--- title: 'Work in Russia: Siberian Activities' url: https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/39-work-in-russia-siberian-activities/ description: 'Work in Russia: Siberian Activities, from Complete Report of the Chairman of the Committee on Public Information by George Creel, Chairman, Committee on…' section: FRAME --- ![Illustration: an interwar radio-and-newsreel intelligence collage with a 1930s map of Europe and propaganda poster proofs.](https://propagandaarchive.org/static/generated/detail/hero-interwar.jpg) [Library](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/) · Report · [Complete Report of the Chairman of the Committee on Public Information](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/) # Work in Russia: Siberian Activities This text - **Work:** [Complete Report of the Chairman of the Committee on Public Information](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/) - **Author:** George Creel, Chairman, Committee on Public Information - **Published:** 1920 Full details - **Rights:** A work of the United States government, printed by the Government Printing Office in 1920, so not protected by copyright in the United States (17 U.S.C. 105) and in the public domain by age as well. The Library of Congress states that it is unaware of any copyright restrictions on the item. Chapters 1. [Letter of Transmittal and General Survey](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/01-letter-of-transmittal-and-general-survey/) 2. Part I: The Domestic Section 3. [Work of the Domestic Section](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/02-work-of-the-domestic-section/) 4. [The Voluntary Censorship](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/03-the-voluntary-censorship/) 5. [Division of News](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/04-division-of-news/) 6. [Division of Civic and Educational Cooperation](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/05-division-of-civic-and-educational-cooperation/) 7. [Division of Production and Distribution](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/06-division-of-production-and-distribution/) 8. [Four Minute Men](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/07-four-minute-men/) 9. [The Speaking Division](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/08-the-speaking-division/) 10. [The Division of Advertising](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/09-the-division-of-advertising/) 11. [Film Division](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/10-film-division/) 12. [Bureau of Distribution of the Division of Films](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/11-bureau-of-distribution-of-the-division-of-films/) 13. [Educational Department of the Division of Films](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/12-educational-department-of-the-division-of-films/) 14. [Scenario Department of the Division of Films](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/13-scenario-department-of-the-division-of-films/) 15. [Bureau of War Expositions of the Division of Films](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/14-bureau-of-war-expositions-of-the-division-of-fil/) 16. [Bureau of War Photographs of the Division of Films](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/15-bureau-of-war-photographs-of-the-division-of-fil/) 17. [Official U. S. Bulletin](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/16-official-u-s-bulletin/) 18. [The Service Bureau](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/17-the-service-bureau/) 19. [Division of Exhibit at State Fairs](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/18-division-of-exhibit-at-state-fairs/) 20. [Division of Syndicate Features](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/19-division-of-syndicate-features/) 21. [Division of Women’s War Work](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/20-division-of-women-s-war-work/) 22. [The Bureau of Cartoons](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/21-the-bureau-of-cartoons/) 23. [Division of Business Management](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/22-division-of-business-management/) 24. [Division of Work with the Foreign Born](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/23-division-of-work-with-the-foreign-born/) 25. [Showing America to the Foreign Press](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/24-showing-america-to-the-foreign-press/) 26. Part II: The Foreign Section 27. [Work of the Foreign Section](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/25-work-of-the-foreign-section/) 28. [Wireless and Cable Service](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/26-wireless-and-cable-service/) 29. [Foreign Press Bureau](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/27-foreign-press-bureau/) 30. [Foreign Film Activities](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/28-foreign-film-activities/) 31. [Foreign Picture Service](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/29-foreign-picture-service/) 32. Reports from Foreign Commissioners 33. [Report on the Work in Mexico](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/30-report-on-the-work-in-mexico/) 34. [The Work in France](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/31-the-work-in-france/) 35. [The Work in Holland](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/32-the-work-in-holland/) 36. [Work in Switzerland](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/33-work-in-switzerland/) 37. [Work in Italy](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/34-work-in-italy/) 38. [Work in Spain](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/35-work-in-spain/) 39. [Work in Denmark](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/36-work-in-denmark/) 40. [Work in Russia: General Introduction](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/37-work-in-russia-general-introduction/) 41. [Work in Russia: The Installation](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/38-work-in-russia-the-installation/) 42. [Work in Russia: Siberian Activities](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/39-work-in-russia-siberian-activities/) 43. [Work in Russia: Archangel](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/40-work-in-russia-archangel/) 44. [The Work in China](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/41-the-work-in-china/) 45. [Work in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/42-work-in-argentina-uruguay-and-paraguay/) 46. [Work in Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/43-work-in-peru-ecuador-and-bolivia/) 47. [Other Work in South America](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/44-other-work-in-south-america/) 48. [Work in Sweden and Norway](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/45-work-in-sweden-and-norway/) [← Work in Russia: The Installation](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/38-work-in-russia-the-installation/) [Work in Russia: Archangel →](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/40-work-in-russia-archangel/) **Content note:** Quotes wartime anti-German language, including "Hun", and period terms for racial and national groups. This object is shown as it was published. [Why](https://propagandaarchive.org/about/#as-it-was) [Beport of Malcolm Davis to Arthue Bullaed, Russian Director.] INTRODUCTORY, This rej)ort on the Siberian activities of the Russian Division of the Committee on Public Information must necessarily be a report on a work not developed to its full possibility because of the necessity of liquidation. The main work really began only in August and September, when the opening up of the Siberian railroad line by the Czecho-Slovaks made it possible to develop a campaign of public information in what had been Bolshevik Siberia. The orders for demobilization inevitably following the end of the war came in the middle of February, when the organization had been under way about six months and when it was just reaching full effectiveness in the telling distribution of its information material, and the results were just beginning to show. All the staff recognized the inevitability of the ending of the work and understood the reasons for it; yet