February 6–12, 1917. Week 6.

Russian Will, No. 36 The Stock Market Week The second week of renewed activity at the official stock exchange has passed, and over the reporting period, security prices continued to climb higher and higher. The main reasons for this upward trend are, as has been pointed out repeatedly, the abundance of currency in the country, which is causing the ruble’s value to decrease, and the reassessment—due to the increase in value of various assets, including those held by joint-stock enterprises… In modern conditions, new holders of free capital appear daily, and thus the demand for dividend-paying stocks is becoming increasingly significant, driving the progressive movement of prices. On the other hand, the incessant rise in stock exchange rates attracts people who must subsist solely on the remuneration they earn from their labor toward speculation. The income of these individuals likely underwent few significant changes during the war, while their expenses tripled or quadrupled. And so, to ease their existence, these individuals too begin to «play the stock market»…

Petrogradskaya Gazeta, No. 36 «The Course Student’s Home» At yesterday’s annual meeting of the association aiding the students of the higher women’s courses, presided over by Professor M. N. Pergament, the board’s report on purchasing a home for the residential quarters of the course students drew general attention… The home is four stories tall and is located on the corner of Maly Prospekt and 11th Line, not far from the main building of the higher women’s courses. The renovation of the building will primarily involve converting the numerous apartments into a series of small rooms…

One Illness Incident in 13 Years of Service Yesterday morning, at the Mariinsky Theatre, tenor D. A. Smirnov again could not participate in the performance due to illness. The artist was scheduled to sing the role of «Dubrovsky.» Including Friday, when Mr. Smirnov was unable to participate… yesterday’s incident of refusal to participate was only the second during the artist’s entire 13-year service on the Imperial Stage. No fine will be imposed on the tenor, as Mr. Smirnov, receiving 1,250 rubles for the performance, fined himself 2,500 rubles…

To the Forefront A group of artists from the Imperial Theatres is departing in the coming days for a front-line location where a large concert is planned.

Closing of the Cross-Country Skiing Speed Race Competition The closed cross-country speed skiing competition on rough terrain, covering a distance of about 10 kilometers, organized by the amateur ski enthusiasts' circle «Polaris» in Yukki, yielded the following results: in the first class, Klemm won after completing the distance in 1 hour, 10 minutes, and 46 seconds.

Russian Will, No. 36

…It seems as if he has something to say. Despite its morbidity, there is a discernible strength, a struggle, and a protest—you can feel the muscle. Granted, much here is hyperbolized, overloaded with unnecessary elements, packed and stuffed; yet, here there is genuine pain, and a genuine human cry. This is the commodity that Vl. Mayakovsky sells, and he sells it to meet demand, but his product is inherent… Are these poems? Hardly. But they are not far from them, and they are often interesting. Furthermore, they possess their own distinct, curious voice… P. Dr.

On the Expansion of Jewish Rights The Governor of Moscow received an order from the Minister of Internal Affairs not to impede the temporary residence of individuals of Jewish faith in villages and towns, with particular consideration given to disabled Jews, veterans of the current war and the Russo-Japanese War, as well as Jewish refugees.

Exchange Gazette, No. 16085 (Evening Edition) Frosts At 6:00 AM today, in the suburbs of the capital, in areas protected from the wind, the temperature was 29 degrees, while in open areas and near rivers it exceeded 32 degrees. All classes were disrupted once more. Many domestic birds perished on farms. All inns and tea houses were open all night; accommodations for the homeless were prepared in private rooms and reception areas, and train stations remained open all night… City warehouses distributed firewood to the capital’s poor in bundles, and one had to see the faces of the few fortunate people who received fuel first.Maslenitsa and Lent The season for fish and mushroom dishes begins with Maslenitsa week. Merchants have accounted for this circumstance. Despite the massive supply of… all kinds of fish, the price of fish is exorbitant… Due to the unreasonably high prices of all Lenten provisions, the number of Lenten days and the preparation of Lenten dishes in poorhouses, hospitals, shelters, schools, and other institutions have been reduced.Housing in Petrograd: Rooms as Apartments …The occupant of a room is his own master, lacking both a landlady and her heedless, greedy eye. Therefore, these rooms immediately gained supporters among the semi-poor and bohemian set of the capital… As of January 1, 1917, there were 192 houses in Petrograd divided into separate rooms, rented out by owners without furniture… The population of some houses rivals that of a factory settlement: in «New York» (5th Line, 66), there are 6,000 residents, and in Pozharov’s house (Ligovka, 56), ten thousand… Most of these houses have central heating, and currently, due to the high cost of fuel, owners heat sparsely—the temperature in the rooms is only 5–6 degrees… A general kitchen is provided for every 15–20 rooms, and in it, a cook hired by the owner. In many houses, these cooks have acquired considerable power… The common washrooms and toilets are incredibly dirty. The common telephones (on stairwells and in hallways) are often… locked. Electricity is provided only until 12:00 AM. The prices for rooms as apartments have risen significantly higher than those for the most aristocratic apartments—a raw room with one window, unfurnished, is currently going for 40–50 rubles per month.S. M.

