# Springfield Republican/1918/C. R. Crane extols Czechs in Siberia

C. R. CRANE EXTOLS CZECHS IN SIBERIA
Says They Are Brave and Orderly—Aided by Col Emerson and Paul Rainey
Chicago, Dec. 30—The present Russian situation is a puzzle and a muddle. No man truthfully can say that, aside from information, he really knows anything about it. The news the outside world has received concerning internal Russia is inaccurate, and has been so for months, for nobody who has been able to get out of Russia has been able to make a large survey of conditions. It has been, with individuals, a case of skulking and hiding and existing along one long groove before they could escape the iron ring of the bolsheviki.
This is the opinion of Charles R. Crane, former Chicagoan, who has just returned from a flying trip to the edge of Siberia.
“It was at Harbin I learned of the signing of the armistice,” said Mr. Crane, “and I at once lost interest in my journey and was only interested in getting back to America quickly. It seemed rather harsh of fate. I have been to Russia 22 times in the last 20 years and had always been anxious to get to Siberia, but had never reached it. Here I was on the edge, and the real mission that took me there—the desire to look personally into Russian conditions and to cross Siberia in getting into Russia—had no further interest.
“I met Col Emerson, an engineer officer of the American army, who was in Siberia when the Czecho-Slovak army made its appearance, and he joined and helped them. He was formerly president of the Great Northern railroad, a $35.000 job, and was glad to serve the country for $3000 in the war. A fine type of man he is.
The Czecho-Slovaks control Siberia from the Ural mountains, the Russian border, a distance of 2000 miles—almost as far as from Chicago to San Francisco, We would think it a remarkable thing for less than 40,000 men to garrison all the towns in that stretch of teritory, but this is what the Czecho-Slovaks have done. They put a handful of men in each town, surrounded by bolsheviki, and this handful managed to bluff and stand off the bolsheviki and retain control. It is wonderful.
“This Czecho-Slovak army was commanded by Gen Gaida, 27 years old, formerly a Mexican student. He must be a great organizer and strategist. When they landed in Siberia from the western front they had practically no arms. That didn’t worry them. The bolsheviki were well armed, and in many cases had German officers in command.
“What did the Cezcho-Slovaks do? They went at them, literally barehanded, often with rocks as their only weapons, fighting machine gun fire. They took machine guns and other weapons from their enemies and actually armed themselves with what they captured.
“They govern well. Although they lived for most part in boxcars while they were fighting, these cars were immaculate. Wherever they stayed in a town a few days they started little gardens and began to clean things up and put affairs in order—and keep them so. They did hard and severe fighting, bore hardships ungrudgingly, and certainly showed a stuff which augurs well for the new Czecho-Slovak republic. Col Emerson was intensely enthusiastic about them, and so was Paul Rainey, the African traveler, who was with them for a time, made some wonderful photographs, and went back to them. Col Emerson helped them to build roads and bridges which the bolsheviki destroyed in their retreat.”
Mr Crane said he might go to Europe soon, as he was interested in the new republics, and also in Robert and Constantinople colleges, in Constaninople. Of the latter—which is an institution for women—he is president, and of the former a trustee. He was enthusiastic over the work these colleges had done during the war, when they kept running constantly.