there was not a member of the organization who did not feel that it came at a most unfortunate time, considered from the point of view of Siberia and of Russian relationship generally. Other nations were developing energetic propaganda campaigns; and the American engineers were finally taking up the task of railroad reorganization and the American Red Cross extending its relief activities. These considerations, together with the fact that it was a critical time in the discussion of Russian- Allied relations, made the withdrawal of the American Information Bureau regrettable. That this was not merely the feeling of men engaged in the work, but that it was a view shared by impartial representatives of the Government of the United States of America as well as by Russians and by representatives of some of the other Allies, is evidenced by the messages to Washington of Ambassador Morris, who was in Vladivostok on a special mission from Tokio, from Consul General Harris and all his consular staff, by the telegram of Motosada Zumoto, head of . the Japanese Information Bureau, and by letters from Russians, all urging the continuance of the work, if possible. Report On Spring Campaign In 1918. This next section will cover the period from arrival in Omsk, on the assignment given in Moscow in March, 1918, by the director, Arthur Bullard, to William Adams Brown, jr., and myself, to canvass the field for an American campaign of public information in Siberia and to begin the development of a Siberian Department, reporting later to Moscow. We were to visit Omsk, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Chita, Harbin, and Vladivostok, to find, if possible, suitable Russian representatives in each of the places where we stopped, who could be relied upon to receive telegraph news and printed literature, push the circulation of both in his district, and keep the central office informed upon conditions in his district affecting our work and upon needs for specially adapted material. It is unnecessary now to go into the matter of the sentiment of the individual newspaper editors. It will suffice to say that we found the press under the strict control of the Bolshevik regime. No papers with a political color were being published in any town visited except the official Bolshevik organ and one or two others of the jnost radical Socialist revolutionary tendencies. In general, there was less freedom for the press in Siberia under the Bolshevik regime than in Petrograd and Moscow under the same regime. The separate peace had just been concluded between the German Government and the "Russian Federated Socialistic Soviet Republic." We proceeded on the same policy which had won a measure of success in Moscow and Petrograd, since we were under orders to attempt to continue publicity in Bolshevik Eussia and Siberia. It had been decided not to attack Bolshevism or discuss political questions in Russia directly, and to get across as much information as possible about the principles of democratic government, the aims of America and the Allies, the war organization of America and the growing supremac}^ of the Allied arms, the actions of the German Government, in Russia and other occupied territories and spheres of influence, and as much general news and special article material as possible about political and social conditions and ideas in the United States. This work was regarded as tending to strengthen every sane democratic movement existing in the country, to give information that might serve as a basis for working out new problems of government in the country, and to create as much of friendly feeling and understanding as possible among the common people in Russia. We met with varying attitudes on the part of the editors and of the leaders of the " Soviets " or " Councils " which were in charge of affairs everywhere. While frankly antagonistic to America as a " capitalists' country," they had no objection to our carrying on a campaign of information so long as they were sure they knew what we were doing and that we were not doing anything directly against Bolshevist organization. Siberians were engrossed in their own political difficulties, and Siuj question of renewing a war on the western front was out of their minds. We found that we could use material on general social and political institutions and on agriculture in America to best advantage, getting in occasionally some information showing the growing war strength of America and the increasing certainty of the defeat of the Central Powers. Posters. — We had at this time the war anniversary speech of President Wilson, and this we had printed as a wall poster, in 50,000 copies, for posting in and around Omsk and for mail distribution. The circulation was carried out, after our departure, by a Russian assistant whom we engaged, under the supervision of American Consul Thomson. An additional 10,000 copies of this poster were later sent to Vice Consul Thomas in Krasnoyarsk for display and distribution there. We also arranged at once for the distribution of about 15,000 copies each of Mr. Bullard's pamphlet " Letters of an American Friend," which had been very successful, and also of the weekly American Bulletin from the Moscow office. Going on to Krasnoyarsk, we stayed long enough to form an impression of all the editors and Soviet leaders there, and to engage a local Russian representative, who was to work in contact with the American vice consul. We also arranged for the circulation of material through the cooperative unions; and for the regular forwarding of telegraphic news and printed literature from the central offices in Moscow. There was a considerable interest in the possibility of receiving American motion pictures at Krasnoyarsk, on which we reported, and which we intended to satisfy upon receipt, of equipment at Vladivostok. ^In Irkutsk we had from the start the cordial cooperation of the American Consul MacGowan, whose advice and assistance greatly facilitated the work. We had hardly got fairly started on the printing and distribution of the 50,000 copies of the war anniversary speech, however, when the work was cut short by formal instructions from Washington, via Moscow, to leave the field. Since the Easter holidays were at hand, offering the best sort of opportunity for getting attention for the President's address, we decided to stay long enough to make effective use of the 25.000 copies which had already been run off the presses. We arranged through a local distributing agency to have these put up all over town just at the holiday time, and also to have them distributed among the crowds who gathered in the central square for the games held in celebration of the holidays after Easter. About 6,000 copies were also sent to Chita to American Consul Jenkins for circulation in Chita and the Trans-Baikal region. In connection with the distribution of this speech there was an incident which illustrates the conditions under which work of this sort was done in Siberia, at that time, and the attitude which often had to be met on the part of the Bolshevik officials in control. In order to circulate copies of this address of the President at all, we had to get the official permission of the Irkutsk commissars who were determining entirely what should be published m the city at the time. We went to call on Yanson, the commissar for foreign affairs of the Siberian administration, which was located in Irkutsk. He was at first absolutely opposed to publication of anything representing an American or Allied point of view. " You know," said the commissar, " we regard all established governments with antagonism, for we aim at a world-wide revolution which will overthrow the power of the capitalists everywhere." " Do you mean," asked we, " that you recognize no difference between such a Government as the Government of the United States of America and the Prussian military government of Germany" ? "Absolutely none," replied the commissar. "America is one financial imperialism and Germany is another. Both systematically exploit the working class and the people. So far as we are concerned they are one and the same; and we are against them both ! " We pointed out to him that the address which we proposed to publish and to circulate in and around Irkutsk was an official