Day, No. 35 People of Another World These are not inhabitants of distant Australia or Tierra del Fuego; they are our own Siberian compatriots… With wide, astonished eyes, they gaze upon Petrograd life—upon all its absurdities and ugliness—and they are amazed, amazed at every turn. People accustomed to space, to abundance, to affordability… find it bewildering to watch the lines and queues, the tramcars crammed with passengers, and it is shocking to hear that there is no bread, no meat, no milk, and that butter costs five rubles per pound… …This Ural Ridge is exactly like an enemy frontier. Beyond it lies a fairytale land where they do not eat dog meat, and where butter is six times cheaper—for by current standards, this is as unusual as rivers flowing with milk and honey, with jelly-like banks—yet this land is inaccessible, even though it is our own Russian abundance. …Those wishing to bring five pounds of butter hide it in pillows, in luggage filled with linens, like a precious jewel. Meanwhile, Siberia holds millions of pounds of butter, lying unknown to anyone, for any purpose… Siberia is a land of not only abundance but also absurdity. Passengers are having their baskets and bundles rummaged through and pierced, fearful that they might be caught smuggling more than ten pounds of meat into Russia… People live in the same state, separated by some incomprehensible line, and they cannot cross this boundary, as if it were a fiery frontier…

Restriction on the Baking of Donuts and Rusks The Food Commissioner of Petrograd, Mayor Major General Balk, explained that the mandatory decree from March 28 regarding the cessation of baking and selling enriched loaves, kulich, pastries, etc., also applies to the baking and sale of various donuts, rusks, and all other untaxed bread products. The deadline for eliminating donuts and rusks is February 15.

Flour and Sugar in Petrograd The situation with wheat flour in Petrograd remains deeply unsatisfactory. The crisis, as can be seen, is not only not ending but is brewing. For January, instead of the 1,225 wagons required by the order of the Food Commissioners of Petrograd, only 700 wagons were actually received. According to available information, there are about 35,000 wagons loaded with bread on the rails of southern roads and throughout agrarian Russia. …The crisis concerning rye flour in the capital is not felt, as the flour stocks accumulated last autumn are quite large… …A sugar crisis in Petrograd is not anticipated…

For Students in Need Yesterday, at the general meeting of the stock exchange, the collection of donations for students in need continued. A total of 20,000 rubles was collected yesterday. The organizers of the collection, I. O. Abelson and K. V. Zundeliovich, visited the Rector of the Petrograd University, Prof. E. D. Grimm, yesterday and discussed the degree of need among the students. It was determined that the tuition fees for the university students would be paid in full this semester from the collected funds.

Petrograd Gazette, No. 37 It has come to the point where candy stores have «tails»! Yesterday, on Nevsky Prospect, a rather long line drew considerable attention near a store belonging to a large confectionery factory. These are the unfortunate people who cannot drink tea without something sweet.

Birzhevyye Vedomosti, No. 16086 (Morning Edition) The Secret of Reaction …The secret is that our reaction has no state program, and furthermore, we do not have, nor can we have, genuine conservatism. Russia lags so far behind all cultural nations—in its state structure, its economic life, and its everyday customs—that there is no way to protect or conserve this fatal backwardness. Therefore, neither our conservatives nor our reactionaries could ever put forward any state program. There is no way to elevate unrestrained embezzlement, unlimited possibilities for arbitrary rule, the defense of injustice, and deliberate public ignorance into a positive state ideal. They do not desire what the far-left or simply the left desire. Then they do not desire what the cadets or even the Octyabrist Party members desire. Now, they do not even desire what the nationalists who have joined the majority in the State Duma desire. And this constant negation—this unwillingness—is the extent of it…S. Lyubosh

Petrogradskaya Gazeta, No. 38 | Russkaya Volya, No. 38 Responsibility for Providing Income Tax Information The Ministry of Finance, in agreement with the Ministry of Justice and State Control, issued a circular notice to the heads of state treasuries to inform them about the requirement for government income tax filings. Officials from government, aristocratic, and public institutions who fail to submit the required legal information to the income tax precincts and thereby violate Articles 78, 79, and 100 of the State Income Tax Regulations are subject to liability as official criminals.The Role of the Baltic Fleet in the War …The fleet personnel reached a possible perfection in the technique of their work and, what seems even more important, received true military education… A force appeared from the sea on the way to Petrograd—a power whose entire growth our society failed to account for, but which the enemy fully realized. And when the great war began, the Germans did not dare to use the open sea route to Petrograd. And even when the enemy armies targeting Petrograd overcame the resistance of our armies with the greatest losses and difficulties, and finally began to halt on the Dvina line, even at that tragic moment for them, German soldiers did not receive the maritime support they had expected…Victor

On Clerical Politics N. N. Raev, the Deputy Procurator of the Holy Synod, stated in a conversation with hierarchs serving on the Holy Synod that he is an unequivocal opponent of priests who engage in political agitation at the local level. According to N. N. Raev, the spiritual preaching of priests must be apolitical…

