17.01 | Tuesday
Moskovские Vedomosti, No. 13 Railway News Yesterday at Kursky Station, a thief disguised in the uniform of a lieutenant was detained for stealing a basket. The detainee… claimed he wore the lieutenant’s uniform to travel more freely by train, and he stole the basket because, posing as a lieutenant, he incurred significant expenses during his journey.Tram Drivers' Delegation Yesterday, a delegation from the tram operators, conductors, and the city tram track service, as well as from the public works department employees, met with the city mayor’s associate, V. D. Bryansky. The former are advocating for a 100% increase in their wages, while the latter request a 50% increase. The city mayor’s associate explained to the authorized representatives that… in his opinion, such an increase in their pay is impossible given the state of the city’s finances…Petersburg «Villains of the Day» Criminal Chronicle of Petrograd …The robbers now are not gold-robbers, nor villains of a primitive type; they are sophisticated individuals in fine furs, dressed in the latest fashion… And the more stylish the thief appears externally—the bolder he is. The robbers who appear in banks look like financiers… In Petrograd, throughout the war, the epidemic of revelry never ceased, and visits to the gypsy camps in Novaya Derevnya remained fashionable. All the speculative fortunes made from supplies, marauding bacchanals, and so on, were thoroughly «airing themselves out» in Novaya Derevnya. …A local merchant was robbed there for 10,000 rubles. This incident rightly drew attention, and as a result of the city governor’s order, the gypsy pleasure quarters were closed, and the owners of these quarters were evicted from the capital…Traveler
Novo Vremya, No. 14674
In the city. The latest concert by the Russian Musical Society was almost entirely devoted to the Futurists… Myskovsky’s symphony was the best of the works—composed in conventional forms, but still with an overly modernist spirit—for example, its empty and inconsequential finale, ending in such discordant harmonies! The symphony was met with complete silence from the audience. Afterward, many applauded Prokofiev’s awkward piano concerto, not because the piece possessed any merit, but because for as long as we can remember, in our symphonic concerts, the performer is applauded, not the piece being performed. Prokofiev played his concerto, and naive lovers of virtuosity felt obliged to call the composer. Stravinsky’s ballet «Petrushka,» along with its staging, may be interesting as a spectacle. But its music, taken separately, quickly tires the listener with its excessive concentration of various harmonic and sonic spices…
A. Benoit. Sketch of a Punch costume
January 18 | Wednesday
Russian Word, No. 14 4,000,000 pounds of meat Tomsk. … Along the Altai railway line, between Biysk and Semipalatinsk, 4,000,000 pounds of meat have piled up. The meat is stored in the open air, and only the freezing cold is preserving it from spoilage. With the onset of the thaw, this enormous quantity of meat will inevitably begin to rot.
Impact on Merchants Donskoy. … Five merchants arrested for speculatively hoarding the meat were brought to the marketplace in a convoy, where they sold the meat at a set price under police supervision. This measure had a calming effect on the population…
Voronezh. … The city has no fuel or kerosene. Many private firewood stores have closed down…
Tomsk. … Due to the lack of tobacco and shells, a number of tobacco shops have closed. Cheaper varieties of tobacco have completely disappeared from the market… The only optics shop in Tomsk has closed due to a lack of goods.
Kiev. Due to the lack of coal, the Kyiv city administration has stopped distributing coal not only to private enterprises and individuals but even to hospitals.