utterance of the Chief Executive of our Nation, that it represented the point of view of the Government of one of the great powers both with regard to the issues of the war in general and with regard to Russia, and that as such it should be published as news, not as propaganda. We got the necessary rubber-stamped permission to circulate the copies of the address on the strength of this argument, and proceeded to plaster the town with copies of the address. Populm^ interest. — It is essential to state that in the course of doing the work in Siberia we got constant evidence of friendly feeling for America and confidence in her intentions on the part of the common people not allied with the Bolsheviks. These people were completely suppressed for the time being, however, and they could not make their point of view effective, since the Bolsheviks had all the guns. They did take our material and circulate it. We got such expressions of feeling from the railroad men along the Trans-Siberian line, and from the students, members of professional unions, and cooperative society . workers in cities where we stopped. This feeling was also evidenced m an incident which occurred after we left Irkutsk. We had left all our printed material and special article material with the American consul, asking him to give it as much circulation as possible since we were ordered out of the region. He gave the material to a representative of an American firm in Irkutsk. There the material was displayed on a counter, and in a very short time it was all gone. The consul afterwards related to us how people would come in and ask for copies and also for permission to circulate them among their friends. Representatives of the railroad workers' unions also came in and asked for permission to reprint at their own cost some of the material about America, for distribution among their members. This they actually did; and reported a wide interest m the propaganda. c-u • We next turned to the question of getting out of Siberia. At the time there was some question as to the possibility of passage to Vladivostok around by the Amur Railway line, inasmuch as the Semeonov fighting with the Bolsheviks was. very close to the line. The line to Harbin was absolutely closed. Furthermore, the Allied consuls were forbidden at the time the right to telegraph to their Governments any reports in cipher code. There was a convenient Chinese telegraph station at the border point of Maimatchin, near Kiatkhta, about three days' travel by train and then by boat up the Selenga River from Verkhne-Udinsk. We, therefore, decided to go that way and to slip across the border and send, for a representative of the British consulate who was in Irkutsk at the time, a code message to Pekin which he was very anxious to get out. Then we were to drive through Mongolia and across the Gobi Desert to Peking, taking official mail from the American consul to the American Embassy and from the British consul to the British Embassy at Peking. Following out this plan, we reached Peking on May 31, having crossed the desert in Ford automobiles running on the caravan route. Harbin Work. Upon arrival in Peking, we cabled to Washington, expecting to I'eturn to America. We got instructions, however, to proceed to Harbin, Manchuria, on the line of the Chinese Eastern Eailway, managed by a Russian directorate and forming an important link on the Trans-Siberian line from the west to Vladivostok. The towns along the route of the Russian railroad concession zone were full of Russian refugees from Bolshevik territory. The city of Harbin, at that time, formed what might be called the external political capital of Russia, having as residents influential members of the Russian business and political groups most strongly opposed to the Bolshevik regime. It therefore offered a very fertile field for publicity, combining in its population the elements above mentioned with the Russian workers in the large railroad repair shops of the Chinese Eastern Railway. We purchased a few office supplies in Peking and started for Harbin on the 10th, arriving there two days later. The state of public opinion in Harbin and in the general section around it and reached by its newspapers was very uncertain. The German advance on the western front was still in full progress, and the fresh forces of the American Army had not yet been thrown into action. The submarine campaign was continuing, and the facts of American shipbuilding were not known as they needed to be known in this part of the world. The Allies had not yet adopted a policy of active aid to loyal Russians against the Bolsheviks and German-Mag3^ar exprisoner forces, so no one knew what would be the issue of the political situation in Siberia and Russia. Consequently, there were a great many people who were listening to the incessant German propaganda, that the Russian Bolshevik revolution had destroyed the last chance of the Allies to win, that the entrance of America into the war was too late to save the situation, that at least the Allies would be forced to a compromise peace in which Germany would gain the main advantages or else that Germany would actually win the decisive victory in the war and thus dominate the international situation. In Russian circles there were many who believed that a monarchy supported by an alliance with the Prussian monarchy would be the best thing for Eussia; and there were many others who believed that any force which could bring order in Kussia would be beneficial, and who, consequently, were ready to turn to Germany for that result. Matenal. — We had arranged before leaving Peking for the forwarding from the American Legation there of the daily news cable service of the Committee on Public Information from Washington. We also found in the American consulate's care some cases of motion-picture films, about 60 different films in all, some of them in duplicate and triplicate. There were also some books and pamphlets from America about American conditions and war organization, sent by the committee in Washington. The committee had also sent to the American consul, Mr. Moser, the sum of $5,000 to finance a campaign of publicity in and around Harbin. This sum had just come to hand; and Mr. Moser, who was working under great pressure in the complicated situation in Harbin, had engaged H. Curtis Vezey, formerly editor of the Russian Daily News in Petrograd, to act as publicity agent. We retained Mr. Vezey as an assistant, moved into the temporary office which he had engaged, and started to work at the job of changing public opinion regarding the v> ar. The sum of $5,000 was turned over to us by Mr. Moser. Telegraph nsios. — We began to flood the neAvspapers with telegrams, translated ready into Eussian and furnished free, regarding the numbers of American troops being transported each month to France, the numbers of new ships being built for the battle fleet and merchant marine, amounts of Liberty loans and other subscriptions for the war, amounts of foodstuffs shipped to the Allies, and refutations of rumors about paralyzing strikes in the United States and proofs of the unity of the people in the effort against the Central Empires. Fortunately, the newspapers were either friendly to the Allies or open-minded ; and further, they were comparatively poor and had no good telegraph news service. The appearance of the free American service was a boon to them. They printed nearly every line of news that we gave to them, as the filed record of clippings from the Harbin office will show. Articles. — We also began to translate special articles on American national institutions and organizations, on labor conditions and the labor movement and the reasons why labor was supporting the Government in the war and would continue to support it, on various aspects of the life of the people in America, political, social, economic, tending to show what advantages they already have and what powers they have to change conditions constantly for the better, all intended to show the reasons for American unity and loyalty. Many of these articles were also printed, despite the comparatively small size of Russian newspapers. The changed tone of editorial utterances regarding the war showed the cumulative effect of the propaganda. All utterances by the President