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Rh mix the component races of the Empire as far as possible, and thus they send Poles to serve in Siberia, Finns and Letts to Turkestan, and Siberians to the Polish frontier. For instance I talked to several youths outside the barracks of the Siberian regiment in Krasnoyarsk who had come from districts as widely apart as Bessarabia, the Caucasus, and Archangel. The same principle underlies the policy of political exile. This mixing of races from all parts of the Empire has the effect of breaking down racial and religious barriers, and in this respect is undoubtedly progressive, although it is a somewhat crude method of bringing about this ideal. In other respects, however, it defeats the Government's own object, for it enables progressive ideas to be propagated more widely, and the reactionary element in the Government seems to be foolishly afraid of progress. Military service also helps in the levelling of social classes, and this is perhaps more the case in Russia than in most countries. It is true that the officers are seen driving about the streets of the town in "drofskies " with an air of social exclusiveness, but this in Russia is more apparent than real, and on the other hand you often see them talking and smoking with private soldiers. There is really no very great social barrier between officer and private, and the Russian officer, although often inefficient at his duties, is generally popular with his men.

In the big square opposite the cathedral is the bazaar. Formerly the greatest commercial media of exchange, the bazaars or public fairs are now gradually losing their importance in Siberia. In the old days the only means of exchange for the isolated