. There are only three other monte have received this order—Admiral I. F, Bostrem, Mr. A. Bolo! and Mr. V. Tem:
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.