were also translated and sent to the papers, and they were invariably published and commented on. During all of this period our assistant, Mr. Vezey, whom we employed on a part-time arrangement, was publishing our news in English in his Russian Daily News, transported from Petrograd for the consuls and members of the foreign colony. Occasionally, when especially important news arrived, an evening telegraph bulletin in Russian was gotten out by the Russian Daily News and sold on the streets, which made a very useful and effective form of quick-action publicity. We had the full cooperation of Mr. Moser, the American consul, and his assistants from the start, the consul having felt the need for American publicity in Harbin for a long time and greeting the arrival of special men for this work with generous cordiality. FouTtJh of July. — We cooperated with the consulate in the arrangement of an Inter- Allied celebration of American Independence Day, which was held with considerable success. There were some American sports, organized by the local representatives of the Young Men's Christian Association, a short j)rogram in solemnization of the day, with the reading of the Declaration of Independence in English and Russian -and also of a special message to the Russian and Allied community in Harbin from Secretary of State Lansing, forwarded from Washington. We had programs for the day printed, with the text of the Declaration of Independence in English and in Russian. These were read with noticeable interest, very few Russians being familiar with the principles uj)on which the foundation of the American Eepublic was based as expressed in the Declaration. The program closed with some American music. Uncle Sam, in costume, received his guests. The whole affair left a pleasant impression ; and we felt that the comparatively small sum of money we gave in meeting certain extra expenses not covered by voluntary subscriptions was quite justified by the value of having helped to create friendship in an Allied meeting under American auspices and having spread a knowledge of the meaning of the American anniversary. Motion pictures. — Finally, we sorted our motion-picture films into programs and arranged for a week of American official motion pictures in one of the Harbin theaters for the benefit of the Russian Eed Cross. The pictures which we had were mainly military and industrial, with a few travel pictures of America and some weekly news review films. We had the excellent film, " The Eemaking of a Nation," and also much other film showing Army training in the United States. We divided the films off into programs as well balanced as possible ; and then covered the town with advertisements and distributed handbills for- the week's program, which we entitled "America for the Allies." - The pictures were well attended by mixed audiences and made a considerable impression. We had quite as many Japanese as Russians in the theater usually ; and the Japanese often stayed through all the performances making notes of their impressions on the military and naval films. Indeed, the Japanese always took an intent interest in all our publicity. The motion pictures showing the efficient drilling of the new army of America, and the power of the battle fleet, however, seemed to impress them most of all. The impression which we were trying to make constantly was that America was with the Allies, and for them, heart and soul, and that she was throwing into the fight every bit of strength and resource that she could make effective, a fact which was making the ultimate triumph of the Allied arms sure. The motion pictures, consequently, counted at the right time as corrective to any German propaganda of Allied defeat. The pictures also served as an excellent prelude to the news which we were able to give shortly afterwards about the first victorious American drive at Chateau-Thierry, and the turning of the tide of battle which developed into victory. Charging off to propaganda the cost of the posters and pamphlets which we had printed in connection with the film shows, and also of the newspaper advertising and printing of tickets, we had a balance sufficient to donate 1,500 rubles to the Harbin Chapter of the Russian Red Cross after repeating the performances in a second theater in another part of the city. If we had not made this donation we would have above covered expenses, including the theater rental and the city stamp tax on tickets. On the other hand, we would have forfeited the friendly feeling created by the gift and by the fact that in the city it was known that the pictures were not given for the sake of any profit to the American Information Bureau. The pictures had English flash titles, so we arranged to show them with a lecturer who explained each picture in Russian and who answered any questions about it from the audience. After finishing the showings in Harbin, the pictures were sent out along the line of the Chinese Eastern Railroad in Manchuria to the Russian theaters in Tsitsikar, Hailar, and Manchuria Station. On their return they were sent to the office which had by that time been opened in Vladivostok to have Russian titles put in. Extent of -field. — When we first arrived in Harbin the lines to Vladivostok and to Siberia were, of course, closed. The Bolsheviks were still in control and fighting between them and Semeonov was going on along the line between Manchuria Station and Chita. The Harbin newspapers, however, were the only ones in Russian in Manchuria, and were sent to every Russian community. Consequently, by placing material in these papers, we were reaching all Russian newspaper readers. The Harbin papers were also sent through whenever possible, by various individual ways, to Vladivostok, to Habarovsk, to Blagovestchensk, and to Chita ; and there they were read and often reprinted by the editors of local papers. In this way, consequently, we were reaching as much of the Siberian field as possible at the moment. When a paper was established at Station Manchuria, we started sending our telegrams and special articles there ; and when another was started in Sakhalan, just across the river in Manchuria from Blagovestchensk, we began sending material there. We also arranged with a Russian in that town to act as a local representative and to get printed material across the river into Blagovestchensk whenever possible. We also tried to send material down the Sungari River, to Habarovsk. Pmnphlets. — The President's speech at Mount Vernon, which we printed in a pamphlet to the number of 10,000 copies in Harbin, in addition to securing publication in the newspapers, was distributed in Harbin and through Manchuria in these various ways. The American proclamation of August 3, regarding Russia, caused a very animated discussion in the Harbin press. We printed 20,000 copies of the statement and distributed them as well as possible in Harbin and Manchuria, sending some to Sakhalen for Blagovestchensk, and some to Vladivostok. In this distribution, the American Railroad Mission was very helpful. We also had selections from the announcement made into plates for projection on the moving-picture screen and showed them in two motion-picture theaters. Post cards.