Irkutsk. … The coal crisis in Irkutsk continues. The city is in darkness. A flour shortage has been added to the coal shortage…
Democratic Principle
Wilson’s declaration, made in the Senate of the United States and conveyed to the representatives of the warring powers, contains a clause with which it is impossible to agree, as it dismantles the foundations of authority and power and proclaims the anti-Christian principle of popular sovereignty: «There can be no peace, ” he states, „that is not based on the recognition of the principle that government derives all its legitimate authority solely from the will of the governed.“
Moscow Gazette, No. 14
…Of course, such a statement from the president of the transatlantic republic is quite understandable… A true monarch receives power not from his subjects, but from above… The innate sovereign is vested with power by the right of inheritance, not by the will of the people, and is solemnly anointed with holy oil… Both the East and the West once recognized this sacred principle of monarchy, but the new democratic principle of popular sovereignty emerged alongside liberal and atheistic theories, and was implemented through bloody revolutions and civil wars, with their crimes and violence, persecution of the Church, and the proclamation of the cult of Reason… Popular sovereignty arose from a foundation of disbelief and unchecked human passions, accompanied by savagery and the trampling of all moral foundations… Under monarchical rule, the government consists of individuals accountable to God, the Tsar, and their conscience… while in a republic—the government consists of cunning, unscrupulous individuals with no noble past… Underlying all this is an international syndicate of kings of the stock exchange and trusts of Jewish origin and Masonic affiliation, who, having replaced aristocracy with plutocracy and the worship of authorities—the cult of the golden calf—claim global dominance… This is what the native Russian people must consider when reading the note of the American president, lest they overlook the dream of worldwide dominance of the democratic principle of popular sovereignty in their dreams of world peace—a principle that has waged war against everything best in the Russian person: faith in God, loyalty to the Tsar, and love for one’s homeland.
N. T.
Photo: Niva, No. 45
Russian troops on the French front
Along the long front stretching from the Swiss border to the sea, four allied nations—the French, English, Russian, and Belgian—fight brotherly against a common enemy.
Sparks, No. 5
…This alignment on a single front is not without significant moral importance, writes the newspaper «France militaire,» and it generates heroic competition among troops of various nationalities. Recently, one of the Russian generals was given permission to observe the enemy trenches—something everyone had long wished for. Assault squads were quickly assembled, and Russian infantry surged out of the trenches. The enemy was close, and the distance separating them was rapidly covered with few casualties. The enemy patrols had no time to recover before the Russian soldiers rushed toward them. …After the Russian units surveyed and cleared the enemy trenches of the foe, capturing several prisoners, they returned to their own trenches—that was the order. However, the return was more difficult than the attack; enemy «packets» were tearing around them—the Germans were trying to avenge the accidental assault. Russian blood flowed across French soil, serving as a sacred testament to the alliance…
January 19 | Thursday
Moskovskie Vedomosti, No. 15 Miniatures The stock exchange in all major Russian cities is once again dancing a wild dance called: — Frenzy! All securities are soaring. One banker told me yesterday: — What was worth a penny is now trading like a ruble! I inquired about the reasons. He smiles: — There’s a lot of free money! However, one must remember that this is a lot of paper money. This leads to a push: to buy securities that yield dividends rather than those that do not… The Director of the Bank’s Russian Department for Foreign Trade, speaking with Petrograd reporters, stated that the current stock market excitement must end disastrously. This warning will not stop the players… Unknown
Moskovskaya Khronika A new dental hospital has opened under the patronage of the Lefortovsky Charitable Trust for the Poor. The hospital is equipped with 70 beds and outfitted with the latest dental technology…
Special forms for communication with residents of enemy troops temporarily occupying parts of our territory have been made available for sale at the main post office, as well as in all postal and telegraph offices in Moscow. The forms are sold for 2 kopecks each.
