The Washington herald., 1915-10-10
RUSSIA UNAWED
BY FOES drive
People Unshakable in Deter
mination to Drive Ger
mans Back.
DANGER ACTS AS TONIC
Common Peril Weds Army and Nation
Together. Writes Cor
respondent.

London. Oct. 9-My friend. the Rus
sian author. Ivan Skooka, writes me from
Petrograd:
You ask me what the Russian people
and the Russian soldier think of the war
after our long retreat.
There is only one answer: Even be-
fore the Car took the supreme command
the long series of defeats had evoked in
Russia a universal. unshakable determl-
na ton to drive back the enemy. Com
mon danger welded army and nation to-
Gether
The Russian soldier of to-day stands
on a much higher level than ten years
ago In all regiments you find many
small traders. industrials, house owns RS
and men who have been trusted EN-
pluyees in public or private officers. all
men who have their roots among the peo-
, pie. hut who have advanced one step
higher on the social ladder and who
stand above the peasant soldier
Tho officers. too. are different AS in
all the other armies in this war the
majority of them are not professional Of
iicerS but officers of the reserve, who un-
I'll the wsr were engaged in peaceful
work-in science. art. literature industry.
commerce and agriculture. The great
majority OF them are reserve cornets.
that is. man Of liberal education who
have served their military term. but who
have not taken up an army career They
have proved excellent officers in this war
An old colonel writes about them: i
am more than pleased with them. They
are simply splendid. They perform their
duties in a mastery manner AS you
m expect of intelligent citizens of the
first ,l%SS. 1t is among these men you
I'D th.. greatest enthusiasm and the
most :;:ubl.orn determination to carry on
the war until final victory is ours
To show the feelings of these people
shall quote few examples. men who
are personally known to me.
"A young lieutenant of artillery, in pri-
Natc life famous tenor at the imperial
opera at PctroGrnd. had n chance to be
promoted to a rank which would relieve
him of the necessity of lying in the
trenches, where he might easily lose his
!1r" or at any rate. his voice. He re-
fused.
~ cannot accept it, he said. 7 am
too fond Of my pals. My voice? Nitche
wo. | have already an Inflammation of
the throat' He stayed with his battery
:nd went through the dreadful December
camraiSn. crossing river under heavy
tire he helped to drag gun across by
hamd. Asked why he sacrificed all he
had formerly lived for. he said.
'iier'nHny j: Eow the greatest danger
to f.TOp". nd has for wears kept Europe
from Ii iH- life of culture ] want to
take an :, tive part in the destruction of
l'TusSiam miitariSm.'
A coTnct. in private life a Siberian
lrrCh mt and u very Young man vet.
,amc along. walking with difficulty.
Asked il hc was wounded he said: No.
] got rheumatism in the trenches last
winter
80 You ought to try to get cYed.'
" oh. no. Why? ! am much better
row bat during the winter | was
wreck. | was in the trenches unable
I. rt"vc but stuck to my post and in
t,.l., Ia do so. as long as / have drop
-. blood left.
sch i the sentiment among Russian
"'.c.ry. II give clear description of
'r.. f".'!:i:S Of our soldiers is far more
difficult. AS far as it is possible to form
ia OBI. ion on the basis of the little ]
l:,,. :. - I think that the sentiments Of
J. rfi"-.r.; has imbued the men with
.i..-iiIr filings. Tn" intermediate link
i.' Ee.n liz" middle classes in town and
':Etrl. There is doubt that the
D l:..:S..s ,f the soldiers have no need Of
= <rr,tac!r.; through which the upper
-. e; loo upon the war and its events.
=. h. - i; is sufficient that the danger
If defeat iS a very real thing. hut il is
SO. ;h.@ alone which nourishcs the ener-
- Vhni has been born within since
IL, r:v ,amc.''