- — From the. large number of photographs sent us from Washington by the committee 25 were selected, and after some difficulty we arranged to have cuts made of them and have them printed in the form of post cards for sale in railroad stations and stationery stores. MAIN SIBEPiIAN CAMPAIGN. Eepokt on Organization of V/oek in Vladivostok Tliis section of the report will take up the development of the Committee on Public Information service from the time of the opening of the Siberian Railroad by the Czechoslovaks in the summer — first of the road to Vladivostok from Harbin, where we were located for Compub work in June, and afterwards of the road through to the Urals, giving a chance for general Siberian work. The first survey of the field in Vladivostok y^F^s made by William Adams Brown, jr., who was sent do^n from Harbin in July to arrange the first showings of Afmerican propaganda motion pictures in Vladivostok. Mr. Brown arranged two successful showings of the films in the Summer Garden. He also canvassed the field in the city generally and telegraphed his conclusions as to the need for establishing Compub work in Vladivostok. Our instructions from Washington M^ere only to go to Harbin and to start Compub work there. It seemed obvious, however, that the more centers in which publicity work could be organized, the better; and since it was possible to finance some work in advance of the arrival of the director, Arthur Bullard, with his party, telegraphic instructions were sent to Brown in Vladivostok to make preliminary arrangements and to engage a Vladivostok Russian assistant. He tentatively engaged Mr. Tilicheieff, who was formerly with us in Irkutsk, and returned to Harbin to report. I went to Vladivostok from Harbin early in August. The need of work was being urgently pointed out by the consulate and by Admiral Knight, commander of the cruiser Brooklyn^ as well as by Americans generally who passed through the district. No representative of the Committee on Public Information had ever been stationed there. The cruiser Brooklyn was doing everythiiig possible to spread American information, giving the wireless reports of news received daily to the American consulate, which in turn distributed the dispatches to the daily papers. This was all that these already overbusy representatives of the American Government could do. This was the situation at the beginning of the Compub campaign in the middle of August. We made the first tasks to secure offices and a staff, get the telegraph news service organized to furnish authorized translations for the press, get a special article service started, continue the showing of American motion pictures, and start the printing of the pamphlet, "Letters of an American Friend," which has been successful in Russia and for which we" had the text. Our idea was to have two bases in readiness for the director on his arrival, in working order, with the necessary initial staff in the offices, so that either one could be developed as a main Otiice if necessary, or continued as a branch office. The choice fell to Vladivostok, the Harbin work being continued as subsidiary. Preliminary loork. — Through the courtesy of the Russian- American Chamber of Commerce my Russian assistant and I were given the temporary use of one room in an office at 6T Svethanskaya (the main street), until we coukl find more suitable permanent quarters. This became the American Press Bureau until about the middle of September. In it we started to issue a daily English bulletin of the telegrams for the Allied consulates and officials, and this also went to the French Red Cross for translation for the French troops. The daily bulletin was also translated into Russian and distributed to the Russian newspapers in Vladivostok, Nikolsk- Ussurisk, and Harbin, which latter city received the English dispatches daily over the Railroad Mission telegraph wire free, the service from Peking being discontinued. A repetition of the American motion pictures was arranged for the benefit of Czecho-Slovak wounded, and the pictures were run ofi' to good audiences. Selections were also made from material of the Foreign Press Bureau, brought from Harbin, and a series of special articles was started out to the editors of the various papers for reprinting. The service was coordinated with that sent out from Harbin, and the articles were well received and often published by the papers. These were the activities under way when I left for Japan at the end of August to meet Mr. BuUard's party, leaving instructions to keep up the search for a larger permanent office on the main street and to continue to get in touch with translators and typists, and have a list ready for an office staff if needed on our return. This work Mr. Carl E. Krantz did very efficiently and faithfully. I could not give him better credit for his activity and loyal work in my absence than by stating the results of it. On my return early in September with the bulk of the Bullard party— Mr. Bullard himself having gone to Harbin by way of Korea before coming down to Vladivostok — Mr. Krantz had ready a list of about 25 qualified translators and typists, and had followed up one of the various possible office propositions on which he had been working so that we secured these offices in the store of Konovaloff, at Svetlanskaya 10, equipped them, and were able to move shortly after the middle of September into well-located and roomy offices with a large window on the main street where maps and display bulletins could be shown. We had also in the meantime arranged for the use of two living rooms in the house where he was staying, and this was later extended to the use of five rooms, which were adequate for the temporary needs of the committee men passing through Vladivostok, thus solving the difficult problem of living space in this extremely congested city. Eight to ten men, for the period of a month or six weeks, slept and breakfasted together in these rooms, using one as a central living room. Motion Picture Division. — The first problem upon arrival from Japan, aside from the closing of the contract for the press office on Svetlanskaya, was the securing of adequate space for the development of a motion-picture laboratory. The following memorandum of G. S. Bothwell, technical director, indicates some of the difficulties encountered in establishing in Vladivostok the Motion Picture Division of the Committee on Public Information up to January 18, 1919: We arrived in Vladivostok early in September and started immediately to find a suitable building. We were switched about from place to place by the local government until we were entirely disgusted. Filially we got a requisition for No. 7 Suifunskaya. The tenants in this building were practically out of business on account of the war. In the first place, we had brought no apparatus or chemical supplies along to make titles, as we did not expect to do this work and we knew nothing about the water or climatic conditions. As it was almost impossible to get any of this apparatus from the United States within a reasonable time on account of transportation facilities, we decided to buikl our own stuff out of raw material, siich as could be foimd here, and buy our chemicals in Japan. It might be well to mention that up to this time no one had been able to make moving pictures or moving-picture titles in Siberia. The English tried it at Archangel and failed and the Young Men's Christian Association and Red Cross tried it in Vladivostok and failed. The biiilding we worked in is like most other buildings in Vladivostok. It neither has water supply nor sewerage systems, as this is almost unknown in this place. In order to turn out any quantity of these titles we found it necessary to have running water and at an expense of 25,000 rubles, we put in a water supply and sewerage system which meets all requirements of the city's laws. However, after this system was completed and all arrangements had been agreed upon, the city authorities refused to turn water on and kept us three weeks or more without running water. We had employed about 30 people in the Film Division and only one in the whole bunch ever saw a moving-picture film before. Experienced help in this line is simply out of the question. A]l goods shipped liere were considerably damaged in transit in Japan or by the customs people, possibly both. We found it necessary to establish a machine shop, and as the Russian Government had many lathes lying on the wharves rusting and fast becoming worthless we tried to requisition one. We were switched - from one party to another by the Russian authorities until we were fighting mad and at last pinned them down to facts. We were informed 'that if we deposited 16,000 rubles in a bank a commission would let us know how much they would charge us for a lathe worth at the most $50. Despite these obstacles, for the past month we have been turning out about 2,500 feet of completed titles each day, quite a number of still pictures, and some motion pictures, both negative and positive. Shortly after we arrived, about October 1, 1918, we received 70 reels of film — weeklies, current events, and news pictures. These had been sent to Harbin, Manchuria. We loaned them to the cruiser Brooklyn and People's House (Narodni Dom). The Brooklyn exhibited to Czecho- Slovaks and Russians as well as American