Among the Newspapers …False progressives, intending to rule Russia under their own left banner, convince people that we no longer have any conservative elements: everything has gone left and is now attached to the mighty «yellow bloc.» It is self-evident that this is a political deception of the gullible: Russia cannot abandon its age-old covenants nor forgo the national traditions forged by its suffering history… In the Ministry of Internal Affairs The Ministry of Internal Affairs has issued the following clarifications regarding rumors about revising the Jewish Question. …The return to the Pale of Settlement after the war is practically unachievable. Therefore, a temporary directive is needed to abolish the Pale of Settlement… It was also indicated that the widespread settlement of Jews within the empire requires the repeal of the restrictive law on acquiring real estate, as well as a number of restrictions in the commercial field…
Morning Russia, No. 19 In the Ministry of Internal Affairs The Ministry of Internal Affairs issued the following clarifications regarding rumors about reviewing the Jewish question. …A return to the Pale of Settlement after the war is practically unfeasible. Therefore, a temporary decree abolishing the Pale of Settlement is necessary… It was also noted that the widespread settlement of Jews within the empire requires the abolition of the restrictive law on the acquisition of real estate, as well as several limitations in the trade sphere…
January 20 | Friday
Russian Word, No. 16 Winter Campaign …The advance of Field Marshal Mackenzie’s armies on the Romanian front completely halted after January 8th. …It is now possible to draw some conclusions about Field Marshal Mackenzie’s semi-month campaign following his capture of Bucharest… The Romanian armies not only survived but remained in formation, albeit on a limited section of the Moldavian front, and the crucial defensive line of the Siret River remained untouched in the hands of our troops… We owe this relatively favorable outcome of the Romanian operation most significantly to the incomparable resilience of our troops, who were rushed to Romania lightly to aid our affected allies…
Moskovskie Vedomosti, No. 16
Yesterday, another low-cost canteen opened on Grokholsky Lane—an establishment by a society dedicated to providing food aid to the poorest residents of Moscow.
The City Food Council has finalized the plan to organize meat sales by ration cards. …This aims to eliminate instances where meat could be obtained both via one’s personal card and in the restaurant setting. The project is scheduled to be submitted to the City Duma for review soon.
Yesterday, a meeting of the elected members of the Moscow Exchange Society was held under the chairmanship of S. N. Tretyakov. …The assembly passed a resolution prohibiting non-members who have not purchased permanent (annual) membership cards from attending the exchange meetings. This emergency temporary measure was adopted to combat rising speculation in securities. By implementing this rule, the aim is to shield the exchange meetings from an influx of various unauthorized exchange participants who introduce uncontrollable speculative excitement…
On the night of January 19, unidentified criminals ransacked several locations: at the Wartze and MacGill foundry on Krasnoselskaya Street—the pressing department, from which drive belts valued at over 1,000 rubles were stolen; at the residence of N. I. Solovyev on Sadovo-Sukharevskaya Street—the owner’s cellar, from which 5 cases of Montpensier, weighing 22½ pounds and valued at 1,200 rubles, were taken; and at the manufacturing store of M. N. Brauman at 17, 3rd Sokolnicheskaya Street—where paper fabric valued at 1,200 rubles was stolen.
All-Russian Skating Championship …The best athletes from Moscow and the provinces gathered at the start; the Petrograd skaters were absent, citing a resolution from their Petrograd Skating League which deemed the tournament too early. The technical conditions over the two days were superb—the ice was very smooth, and the temperature was ideal. Representatives from Moscow, Kharkov, Revel, Yaroslavl, Podolsk, and Orekhovo-Zuyevo were at the start. As expected, the championship was won by a representative of the Society for Physical Education, who completed the distances in the following times: 500 meters in 46.6 seconds, 5,000 meters in 8:58.6, 1,500 meters in 2:26.6, and 10,000 meters in 17:53.4. The 500-meter result is an improvement on last year’s time… the second result is a new Moscow record… and, finally, on the 10,000-meter distance, Melnikov set a new All-Russian record…
The Tax on Life The other day, in the morning, a chained dog from the neighboring house, which the janitor let off its leash «for a walk,» lunged at my maid as she was going to the market. The incident ended well: the dog bit into a bag and ran off with it, and then the janitor returned the bag… By six in the evening, the dog was running in the street again and this time it was biting passersby… When the neighborhood watch was informed of its «feats,» the officer quickly came to the scene of the «incident» and instantly stopped the frenzy of the wild beast with a precise shot. The bitten individuals went for treatment at the local clinic; after bandaging them, they were told they needed to go to Alexandrovskaya Hospital for a vaccination… And this is where one of the charms of our municipal system was revealed—a model of care for the lesser brother and the inadequately educated Muscovite (dogs driving in cars in the streets do not bite)—by our progressive City Duma. The Duma progressives put up fountains and plant flowerbeds in the squares, but the poor Muscovite, bitten by a dog, cannot receive life-saving vaccinations for free. «Want vaccinations? You must pay five rubles for them!» It is said that after hearing about the five-ruble fee, some of the bitten people who came for the first vaccination did not return…
January 21 | Saturday
Russian Word, No. 17 Administration and Public Organizations …From Petrograd, specific directives have been issued regarding various assemblies and meetings where resolutions expressing protest or censure of the government’s actions may be adopted. For issuing such resolutions at legally convened meetings, the chair of the assembly will be held criminally liable, whereas at any other meetings or gatherings organized informally, liability will extend to all participants.
