published by the National Geographic Society

“ So far every order coming from the Provisional Government, and having in view the complete defeat of the old régime and the establishment of the new order, has been executed by the people without bloodshed. The honor of the nation demands that the first radiant days of liberty be not befogged by thoughtless and intolerable acts of violence; such acts must be avoided in spite of the natural unrest of citizens.
“Conscious of the greatness of the moment, all citizens must voluntarily take all the necessary steps tending to preserve the liberty of every individual without the slightest exception. ”

“ I want to believe that we will find the solution for our problems, and that we will march forward along the open and bright road of democracy.
“The moment has come when every one must search the depths of his conscience in order to realize whither he himself is going and whither he is leading those who, through the fault of the old government, which held the people in darkness, regard every printed word as law. ”

“ Among these deadly carriers of death and destruction none equals the house rat in its tremendous drain on the prosperity of nations by its destruction of food and other property, while at the same time it is the deadliest of all to mankind as a disease carrier. ”

“ Comrades, soldiers and citizens, every step taken by the new government will be public. Soldiers, I beg of you to coöperate. Free Russia has become one, and no one will succeed in tearing freedom from the peoples' grasp. ”

“ Russia, liberated from the chains of slavery, is firmly resolved to protect, at all cost, the rights of honor and liberty. Having had faith in the fraternal feelings of nations, the Russian democracy has called the warring countries with an ardent appeal to cease the carnage and to conclude an honorable peace, securing tranquillity for all nations ”

“ The Isonzo is three-quarters of an hour's walk across the meadows, and on the hills, just about 10 miles away, the battle has been raging since our arrival. The big guns roar and thunder day and night; but we are already so accustomed to the noise that we often forget the sound and talk quite lightly of different things. ”

“ I would have died then happy with the dream that a new life has lit up in Russia; hopeful of a time when we could respect each other without resorting to the knout; hopeful that we could rule our Empire not as it was ruled by our previous despots. ”

“ Under my window hundreds of camions pass day and night—one long procession—carrying up fresh troops and ammunition, carrying down the wounded or those who have stood the strain of the fighting so long that they are being brought away to rest a little. At night the sky is fully illuminated by the flashes of explosives. ”

“ The Provisional Government has at its command full governmental powers.
“But in solving our problems we are in need of criticism and control; therefore do not be dismayed and do not think that criticism and control by the public is interfering with our work. We are the more in need of control and criticism by the Council of Soldiers, Workmen, Peasants, and Officers' Deputies, because they all represent the people and the Russian democracy. ”

“ I write in the hall of the hospital; it is the first day I have had a moment's respite, for here it is a continual coming and going of wounded men, who arrive either to die after a very short time, or after a few days to be transported to hospitals farther from the front. One needs a great moral courage, which I am able to give, little by little, with prayer and faith in all that is good. ”

“ In the United States the average is undoubtedly much larger than in any of the countries named, especially at present high prices of food and other merchandise.
There is no doubt that a very large number of rats subsist wholly on garbage and waste which is of no value, but the damage caused by rats in numerous places amounts to many dollars each a year; probably $5 a year would not be an overestimate for the average loss caused by each rat living in a dwelling, hotel, restaurant, or other place having ready access to food supplies. ”

“ The common house-frequenting rats are of three species, the brown, the black, and the roof rat. All are believed to be natives of Asia, whence they have spread to most parts of the world. In their relations to man their habits are so similar that they may be included in one account. The larger size, abundance, more general distribution, and aggressive predominance of the brown rat, also known as the Norway and wharf rat, has led to its being generally known as “the house rat.”
So far as known, these rodents are always and everywhere thoroughgoing pests, with no usefulness to man. ”

“ I haven't the previous confidence that we are not facing rebellious slaves, but conscious citizens engaged in the creation of a new Russia and going about their work with an enthusiasm worthy of the Russian people.
“They tell us that the front is no longer a necessity; fraternizing is going on there. Do they fraternize on the French front? No, comrades. If fraternize, then let us fraternize on both sides. Have not the forces of our adversary been transported to the Anglo-French front? ”

“ I fall asleep quickly, but we are often awakened at night by gas attacks and must go down to safety with our gas masks on. So one sleeps when one can. My soul has been obliged to go through a process of adaptation to the surroundings, to the visions, to the continual surprises; but little by little one acquires the courage to face it all. ”

“ The Austro-Germans have offered to Russia a separate peace and tried to blind our vigilance by fraternization, hurling themselves at the same time against our allies with the hope of crushing us after their defeat. Being now convinced that Russia will not allow herself to be tricked, the enemy is threatening us and concentrating troops on our front. ”

“ Our belief has not deceived us; the people have without hesitation set about organizing life. And the army does not as yet get all; but still it already gets more than has been the case under the old régime.
“As to the agrarian question, all that I can say is that by reason of my views and convictions I am in sympathy with the slogan, ‘Earth and Liberty.’ The people must get Earth and Liberty in their full scope. In this respect the Provisional Government has committed itself through ‘definitely’ assumed obligations. ”

“ Owing to the wide-spread distribution of ground squirrels in the United States, their proved susceptibility to this disease greatly increases the danger of future outbreaks of the plague in this country.
When it was learned that the bubonic plague is a rat disease which is transmitted to human beings by fleas, it became possible to fight it with intelligence. Owing to the universal distribution of rats and the increase of commerce between communities, the need of incessant vigilance to guard against sudden outbreaks of the plague is evident. ”

“ I made it plain to the Provisional Government that I appear as a representative of democracy, and that the Provisional Government must regard me as the spokesman of democracy's demands. Comrades, time is not waiting. Every minute is dear. I call you to organization, discipline ”

