LETTER FROM ARMY OFFICER
TELLS OF CONDITIONS IN SIBERIA
Brother of Cordova Citizen Writes Interesting and
Instructive Epistle from Scene of Strife Be
tween Bolsheviki and Civilization
%
Albert L. Galen, judge advocate ■
general of the American expeditionary
forces in Siberia, with headquarters
at Vladivostok, has written a letter
to his brother, James L. Galeen of this
city, in which he gives some most
timely information as to conditions
in that little known theater of war.
A. L. Galen is one of Montana’s best
known citizens, being a practicing
attorney of Helena. For eight years
he was attorney general of his state,
and was the youngest man who ever
occupied that important elective of
fice.
Mr. Galen’s letter to his brother is
dated at Vladivostok, November 11,
1918. the day the armistice was signed
by Marshal Foch and the German
commissioners which'brought a ces
sation of fighting on the western
front. It is as follows:
A Mixed Population
It is now nearly three months since
Tommey and myself left the states,
accompanying Major General Graves
upon this expedition to Siberia. Vol
umes could be written concerning the
country, the people and the conditions
at present existing here, but I do not
at this time feel equal to the task, nor
will my time permit.
There Is at present the most strange
conglomeration of population in Vla
divostok and vicinity to be imagined.
The Japanese, British and Czech
Slovak armed forces are here in con
siderable number, as are also armed
forces of the Chinese, French and Ital
ians, and all are differently uniformed
and have different insignia of rank.
Every country on earth seems to be
represented, and uniforms and in
signia of all kinds are daily in evi
dence upon the streets. Under an old
Russian law or custom every official
and craftsman wears a uniform and
insignia, and this conglomerate mass
of uniformed men, intermingled with
the different allies here represented,
with their various costumes and In
signia, keeps the ordinary American
soldier, wishing to show deference
and respect to superior officers o^ the
allied forces, in continual doubt as to
who to salute and who not to. The
dog-catcher or the garbage man is
likely to be seen on the streets more
gaudily attired in uniform than a
judge of the district court or a com
mander of the Russian or naval forces,
and you may readily appreciate, in
consequence, our difficulty in properly
representing the American people in
our daily relations with this mixed
populace.
Crude Civilization.
The resident population give evi
dence of great civilization and ad
vancement in some particulars, and
in others they are centuries behind
the times. To illustrate, the build
ings are quite modern in architectural
design, and give evidence of superior
craftsman ability, but there is gener
ally no provision made for modern
►conveniences, such as water system,
sewerage system or sanitation. The
method . of transportation about the
city and in the country, other than
the railroads, is very antiquated, the
largest portion of the freight being
carried by coolies, strapped to their
backs or in small drowsky wagons,
drawn by small horses. Nearly all of
the horses are hitched to the wagons
in shafts with a bow rising in the air
over the horses’ withers, to keep the
shafts apart, and if two horses are
used, the off-horse is hitched outside
of the shafts in which the nigh-horse,
is closed, and the outside trace of the
off-horse is hitched to the hub of the
wheel of the wagon. The drowsky in
use for the conveyance of passengers
is a small phateon-like buggy, re
sembling much in appearance a baby
carriage, to which are usually at
tached two small horses, hitched
thereto as above described.
Squalor In Midst of Plenty.
Some of the people will be found
living in accordance with approved
civilized methods and with the com
forts of a home, whereas the great
majority of them have no more regard
for their personal cleanliness or
means of living than an ordinary
canine. In fact, from observations, 1
would say that the dog Is more cleanly
in habits and methods of living than
the great majority of the inhabitants
here; and this remarkable condition
exists, notwithstanding the fact that
they are resident in a country far
more bountiful in natural resources of
every kind than even the state of
Montana. They are so bountifully
supplied on all sides by nature that
with little effort they would be able
to enjoy every comfort, but apparently
they have not as yet generally
reached such a state of civilization.