«Revitalization» Among the Right Wing The right-wing organizations of Moscow have received reports that the Astrakhan branch of the Union of the Russian People and other provincial monarchist organizations have appealed to governing spheres, insisting on the necessity of dissolving the State Duma, closing the all-Russian Zemstvo and City Unions, and abolishing the Military-Industrial Committee. The right-wing organizations insist on the arrest of M. V. Chelnokov, Prince G. E. Lvov, and A. I. Guchkov.
Unprecedented Snowfall at the Resorts Due to snow drifts, trains on the northern line of the Vladikavkaz Railway are running with significant delays. In Kislovodsk, the administration is organizing hunts for predators after wolves appeared on the city outskirts, causing trouble for residents. Local hunters have been enlisted.
Morning Russia, No. 21 Frosts and Railway Traffic The frost has significantly impacted the movement of both passenger and freight trains in the Moscow hub. Trains from Sevastopol and Kislovodsk are arriving 15–20 hours late; the train from Kyiv to Bryansk station arrived yesterday at 10 p.m. instead of 11 a.m. And it’s even worse with the freight trains. The Kazan and Kursk railways have significantly reduced the delivery of cargo to Petrograd…
January 22 | Sunday
Military Review
…In the Riga District, the German advance did not achieve its intended goals. Most of the trenches and fortifications we captured on December 23 remain in our hands… On January 17, after heavy shelling, primarily with chemical munitions, the Germans began pushing particularly hard along the left bank of the Aaa River and east of Kalntsem… The next day, we launched a counterattack and regained our previous positions… As for close combat, our troops are unrivaled in this regard…
Moskovskie Vedomosti, No. 18
…Reports from the front indicate that the Siberian and Latvian regiments are particularly distinguished in this regard, and that instances of exceptional heroism and personal initiative are numerous… The situation in the Carpathians is also causing severe disquiet among the enemy… Our push near Iacobeni, although it has not yet developed widely, has already heavily impacted the strategic calculations of the enemy staff… We are currently only two verst from Iacobeni, and our artillery is, naturally, shelling this railway station… The quiet period established in Romania since January 7th undoubtedly indicates that the enemy is carrying out new reorganizations… N. Nikolaev
From Washington, they report that the German note regarding unrestricted submarine warfare has caused indescribable excitement across all segments of society in the country. Everyone maintains the opinion that this note signifies Germany’s intention to sever diplomatic relations with America…
F. I. Shalyapin’s Tour On January 20, F. I. Shalyapin added to his repertoire of tours the role of Melnik from Dargomyzhy’s opera «The Mermaid,» a part he had not sung in a long time. Shalyapin’s voice and sound possessed a freedom that seemed, at times, to have been lost to him…
Morning of Russia, No. 22 Banning the Export of Grain Rostov-on-Don (Correspondent). The export of grain and flour from the Don region was halted. Mandatory meat rationing cards were introduced throughout the region.