Understanding Russia and the Fate of Russian Industry …The late F. P. Ryabushinsky spared no expense, spending 300,000 rubles on a detailed study of Kamchatka, and the Kuznetsovs organized an expedition to the Polar Urals, but they found no worthy successors. Meanwhile, for industry to truly develop, it is simply inconceivable to stand on solid ground without a detailed study of one’s native country… …The vast capital accumulated by factory owners during the war must, of course, be invested in a number of new industrial enterprises after its conclusion. For these enterprises to thrive, it is not enough to supply them with knowledgeable engineers, technicians, etc.—one must also know how to select locations for new plants in such a way that they can capitalize on the advantages of a favorable position. This requires a detailed familiarity not only with the economic conditions of various parts of Russia but also with its domestic and natural characteristics. No individual entrepreneur can undertake such studies; waiting until this work is accomplished by scattered efforts of individual scholars, or until the Ministry of Trade and Industry decides to take on the task, is hardly advisable. Therefore, the best course of action the united Russian industry could take is to establish a special institution, using its own funds—say, an industrial-geographical institute—that would study the various regions of Russia in economic, domestic, and natural terms…A. Grigoriev

Day, No. 38 Extension of Rail Traffic Restrictions According to the resolution of the special meeting held yesterday at the Ministry of Ways, the deadline for reducing passenger traffic on the following routes has been extended: Moscow–Kursk, Moscow–Kyiv–Voronezh, Moscow–Kazan, Ekaterininsk, Southern, South-Eastern, Severo-Donetsky, and Ryazan–Ural. Consequently, the partial reduction on the Nikolaevskaya Railway has also been extended, moving the date from the announced February 14th to two more weeks—through February 28th. Furthermore, all trains providing direct, non-stop service will continue to operate on the specified routes for passengers traveling on defense-related duties.

Russian Will, No. 39 Nikolayev Children’s Hospital A new building for the Nikolayev Children’s Hospital, located off Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt on Volgodskaya St., was recently completed. This building was constructed entirely during wartime… …It cost 900,000 rubles, which were borrowed from the department of Empress Maria. However, 500,000 rubles were later recovered from the sale of the former hospital building. The Supreme Council acquired it to establish a central physiotherapy institute for disabled veterans there… The hospital director tells me its interesting history: «Our hospital is the first children’s hospital in Russia, and the second in the world, after the French hospital Enfant Malades.» It was founded in 1834, and the first honorary patron was… Count Benkendorff, followed by Dubelt. Their patronage was instrumental in making the hospital a fashionable institution at the time. Performances were organized in its favor at the Imperial Theaters, and concerts were held at the Nobles' Assembly. The artist Venetianov even organized a lottery on its behalf using 27 of his paintings. …The hospital was intended for the poor, but also for the middle class. A paid bed in a shared ward cost 25 rubles per month; in a private ward, it was 4 rubles per day, or 5 rubles per day if accompanied by a mother… The shared wards were filled with children of peasants and workers. The sick children looked at us with curiosity. More than half of them suffered from skeletal tuberculosis. «This is a Petrograd disease, ” the doctors explained. „Petrograd should be surrounded by sanatoria for such tuberculous cases.“City and Village Life …We must not forget that the food crisis is largely a crisis of economic relations between the city and the countryside. …Products from mobilized industry mainly go into the war economy and are destroyed there. Without receiving adequate quantities of industrial products, the countryside is forced to turn to producing everything it needs… We are witnessing an undeniable recurrence of subsistence farming in the village…A. Goldberg

Petrograd Newspaper, No. 39 Alas!.. The drawing of the Imperial prize at the lynx races is usually preceded by a race of the lynx registered for the prize, where an award is given for form. Alas! This year, none of the participating lynxes won the prize. Does this not suggest that the handsome Orlov lynx, of the type of the famous «Smetanka,» is degenerating? And how can it be otherwise, when even the most devoted lynx fanciers, who once owned their own stud farms, now travel in automobiles… The Petrograd Observer

Telephone Enterprise on New Principles Starting February 1, the city’s telephone enterprise was released from the supervision of the government inspector… For the city, all taxes established by the Ministry of Internal Affairs on phone subscriptions, extension devices, wiring, and installation are now optional. There is a proposal to turn the telephone monopoly into a major source of revenue by raising all rates, including fees for relocation and reinstallation of devices. The benefits of subscribers, the benefits for the public—this is an entirely foreign concept to our Petrograd Duma. If they raised the tram fare twice, why not raise the phone payment three times… It has not yet been clarified where subscribers should direct complaints about the improper actions of the telephone network administration. Previously, complaints were sent to the inspector. But where now?..

Two Million Residents in Moscow (Via telephone from Moscow) The latest census of Moscow provided the following data. The population of Moscow has now reached up to 2 million people. During the war years, the surroundings of Moscow have become densely populated. The city’s population has doubled during this period.