Most of them are drones, and appear
to live from day to day, with no ref
erence or thought of tomorrow; and it
is most surprising to note that, even
with winter approaching, they do not
evince the ordinary foresight or in
stinct of animals, in laying up in ad
vance supplies of any kind for the
winter months. It is not unusual to
see a native of the peasant type with
horses and cattle in a barn immedi
ately adjoining his dwelling, provi*
sion of hay with which to feed them
being made only as required from day
to day, and with firewood sufficient
at most to provide for their comforts
for three or four days at a time. Food
supplies of all kinds are to be had in
abundance, even to the very b^st of
sea food and all kinds of game. The
grain-raising possibilities of this
country, and its graneries, surpass
the most sanguine expectations of an
American, and if the lands were con
siderably tilled, and the grain harv
ested by modern methods, Siberia
alone would be easily able to supply
the world with foodstuffs.
The Depreciated Ruble.
No government exists, jet the peo
pie generally are peaceful and seem
to have a regard and respect for the
laws which were in existence at the
time of the abdication of the czar.
Guerrilla warfare Is from time to time
engaged in all along the line, both
east and west of the Ural mountains,
with the Bolshevik! and the Germans.
Polities is a science in which the
native Russian is not versed, and
political dissension in the efforts
made to reconstruct a government is
the chief obstacle now standing in the
way^>f peace and contentment among
the inhabitants. With political dis
sension and lack of government the
rouble has become demonetized in
value from two for one American dol
lar to as much ns fifteen for one
American dollar, and counterfeiting of
Russian currency proceeds unchecked.
I think assistance will have to be
given the Russians from America, if
they are to construct any kind of an
Operative gpvernment, other than re
turning to an imperial form of govern
ment ; and delay in giving recogni
tion to a de facto government prom
ises to make the situation more Com
plex.
Laws But No Government.
A novel condition exists at present
in the recognition of laws and the op
eration of the courts, in the absence
of a government. The respect and
obedience to the law and the con
tinuance of the courts in the applica
tion and enforcement thereof, without
recognized or established government,
is most noteworthy and interesting.
It appears that the code of laws adopt
ed in 1864 under the imperialistic gov
ernment, with amendments to the
year 1917, are now given recognition
by the people as the laws of the land,
and the courts established by the
czar continue to function in the appli
cation of these laws with respect to
cases arising, both civil and criminal.
It is my belief that history does not
record another like condition of af
fairs, i. e., of laws existing and re
spected and courts established and In
operation, In the absence of an estab
lished government. Usually laws and
courts result from established gov
ernment, and never.exist in the ab
sence of recognized governmental au
thority. They emanate from and are
essentially creations of government,
and sovereignty precedes and is
necessary to their existence. Prom
infancy the people seem to have been
imbued with a wholesome regard for
the laws and respect foy the courts,
and an appreciation thereof enables
one to more readily m^jersUnd the
absence of riots and otner disturb
ances in Vladivostok and vicinity at
the present time.
Mushroom Governments.
Were the people possessed with a
greater degree of stamina and knowl
edge respecting civil government, it
would appear to be a comparatively
easy matter to establish sovereign au
thority and in' a very short time place
Russia In the category of sovereign
states. The obstacle to a speedy
establishment of sovereign authority
is due to the fact that the people
heretofore have ,been hold In absolute
restraint concerning all matters of a
political nature. Politics was a sub
ject within the exclusive province of
the emperor and those specially em
powered by him to act within a de
fined sphere in the administration of
government. An expression of opin
ion concerning governmental affairs
on the part of a civilian was not per
mitted, and was under the laws pun
ishable as treasonable. Thus will be
more readily appreciated the diffl- j
culties encountered by the people in. |
determining upon a satisfactory form J
of government when the question has |
been so suddenly thrust upon them. j
The people have been accustomed to. |
imperialistic dictation and rule, and: |
have been trained to respect and. |
obedience thereof; and now, in view |
of the fact that their government ]
continues in operation without a head, J
they are looking from one self-consti- j
tuted' authority to another in the hope 1
of securing a dominating influence 8
felt to be so necessary for their peace* |
ful" and prosperous existence. “MuBh- §
room" governments are springing up 8
from week to week, and upon the' j
publication of proclamations in bulle* 1
tins by self-aBserted leaders to the' j
(Continued on Page Three)
„ _1
Mr. Business
Man
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