The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-11
HERO MAKES GOOD
Popular Army Idol Is Leading
Russ Forces in Galicia.
From Cabin to General, KOrni-
lofts Spectacular Career.

Petrograd, July 11.-Russia is ring
| ing with the latest name of the hero
of the war; Lieut.. Gen. L. G. Kornl-
loft, victor of Galicia, whose astonisi-
ing feat first proved that the new adj
vance is no mere flash in the pan.
General Korniloff is the most daring,
chivalrous and scholarly officer in the
army. For romantic rise from humble
origin, Russian history has only one
para llel-that of Michel VassilieVitch
Lomonosof, fisherman's son, poet,
| philosopher and creator of the mod
ern Russian language, in the first half
of the eighteenth century.
From a log cabin to general is the
literal text of the chronicle of General
Korniloff's career. Born forty-six
years ago, son of a poverty-stricken
Kiralinsk Cossack in western Siberia,
| who later reared a large family on
| pittance gained as the village clerk,
Korniloff early began rough forest
| work At the age of nine he received
| his first instruction. When barely thir-
teen by his own exertionS and all
night studies, he qualified to enter the
Siberian cadet corps, largely composed
of sons of the local magnateS. Thanks
again to his own efforts, this indomi-
nitable Siberian gained free training
at the Michailovsk artillery school,
where his amazing mathematical fac
ulties brought approval from the au-
| thorities, altho he was suspected, with
reason of being secretly revolutionary.
In Japanese War.
Next, he was an officer in the guards
and, being penniless, was ordered to
serve in TurkeStan. Next in the Jap
anese war he received the rank of
colonel and was entrusted with des-
perate mission-that of covering the
retreat from Mukden of one of Gen
| eral Kurupatin's scattered armies. 1t
given the ST. George cross. Later he
| Travelled thru Turkestan, the Caucasus
and Europe studying, observing and
writing invaluable books on Turkestan
and the countries of Central Asia.
| Amazing to strangers is his gift for
| languages, as he speaks not only all
European but also Persian, Chinese
and every dialect of Central Asia. At
| the outbreak of the great war he was
in command of the Forty eighth divi-
sion, once called "Souvroff's," now
Korniloff's. In Galicia, in 1915, he
repeated the Mukden feat, covering
the Russian retreat under an uneX-
ampled month long hail of Austria
broke thru the encircling foe, but he
himself was wounded and taken pris-
| oner by the AustrianS.
Escapes From Austrians.
The enemy press related that their
| generals were so impressed with
| Korniloff's accomplishments and no.
| BILE bearing that the return Of his
sword showed greater honor of Rus
| sia's admirable commander than to
| their own victorious commander His
| restless spirit did not long stand cap
iivity. After a daring flight from an
Austrian camp and astonishing ad-
ventures he reached Russia
AT the outbreak of the revolution
heSwas invited to command the troops
of Petrograd, implying full confidence
m revolutionary Russia. When the
disorders arose, General Korniloff,
fearing the necessity of repression, re-
signed, saying he sooner would shoot
the foe than his own countrymen He
took command of the Eighth army,
whose brilliant exploit is due primar-
| lily to him.