troops. The People's House was an all-Russian audience and they used an interpreter. The Young Men's Christian Association had a number of pictures belonging to us. Around the 1st of October, we secured some of this •film and loaned it to the Cooperative Society, and they sent it intO' all the towns and villages they could reach. Transportation was simply terrible. It is beyond me to describe it. The Cooperative Society sent a lecturer-translator on these trips, as our film had English, titles and was almost as understandable as it would be if you showed motion pictures with Russian titles In the United States. Union of Amur Cooperatives also used most of our educational film in the schoolhouses in and around Vladivostok. About the middle of October we received our shipment of machines and film that we brought to Japan and the Japanese held up when we reshipped from Kobe to Vladivostok. This is a long story, and it is not possible 'to exactly place the responsibility. However, after we received this film, we mad(> many attempts to get distribution and found it most discouraging. The picture houses - would not use these pictures without Russian titles and graciously offered to show them for us if we would insert good Russian titles and pay them for exhibiting first-class American films. We then got the Vladivostok Zemstvo (Russian self-government for local districts) interested with fine results. They agreed to take our industrial and educational pictures throughout Siberia and show them in the towns and villages if we would supply the complete outfit consisting of generator, motion-picture machine, etc., which we gladly did, and the results were most satisfactory. The first show was for the agriculture districts and the reports were simply great. The village commune is common all over Siberia, and these people in many instances want to buy tractors and other farming implements collectively. They ask no end of questions and beg for farming instructors from America. They are also considering sending some of their own people to the United States to learn how to raise the tall stalks of corn we shSympathies of the Russian people toward America have always been great ones, and acquaintance by Russians with political and economic life of America have had a positive influence as to development of democratic ideas in Russia. The democratic institutions and structure of life of the United States always attracted the broad masses of Russian people. If the American Committee on Public Information would continue to exist and would enlarge the scope of its activities, it would be of great importance in bi'inging near America and Russia. Chita, March 1, 1919. To Mr. Clarkin, Chita, D. S.: I am glad to fulfill your proposal to write you my sincere opinion about the publications that you had been so kind as to send me, as well as to tell you whether they have been of any utility for Russians at the present crisis. That is rather a difficult task, for it is eqiiivalent to the evaluation of the importance of activities of the American Press Bureau and its Siberian branches for the population of Siberia. It seems to me) that the United States of America through their Press Bureau have made the first attempt in the world to speak immediately with the people and not with the Government and its agents. I don't know whether it has been their intention, but it has proved to be so. Notwithstanding the comparatively close neighborhood of America and Siberia, broad circles of Siberian population did not know America. Even the intelligenzia did not know this country, although they had studied in schools the denominations of American rivers, lakes, and cities. More precise representation about the industrial force of America had only two groups of population — traders and industrials, and workmen, followers of social democracy, the theoretics of which followed very attentively the economic successes of the trans-Atlantic Republic. But this knowledge was partial. The representation about American social life, about American schools, about the life of agricultural population, about ties of American public thought, etc., were very fragmental by all shades of Siberian population, and frequently even false. A most insignificant correction brought into this false representation about America Russian emigrants who returned from America after the February revolution. Most of them had no general view on the many-folded and many-sided life of America ; they evidently knew only one corner of America, and a very narrow one. The first American publications in 1917 and 1918, in general, did not attain their end, and augmented very little the acquaintance with America among broad masses of Russian people. They were being sent mainly to governmental and public institutions, i. e., to a group of city inhabitants who were very deeply engaged in social-political affairs and strife and paid very little attention to publications which they were receiving from time to time. That is perhaps a generalization which is not quite true, but it was so in Irkutsk and trans-Baikalian Provinces in 1917 and in the first half of 1918. The circumstance that the material of the publications of the American Press Bureau was a very official one, and I would say dry, attributed to such an attitude toward them. Toward the end of 1918 circumstances changed fully. On the one side the Importance of America in the economic life of the world and its decisive and crushing part in the World War became not merely plain and sensibly clear, but the consciousness of that penetrated to the very bottom of illiterate Siberian villages. At the same time over the Siberian population was pending the threat of a strong - and undesirable political and economic influence on the part of Japan. This especially alarmed the population, for the Japanese Government was supporting and helping monarchical and reactionary elements that appeared on the surface after the overthrow of Soviet power by Czecho-Slovaks. All that raised an intensive interest toward America which could not be sufficed by far by official telegrams and declarations. Just at that time started appearing the Friendly Word, which had put to itself much broader tasks than previous publications. But the new journal would not have acquired such a pi;blicity as it enjoyed if the bureau would not have come near to the population by opening branches in Siberia, and particularly in Chita. Through cooperative societies, which number only in the eastern part of trans-Baikalia reaches 500, the publications of the bureau were being distributed among the masses of rural population, and owing to the above-mentioned general interest in America they have been welcome visitors. But have they been useful to Russians? If utility will be evaluated by rubles and copecks, then of course not. But if one means utility, that knowledge precise representation about 'near and remote neighbors give us, then obviously they have been very useful ; from the chaos of fantastic representations about the land of dollars and trust companies has emerged the real America. But except the service that the publications of the bureau have rendered to Siberia and its population America itself has profited by them ; it has raised its authority and popularity. It is to be said that especially during the last time, perhaps owing to the wide information activities of the bureau, the period of indefinite sympathies or unsympathies toward America on the part of the whole population has ended, and the position of certain public groups has proved to become definite. The turning point, without any doubt, has been the project of the league of nations, the decision of the peace conference concerning conference on Princes Island, and partly also the Habarovsk incident. Reactionary monarchical groups headed by various nominal governments of separate Provinces of Siberia have realized that America is not intended to back them in all their desires, that it does not thirst to cover European Russia with blood only with the end to suffice ' dark and exasperated masses and political parties of maximalists doctrine by the rule "for one eye two, for a tooth a jaw" as it is being applied now in Siberia; but they are sincerely striving to establish perhaps a bad but nevertheless a