The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 24, 1907, Page 9

P Rose L. Ellerbe T ‘IS hard for us ‘to realize,:as we read the newspaper accounts of up- risings, assassinations, revolutionists and anarchists, that the igreat -body of the Russian people, the peasantry, eare going on'quietly with the bufiness of their lives and are but little con- cernéd’ in:-politieal - affairs. . But #he peasants are engrossed with the one great demand of -nature—food”enough to keep life in‘their bodies—they have no time for public questions, for public action—uniess life itself is in danger. A et, Russia is an agricultural na- tion Eighty per cent of the popula- tion® exists by -tilling the' seil; but the long, cold seasons, when all. farming operations ‘must cease, necessitate some other employment for the farmer than farming, since he -cannot possibly make endugh 7out{*of "the ‘small allot- ments of lands controlled by the peas- ants to supply’ hisi fdmily the year round. And.thus;the peasant farm- ers are -also: workers at‘many- crafts and arts, and what 'is.’known, as “the cottage industries” are the most impor- tant manufacturing interests of' Russfa. Working with crude tools .and simple appliances, in their own ' homes or’in village workshops, the peasants turn out “woodwork ‘of +'every -description, from the tiniest figure whittled out with-a -knife to a:sleigh or ‘an-elabo- rately carved.piece of furniture. Toys, most ingenious in idea.and construc- tion; wooden' spoons, * decorated ' with quaint designs, and many other things: gre made. | They.make lacquer work in some parts of Russia and'in Moscow is a factory established by. a peasamt who had discovered a process—kept a profound secret—for making a laequer which is exceedingly beautiful. Many of. the articles tuined out by this fac- tory are decorated by artists and are cameo-like' in.their brilliancy and fin- ish. 1In other districts iron and brass is worked. The bells, for which Russia is famous, -padlocks] kettles, samovars, chandeliers, candlesticks -and °many other things, ‘are.designed and made by hand 'In - these home factories.’ In several districts - the inhabftants are mostly Moslems, and the Moslems are workers in silver.. They. turn out:but- tons, bucklee and theé ornaments which . are worn by their women, cunningly wrought by hand and ‘shawing tfie touch of Oriental art‘in thelr designs. The making ‘of icens, or the rellgious pictures which are found in cvery home and church, is‘anbther branch of“in- dustry that occupies many men .and women. L But thesmen are'not the only workers in ‘the homes. The women of Rusefa make annually a large output of laces, drawnwork, embroideries, linens and homespun cloths. ' The lacemaking in- duStry has been greatly fostered of lafe vears by the schools.epened by the Gov- ermment and by nobleyémen ' for teacli- ing -the lace:. workers,” supplying them with patterns and implements and aid- ing them in dlsposing ‘of’their ‘warcs. The schoels have done much to. in- crease’ the quantity ‘and improve‘the quality of the work done by the peasant woinen. ‘These women are now: making most elaborate ) and - beautiful {laces-s- valenciennes, polnt de Venise,' Flemish, Irigh point,'and so'on, as.well as their own distinctive: patterns, which are most beautiful, and original’ in design. They-also make most exquisite drawn- work, such 'as’ centerpleces, -table- cloths, and “towels”—which ft wouia be a' desecration to use as towsls—altar- pleces and - many : other ings. Into their laces.and drawnwork they often weave colored threads, dyed in their own vegetable dyes, Which never fade. Thelr homespun - linens are some of them, as fine as any linen manufac- tured, and are much more durable than ordinary: linens. Many pieces of théir work represent weeks and months of painstaking labor, as well as'much ar- tisric instinet and skill. In one district the women weave a clpth, known as “plachta,” from coarse wool and cotton. The patterns are elab- orate and brilliant in ¢oloring, and the goods, used by its makers-as a skirt, or petticoat, ;the only garment worn, makes an ‘ideal fabric for draperies. Wages of Ten Cents a Day The wages, earned by these “kustari,” or homewaorkers, are:pitifully small. - And the payment recélved by the wo- men for theéir needlework is almost unbelievable—amounting, it 'is ’esti- mated, to 4n average of not more than 10 cents per.day. —The chicf market for their wares shas been the peddler. or middleman, who travels through. the country, stepping in each village ‘and purchasing the work for almost noth- ing.; “Thesese en ‘and women in' turn sell the work to the merchantssat.an . .enormous-advance over:the prices pald the workers; and the merchants, :of _course, . reapa . rich’ harvest. from the product :of “the" peasantwoman's toil. . The schiools and the. league, which are striving to better -the conditions of the lace workers, ‘have ‘endeavored to -assist in marketing the laces, but with ' indifferent success. The damand- in-Russia- was supplied-and. the work THE PEASANT was &lmost unknown In other coun- tries. It remalined for a noblewoman, now. residing in California, to furnish a prac- tical solution of the problem and find a new ‘market for the needlework of the Russian peasant women, Madame Verra Kalematiano de Blumenthal had been Interested in the efforts to aid the lace makers before leaving Russia. In! this country her heart was still with her suffering countrywomen. While living in Chicago, ‘she talked with Professor Milukoff of her wish to help in the work and, as a result of “this conversation, a copsignment of laces was sent to her. She exhibited these to the little coterie of friends whom she had gathered about her. The homes of society and- philanthropic women ‘were ‘thrown open to her, the needlework was _exhibited and Madame de_Blumenthal- told, in .her own- pic- turesque “‘way, the story of the Rus- slan peasant warkers. - The laces were sold at prices far below any ever be- ore’ paid for' ‘“real ‘lace” in this coun- try, but which netted the-lace makers more ‘than they had ever before re- ceived for their. work. More goods were at opce sent to Madame de Blu- menthal, and for the past three years she has ‘given ‘herself "heart and spul to the disposal of the handiwork of her - countrywomen. = She soon found ~'that she 'could not meet the demand alone. .- Ladles - in ‘ varfous citles, ‘who “ had become interested in the work and the workers, “assisted her by selling the laces in their own homes and to. ‘their friends. Upon her removal to ‘Pasadena, -Cal, she aroused the same interest in the cause so dear to her, lecturing before many clubs and finding® many homes thrown open fam her exhibits. The goods .are consigned to her frem the various schools under the patron- age of Russian noblewomen. She pays the duty upon them and d&istributes them. When the goods are sold she remits the proceeds to the patroness of the schoel and it is’ distribyted dlrectly to the workers. Through the efforts of Madame de Blumenthal-in this coul= try the prices pald to the lace malcers have increased 40 per cent. - Her work is recognized by the ladies of the league in “Russia as. of the greatest value, and some of them have adopted her methods and -thrown : their own homes open for exhibitions and. sales of the needlework of the peasant wom= en—something hitherto . unknown. ia that country. Her services bave also been officially recognized by the zemstve of the district of. Riazan, from,whish many of her consignments coms, and they have sefit -her a . formally drawn letter of thanks for her assistance. The peasant women have appraciated her efforts, too, and to show,their prepared for,her a heautiful plece of - point de Moscow,. the ‘work of nearly thirty women, which' was sent to her as a gift. % It is probable that in the future most of_the hapd-made lace sold-in America will come from Russia, for.in that sor- rowful land still, and for many-years to.come, must exist. the conditions which make hand.crafts possible. Thus Madame _de Blumen ;hope of" & constantly, increasing patfonage and a commercially established market, which shall pay the workers a fair price for their labor, Is not unreasonable and may well become an assured fact. Al S WS T K