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Show AUTOCRATIC ANSWER. The Russian government is apparently appar-ently unwilling that the light be turned on in darkest Siberia, to which country coun-try the German and Austrian prisoners pris-oners have been sent for safe- keeping. The Washington administra- ! tion, at the instance of the Austrian j embassador, recently requested pcrmis- sion for neutral diplomatic officers to j make an inspection of these prison 1 camps. Permission also was asked to distribute food, money and clothing to the doubly unfortunate prisoners ot war. So confident was the government that the latter request would be answered favorably that a relief expedition had already started from Peking to tho northern wilderness. It was not to be. The Petrograd authorities have cabled that distribution of food, money and olothine will be permitted only through the Ruffian military, specifically declining declin-ing to yive foreign relief expedition? that privilfge. 'o mention was made of the reque-t for an icpc-Uon of the jiison camps and no'hing was ?aid a to the condition of the prisoners. Russia will have only herself to blame if the worst possible construction is 'placed upon her action iu this matter. j The stories of unrpckable cruelty prac- I ticed upon political exiles in Liberia are tttill fresh iu the minds of all civ. ilizd people and grave fears as to the fate of the German and Austrian prisoners pris-oners will naturally arise, uot only among their countrymen, but among all "ivijized people hi well. Whilo the present pres-ent war may be regarded as a relapse Jin the direction of barbarism, tho government gov-ernment of the czar cannot be excused for their refusal to allow an inspection of these can. pp. If tlx1 prifuoers are; being well treated and arc well fed, no sh'itne would attach to the Russiaus , and an inspection would dispel all doubts. Judging by the autocratic an-1 .iwer to the request of the United St:ites ihe suspicion that all is uot well with the German and Austrian prisoners ot war in Siberia has well nigh developed into a certainty. The Russian officials are evidently am ring t hose who "hate the light because their deeds are dark." |