civil peace, and want to diminish useless bloodshed (Habarovsk). These groups are now showing their wrath toward America that they were hiding before. Counting with the physical power of America (these gentlemen are always acknowledging only physical force as a dog a stick) they have limited their actions with a few excesses only. Trading and industrial circles were for a long time unconditional partisans of America following their traditional, since 1905, feeling of enmity toward Japan. During the last time one begins to perceive also here a hesitation. I will not try to find out the reasons of this phenomenon, the more so for they are not difficult to understand, I only will mention the fact that President Wilson, about whom the representative of these groups, the Kadet Party, was speaking with respect, has suddenly become "Mister Wilson," and all his projects have proved to be "theoretical" ; briefly, the right Siberian press have made the same turning to the right as the Paris reactionary papers. Partisans of the fallen Soviet power who railed before the American militarism not less than the Anglo-French one practically have begun to confess the point of view of America, although officially they have not changed their position. In cases of crying violences workmen and peasants were striving to find protection, or at least sympathy, not at Frenchmen or Italians, but at representatives of America. These groups represent an insignificant minority of Siberian popiilation, while the great majority of Siberian peasants, a considerable part of workmen, and middle classes of city population — are true friends of America., And I think I may say that these sympathies are based upon a solid material foundation. The Siberian peasant needs agricultural machines which he may have quickly and comparatively cheap only from America. If Siberia has to become the arena of activities of foreign capital it would not be indifferent to the Siberian workmen and intelligenzia whether this will be Japanese, French, or American capital. Russian population has enough experience to know that Japanese capital would come not only with its machines (oftentimes imported from other countries), administration, but also with their own workmen and employees, that French capital would do the same (except importation of workmen), while American business men would not do that. Meantimes on Russian soft-bodied business men close connection witli American spirit of enterprise does not smile. The Siberian democracy is headed by two organizations — cooperatives and Zemstvo and city self-governments. By informing them the American Press Bureau and its branches were informing the whole organized population. In Trans-Baikalia this has bee.n attained rather completely and even perfectly. The publications of the bureau interested but did not satisfy always. One was feeling lack of information about American cooperatives, municipal and workmen life, about social-political grouping. The last numbers of Friendly Word show the tendency to discuss also these sides of life of America. In connection with the departure of the branches of the American Press Bureau among Siberian readers of its publications arises the question whether the information activities of the bureau would continue, and if it would so, in what a form. It is difficult to suppose that nations after this four years' slaughter just finished would be, satisfied by unorganized, incomplete, and oftentimes pursuing practical aims, information of newspapers party and sometimes commercial interests of which impede them from being objective. It seems to me that big weekly newspapers, like the London Times, the Paris Temps and Matin, the New York Tribune, Herald, and others, the Philadelphia Public Ledger, etc., are giving little real representation about the life of their respective country as a lively street of some large city about domestic life of these people and their public and scientific interests. On the other side, one has to fear that these papers would swallow the whole flora of the terrestrial globe. . . Therefore, I think that such brief reviews of life of the country which the Friendly Word started to give to Russian readers one should prefer to huge bunches of newspaper paper overheaped with bagatelles and information of transitory interest. While closing the branches of its Committee on Public Information America would, perhaps, continue issuing yearbooks or monthly papers that might be published in languages of the whole civilized world. For immediate collaboration in such publications might be admitted representatives of all ties of social, economic, and political life and thought, as by this the authority and wealth of contents would be augmented. I think that I am not mistaken when I say that, owing to the approaching activities of representatives of the American Press Bureau, democratic America will never again become a strange country of industrial kings to the population of Siberia, and that Siberian and American rural population and workmen will establish in the next future, through their economic organizations, the cooperatives, a close business and spiritual collaboration. Yours, truly, K. Lux, Secretary of Trans-Baikalian Union of Cooperative Societies. 2 a ■n •ON ^RaaAV !:::;;:;:: o o ;::;;; ;g g ; ; ! 1 1 1 lo" o" ■ON ^RsaAV 'i6,'666' 10,000 •21 •ON ^H99AV 10,000 10,000 10,000 1 10,000 •11 •ON ^H99AV •siaiqd -niBd snqdi?x ! 1 ! '. ! ! ! 1 o ■ ! ! ! I '. 1 I ! o • t^ ■ 1 I ! 1 1 ! ! ' o '.'.'.'.'.'.'■'■ o ■ON ^R99Ai "i6,'666' 10,000 •6-0NA2199AV 10,000 10,000 •8-0N^R99AV "ii,'666" 11,000 •^•onA5I89jW 9,000 9,000 •9^onA3199M !!'.!!! 1 1 !o ;:::::::;§ 1 1 ! ! ! I I 1 ioj 1 ! ! ; ! I ! ! o III!!!!! o ~ I 1 1 ! 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III!!!!! 0 I :::::: : g_^ III!!!!! co" •puauj UBO ] a 9 ni Y UB jb SJ9^ia'i ooo ■ • • • ■ ■ ooo O O O 1 • 1 ; ; ; ^"c^-o" ■;;;;; i i I : i 1 i I ° III 1^ Ill '^ Nov. 25 Dec. 10 Dec. 18 Dec. 26 Jan. 3 Jan. 10 Jan. 17 Jan. 24 Jan. 31 Feb. 13 Feb. 20 Feb. 28 Mar.2 Mar. 10 Mar. 17 Mar. 24 Mar. 31 Total 'is 0 ■ m l> t-T' >> • ■^o ,I>j'^ oo" rn" o" O O C5 S "^ 03 — ^►2 CO tH s^ . o o 5~ 3°° o o CC !N S d OO > . o o 3'" S 6 o o o o !^:z; oo" r-T oT y^ o o 3© 0) „• § 8 8^ oo" r-T oT h ■ o o o 3'-''. o o o (M 00 O S ^ IC '^ >. . o o 3 '^ Im Os S d lo" i-T t^ >> . o o 3" o o (N 00 2 5 Itf CO" ■|1i a 03 o 8 S § 1 C-l 00 o c lO' C> . o o 3-^. o o o» 00 S d ic" to" eri- Acsin ria. o o o o ' (N 00 S C S el S.Q rjT ocT -^ *> o" *^g-;3m rH )-f Tf ,d cstj o o o o .23 D.'^ t- CO cq stters fan meri- 3an lend. »0 O lO o (N O t:^ O »o o ^ o (n" i-h" o" iM o o ^°^ e T-l C^ rt C^l Lh Vj -»-3 rt CO 5b SjO ft to ft ri _g ft ft +J .— 1 +J a> 't^ p. OT ^i .a : xi ft an . 3 ' o o 3 , o j3 S 5 o • "o 3 fl+f M d'c^ 3 e °3s^a^ai 4^g^.^-„^,io c (^ O J pq ^ .9 t^ p o'-2 o bM W CO h^o CO £ o!^ o K S h^ e e :s .9 .3 o cc P -S fH tf rt N pi K? S ^ i S t^ 1 ?= 3 S^ t! ^""S ^ 2 ©■^."S .> a SS ^ > ra ^ H 03 r-'^ 4^ Ct gS g S q .2 ■^ a.* '-' Oj Qj ^i >;■" gT3.S3 « [£; M s ^'^ ^ ©•-T3 ra " '^ >> S ■" ® d A^ o > -rt>^ , >> .• O O It « -H OS Amer can Activi in Russi t~ CO Si ff) lO C-d o 'I > • ft '-< a £ a| xl ~o +J Oj , •S ill ■g °^ 1 ii ■-S 111 "cS .2 ft.- "3 (>■. TO j3 J2 ±! •■" .2 o § He E- Committee articles printed in the Ekaterinl)urg papers between Dec. 12 and Feb. 11, 1919. Uralskaya Jizni : Economic Help in Russia.* Land Reform in California. How War has Effected Schools in America. Night Schools in America. How Wilson Brought Industrial Peace. Wilson's Explanation of His Third Peace Point.* Agricultural Finance in America.* History of Tanks. Prohibition of Child Labor in America. Mrs. Wilson to Allied Women. Public Education in America. The Steel Mule. Otetchesvennia Viedomosti : Work of American Red Cross.* How the American Army is Chosen.* Work of Prof. Russell. Quotation, first editorial in Friendly Word. Activity of Y. M. C. A.* Note on Dr. E. J. Billion.* Wilson's Explanation of His Third Peace Point Significance of recent Congressional Elections in America.* Gorni Krai : American Policy in Siberia.* How the American Army is Chosen.* Living Conditions of American Worknjen. Eight Hour Day in America. Growth of League of Nations Idea.* Ural Economy : Life of the American Farmer.* Financial Facilities of the American Farmer.