Omaha daily bee., 1916-11-12
WHAT RUSSIA HAS
DONE TO ITS ARMY
Military Leaders Transform
Disorganized Hordes Into an
Efficient War Machine.
ORDER sUpPLANTs CHAOS

Correspondence Of The Associated Press.)
AT the Front with the Tenth Rus
sian Army, Sept. 23-lt is only at
the active front, we'll removed from
the inaction and pessimism which
poinson the outlook from the large
cities in Russia, that one is able to
form fair estimate of what Russia
has accomplished during the past year
in Transforming a poorly equipped,
inadequately munitioned and conse-
quently dispirited army into a we'll
ordered machine, from which every
trace Of disorder and inefficiency has
disappeared. 1t IS at first almost i'm
possible to realize that the present
organization, which compares favor
ably with that OF any army in the
field, has been built out OF the wreck
Of last summers disaster, and that
the same commanders who were then
occupied with the difficult task OF
leading their crippled forces into
position of safety. are now conf
IDENTIFY and eagerly speaking Of an
advance into the territory lost to
them in last summers campaign. A
general who took part in the retreat
from Warsaw and who commanded
one OF the divisions which heroically
strove to delay the German advance,
was asked by an Associated Press
correspondent to compare the condi-
tons which prevailed in the army
year ago with those OF today.
E Fit Fi0htera Now
There is no comparison" answer
ed the general. Last year we had
no ammunition, and we were in no
condition to withstand the powerful
and well-organized offensive OF the
enemy. Only small part Of my
division survived the continuous
shell FIRE Of the enemy. But todey
we are equals. 1t is the difference
between chaos and order"
On the broad lawn which fanked
the divisional headquarters, a reserve
regiment, which had been given a
half holiday, were expanding their
excess energy In games OF lcap-frog,
blind-man's buff, three-legged races
and biazarrc Russian dancing, done
to the music Of an impromptu sold
icrs' chorus, who sang the strange,
half barbaric chants OF their race.
Although this regiment had just been
relieved from work IN the trenches
the day before, the men were all in
fine physical condition. and were we'll
clothed and well fed. and showed
no trace OF having experienced any
greater hardships than that Of living
in the open air and eating three
wholesome meals day. At short
distance from headquarters one
could see the white tents Of the
soldiers cleaning through the open
spaces cleared in the pine forest,
which covered a knoll which had
been chosen as the best drained and
most healthful spot for the sleeping
quarters OF the army. Faint streaks
Of smoke curled upward from the
outdoor kitchens where dinner was
being prepared. On returning from
the, TRENCHES. each soldier had been
given bath and fresh linen, while
the clothes he had been wearing were
put through a disinfecting machine
and Numbered. The Russian soldier
lives better, cast more and enjoys
much more contented frame OF
mind than before the war.
The army owes the great part OF
the comforts which have been pro-
vided for ii to the. Zcmsky Soyuz,
or union Of town councils, which
has been the chief manufacturer and
distributing agent OF all military sup
plies. Through the gigantic strides
IN organization and output which this
union has made since the beginning
OF the war 1t has been able not only
to assist materially in The manufac-
ture and purchase OF guns and NUM-
tons, but to see that every part OF
the army Is plentifully supplied with
hospitals and medical apparatus, bath
houses, clean linen and all Of the
comforts which NOW surround the
army. After visiting numerous points
along the western front, the cores
pondent found that the model con-
ditions which at first might have
seemed to belong only to few ex-
ceptional localities which had been
chosen for the purposes OF exhibition,
applied universally to the whole front.
II Is to these tangible improve
ments in conditions that the less tan
gible but equally important morale
OF the Russian troops is due. The
Russian soldier, illiterate and ignor
ant as he generally is, is not unre-
sponsiye to the currents OF confidence
or depression which run through the
organism Of an army. Last summer
ne was quite aware of the unfortu-
nate circumstances which made re-
treat inevitable and impaired the eff
cheney OF whatever unit to which he
belonged, But he has now had an
opportunity OF seeing conditions re-
versed. He knows that he is backed
up BY an organization in which no
detail has been overlooked, and he
Is eager to display his newborn eff.
cheney.
Rllccianc Militia Enrr,ono