“ Surgeon General Blue's dictum that “rats must be built out of existence” well indicates the importance of rat-proofing in the war against these rodents.
One of the most effective campaigns ever conducted against rats has been that of the United States Public Health Service for the purpose of eradicating bubonic plague from San Francisco and New Orleans and to prevent its gaining a foothold in other American ports, but the results were much less than they might have been with more extended coöperation. ”

“ But we, the Provisional Government, are not in the least dismayed by such manifestations.
“We believe in the common sense, in the iron will of the people—to march to salvation and not to ruin, because no one desires to bring about his own ruin. We believe that in the end constructive problems and not isolated party slogans will triumph. ”

“ Rats should be exterminated not only to stop the tremendous losses of food and other property, to which attention has already been drawn, but in order to protect humanity from some of its most dreaded diseases. It has been conclusively proved that these rodents are practically the sole distributors of the bubonic plague which is communicated to human beings from infected rats by means of fleas. ”

“ In straight ranks, strengthened by discipline of duty and undying love to the revolution and country, we will go forward, free sons of Russia.
“Without discipline there is no unity of action; without discipline there can be no salvation. The fate of our liberty depends on whether the army and fleet will fulfill their duty to their country up to the very last. By vanquishing Tsarism the army has performed a great deal, having shown how one must love and battle for liberty. But I believe that the army will perform still greater deeds ”

“ They will, however, continue to be annoyed by the inroads of rats from neighbors, thus strongly evidencing the need of a still wider campaign against them. Any person failing to abolish rat shelters on his property is maintaining a public nuisance, menacing not only his own property and the health of his family, but that of his neighbors and the community at large. ”

“ I assure you that the question of land will not be solved without the consent of the front.
“For centuries we have grown accustomed to wait without getting anything, and now we want to get all without waiting a single day. To transform an Asiatic monarchy into the freest republic on earth, endeavoring to avoid mistakes made at various times in western Europe, is a problem that cannot be solved in the course of a few days. ”

“ Contessa de Robilant goes up about once a month to the hospitals herself, and has arranged for soldiers to take up our supplies about once a week. Her husband is the general who commands all the troops up in the Dolomites. Two of her daughters, splendid girls, nurse in a hospital which is packed upon mules and follows the army every time it advances. They work high up in the mountains, and are in Rome on leave now, as the snow is so deep in the advanced posts where they are stationed that there is at present no fighting. ”

“ The chronicles of the sea, before the development of steam power, contain many grisly tales of plague ships drifting helplessly on the ocean, their crews stricken with the mortal disease which we now know must have been carried on board by rats. ”

“ Organized efforts are necessary The only really satisfactory way of handling the rat problem is by organized efforts. This is particularly true, owing to the fact that even with all property owners doing their duty many public and semi-public places will remain to be treated. Here is where civic organizations, including boards of trade, may take leading parts. Rat-proofing and the formation of rat clubs for killing these rodents may be promoted in addition to encouraging individual efforts. ”

“ For a large part of each day rats in almost unlimited numbers swarm in and over this food, eating some of it, and polluting quantities of it which pass on to the consumer.
These repulsive conditions prevail largely because property owners desire to avoid the expenditure necessary to rat-proof buildings. This could be done at so small a cost that it is a discredit to civilization that communities of intelligent people should tolerate such unsavory and unhealthy conditions. ”

“ When the food supply suddenly decreases, following a period of plenty during which the rats have greatly increased in numbers, a migratory impulse appears to affect the entire rat population over large areas and a general migration takes place. At such times the rats are extraordinarily bold, swimming rivers without hesitation and surmounting all other natural obstacles. The first invasion of Europe, when rats swam the Volga, was an instance of this kind. ”

“ The soldier was about to go on with his argument when he was sharply interrupted by the Minister.
“Freedom does not mean the self-will of each and every one,” said Kerensky severely, “and the power instituted by the revolution is a real power. Russian sons have during decades past perished on the gallows; they have not given their lives in order to have the first coward that comes along place egotistical interest above the interests of the country and people.
“A real revolutionary never thinks of personal advantage or safety. ”

“ House rats are extremely numerous and are world-wide in distribution. At the present time they destroy annually hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of foodstuffs and other property, and through the distribution of bubonic plague and other diseases cause the deaths of untold numbers of human beings. These facts being known, why should we delay in vigorously using known methods for the elimination from our homes and communities of these wasteful and loathsome pests? ”

“ It should be kept in mind that so long as good shelter and plenty of food are available rats will thrive and increase. Under such conditions trapping alone will be ineffective, since unless otherwise controlled the supply of rats will be inexhaustible. Use concrete, wire netting, and sheet metal to rat-proof buildings, and keep food and foodstuffs within rat-proof containers (or buildings) , and the number of rats will naturally diminish. Then by means of traps or poison the survivors can be readily eliminated from the premises. ”

“ You doubt because there are several members of the Tsar family who are still at liberty, but at liberty are those only who in common with you have protested against the old régime and the rascalities of Tsarism. ”

“ As reported to Parliament by the Famine Commission, in 1881, a rat plague existed in southern Deccan and the Mahratta districts of India. Bounties were paid for destruction of rats and more than 12,000,000 were killed. On many occasions, both on the mainland as well as on islands, the unlimited increase of rats has finally led to the almost total loss of crops and other food supplies and resulting famines. ”

“ The greatest problem facing the Provisional Government at this time is to uphold the unanimity of mind and action of the Russian nation at this the crucial hour of our lives. At the present moment nothing threatens the solution of the problem. ”