* Education of the American Farmer.* A complete analysis of all material in the Ekaterinburg papers touching America will be found in my report letters in my ofiice files. Wm. Adams Beown, jr. Articles sent to Svobodnaya Perm. Various News. Freedom of Religious Worship. Newspapers in America. Wholesale Ship Building. Telephone System. Y. M. C. A. Pamphlet. Farmers Non-Partizan League. 1 Articles written or prepared by Wm. Adams Brown, jr. Organizing Three Million Farmers. Wliy Farmers Supported the War, Land for Returned Soldiers. Industrial Peace. Justice to Workers. Influence of War on American Education. Democratic Education. United States and Poland. Polish Heroes. Use of American Fleet after the War. Articles sent to papers in other cities than Ekaterinberg. Sent January 20 : Tieumen, Svobodnoe Slovo— American Activity in Siberia. Special Government Loans to Farmers. Tractors in Agriculture in America. Difficult Position of American Socialists. Tobolsk, Tobolsk Peoples Word — American Activity in Siberia. Schools of America are Clubs for the People. Why Farmers Supported the War. Learning Agriculture on these Farms. Petropavlosk, Edinstvo — American Activity in Siberia. Article of Walsh on Democratic Principles in Industry. Land Allotments for Returning American Soldiers. Rotation of Crops. Irbit, Irbutski Viestnik — American Activity in Siberia. Article of Walsh on Democratic Principles in Industry. Tractors in Agriculture in America. Public Opinion in America. To be sent two weeks later: Tieumen, Svobodnoe Slovo— A Country League of Nations. Rotation of Crops. Land Lots for Returning Soldiers. Y. M. C. A. Soldiers. Tobolsk, Tobolskoe Norodnoe Slovo — Article of Walsh on Democratic Principles in Industry. Rotation of Crops. Various News. Y. M. C. A. Pamphlet. Petropavlosk, Edinstvo — United States and Labor. Effort Toward Democratic Education in the United States. Why the Farmers Supported the War. Y. M. C. A. Pamphlet. Articles sent to out-of-town papers. Irbit, Irbitski Viestnik: Insurance of Soldiers' Health. Steel Mule. School Rooms Help in Industrial Democracy. Special Government Loans to Farmers. Y. M. C. A. Pamphlet. Articles given to , of the Russian Information Bureau, to take to Omsk for the newspaper " Russian Army.'" What the American Soldier Reads. Kinematograph Accompanies the Soldier. Armament for tlie American Soldier. Trying out Airmen in America. Soldiers in Camp Read. Taft on Training Camps. One Hundred and Fifty Students under Arms. Further, asked him to ask Winters for the draft system article. Letter from Mrs. lanchevetski reporting on the work done for the committee in Cheliabinsk : Cheliabinsk. February 12. Dear Mr. Beown : I beg to advise you that up to the present time vv^e have not received Nos. 4 and 5 of the journal Friendly Word. The other journals and brochures sent by you were received in the . following amounts: Copies. (1) Friendly Word, No. 1 2,500 (2) Friendly Word, No. 2 3,000 (3) Friendly Word, No. 3 1, .500 (4) American Activity in Siberia 3,000 (5) German Attempt to Control Russia 2,500 (6) 14 Peace Points of President Wilson 1,500 (7) Young Men's Christian Association.- 1, 500 (8) Posters of the League of Nations; Speech of President Wilson, Sept. 27, 1918 8,000 (9) Letters of an American Friend 2,500 (10) America and Peace 1, 750 (11) German peace offer posters 1,000 The literature received is distributed in Cheliabinsk and the surrounding district among teachers, priests, schools, liigh scliools, cooperative societies, hospitals, military hospital stations, newspaper offices, libraries, reading rooms, army staffs, and private individuals. A part of the literature received is sent to Zalotoust to the Zemskaya Uprava for similar distribution among the population of Zalatoust and the surrounding district. In Cheliabinsk an office has been organized where all who wish to may receive daily the free literature of the committee. This office is open from 9 to 12 and from 3 to 6 daily. For the work of this office there has been engaged a secretary, Mr. Sokolof, a journalist, weU acquainted with publicity work. The literature of the committee interests every one very much. There are received daily new requests for sending literature and expressions of gratitude for the sympathetic attitude of America toward Russia. For the expenses of the office and mailing I gave Mr. Sokolof 550 rubles, for which he will account. He will also account for the distribution of the literature. A full account of the expenses incurred by Mr. lanchevetski we can give only in Omsk, where he is now. In the absence of Mr. lanchevetski, the office will be in charge of Mr.' Sokolof. Yours, truly, M. Ianchevetski. Letter from M. E. Dementief, Tiumen: Jantjaey 24 1919. Deak Sik : With sincere thanks I confirm the receipt of the journal the Friendly Word, Nos. 1 and 2, several copies, and several pamphlets which I will try to distribute among the population. Many replies were received to the proposition made in your circular with regard to the receiving of the journal by individuals here, and there will be many more, so that it will hardly be possible to satisfy all who desire the journal, and as it will hardly be convenient to trouble you with sending the journal to many individual addresses, wouldn't it perhaps be better to do as follows : Send a lai-ger number of copies to my address, and then I, as director of the Tiumen Public Bank, member of the Householders' Committee, president of the Association of the Clergy, and acquainted with many different classes of the population, can distribute them, thus relieving you of the inconvenience of sending to a large number of addresses every week. At present you may send 50 or more copies weekly. Yours, etc., M. E. Demetief. Letter from the Teachers' Union of the Ural : January 17, 1919. Deae Sik : On the 14th of the present month I had the pleasure of receiving 50 copies of the journal Friendly Word, kindly sent by you. Expressing my thanks for the consideration shown our organization by you, I am glad to testify to the real interest on the part of the members of the union in your serious and interesting journal. The number of members of our union is more than 150 in Ekaterinberg, and I was able to give your journal to only a part of them. Very sincerely, yours, E. Stoeogi, Chairman Union Teachers. Letter from the Ekaterinberg Educational-Economic Association (Kulturno-Ekonomiclieski Soiuz) : Januaey 18, 1919. Deae Sir: The Executive Committee of the Educational-Economic Association of Elcaterinberg expresses its deep gratitude for Nos. 1 and 2 of the Friendly Word that were sent to it. The committee fully shares the thought that a friendly union of peoples is possible only when there is the fullest and most many-sided mutual acquaintance with the conditions of life and the ideals of the peoples. The committee takes advantage of the opportunity to say that in this connection the Friendly Word fully accomplishes its end. Therefore the committee is taking every measure toward the distribution of the journal among its members and asks you, if possible, to increase the number of copies sent. Yours, etc., D. , Vice Chairman. Letter from the divisional traffic superintendent of the Perm Railroad (receiving 200 copies) : January 10, 1919. Dear Sir : By the present I inform you that the copies of the Friendly Word sent us are being given out by hand to the employees and the workmen, and have won the sympathy of the readers, and I therefore respectfully ask the bureau to send 800 copies every week. Yours, etc., , Superintendent. [← Work in Russia: The Installation](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/38-work-in-russia-the-installation/) [Work in Russia: Archangel →](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/40-work-in-russia-archangel/) Complete Report of the Chairman of the Committee on Public Information, George Creel, Chairman, Committee on Public Information. A work of the United States government, printed by the Government Printing Office in 1920, so not protected by copyright in the United States (17 U.S.C. 105) and in the public domain by age as well. The Library of Congress states that it is unaware of any copyright restrictions on the item. [Provenance and rights](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/).