The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-08-17
WEALTHY GIRL TELLS
OF STABBING GERMAN
Number OF Female Fighters
On Eastern Front Is
Increasing

Russia's women soldiers have pledg-
ed themselves to take their own lives
rather than become German war pris-
oners. Each woman soldier carries a
ration of cyanide OF potassium to be .
swallowed in case Of capture.
The members of the women regi- /
ments, now constantly increasing, |
agreed that death was to be preferred
to the fate they would probably meet
at the hands of the Germans.
The Legion of Death" fighters ara
good killers" From n woman's lips
correspondent heard h"w she had run
German through with her bayonet,
firing the rifle nt the same time. From
others he heard how these women and
girls, fresh from comfortable homes
and universities, went leaping over
mangled bodies In the charge, with
enemy shells bursting all about them.
.r.t To Sec II Through.
But these narrowing experiences Of
the women fighters have steeled them
and hundreds of other girls to a new
determination to see it through Girl
soldiers drilling In the streets are now
common sight in Petrograd Huge
crowds gather daily about the engi-
ncers' school, where 1000 girls are
drilling preparing to go to the front.
In Moscow 1000 men are training,
while Kiev and Odessa have smaller
bands Premier Kerensky has also au-
thorized the formation of women ma
Fine detachments and has promised to
assign them to ships. The new women
commands attempt no sort Of decora-
tion. Their heads are shaved and they
wear the regulation uniform, including
the heavy, ugly army boots.
The five women fighters at the hos
pital were partially parnlyzed by shell
shock. One Of them, peasant girl,
smiled joyously as she pointed to a
German helmet on the bed beside her.
1t was the first war prize Of Russian
woman.
at Was His Life or Nine"
"Y saw a German in front of me as
I ran forward with the others in the
charge" she said. ut was his life
or mine. l raised my rifle plunged
with all my strength. l stabbed him.
The bayonet went deep into his body.
At the same moment l pulled the trig-
ger. He dropped dead. Then l took
his hat as souvenir"
The girl soldier smiled with delight.
what was the battle likeT another
Of the legionnnires was asked.
II was very nervous just before the
charge" she replied. I'VE knew the
order was coming, and naturally we
were Just little scared. But as soon
as the orders to go forward came we
forgot everything else in the advance.
~ could hear our girls yelling and
shouting throughout the march for
ward. None OF us were afraid once we
got started. We We're In the midst of
a great fusillade of shots. Then ter
rife big shells began breaking all
around us.
Stories Of tho Fight.
I'VE were again frightened little
when we first saw dead men about,
but before very long we were jumping
over the dead and quickly forgot oil
about them"
1--WE couldn't tell what was going on
anywhere" said third girl IN describ
ing the final stages of the battle.
Commander Bochkoreva was every
.where, urging us to fight and die like
real Russian soldiers"
Then the girl told how the legion
took its first prisoners.
"As we ran forward we suddenly
came upon bunch Of Germans imme
diately ahead of us. 1t was only sec
ond until we were all around them.
Germans Surprised.
" "They saw they were caught ant
threw down their rifles, holding VI
their hands. They were terribly fright
ened.
Good God. Women" they ex
claimed.
I'VE saw wounded German soldier:
raising themselves on their elbows ant
shooting" interjected another wound
cd girl. 1--WE Just forgot ourselves en-
tirely. We were simply Russia, fight
ing for her life.
''The loss of Lena the most popula
: member OF our company, was keen)!
felt by all of u.s." she added soberly
, During the battle Lena heard thu
Commander Bochkoreva had been kill
ed. She hurried forward into the shel
fire, saying she was going to find her
- .l,,,,,oi one .o.a~ N,