The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1918-08-22
AMERICAN WAS Dove
OF PEACE FOR SURE
Made Airplane Flight of 200
Miles and Prevented
Another WGr.

London. (by mail)-An Americans
flight by airplane 200 miles from Jassy
to Odessa was the means Of bringing
about peace between the Bolshevists
and the Rumanians last March.
The American peace dove" as the
Rumanians called him after his daring
hight, was Colonel Joseph Boyle, COLI
onel Boyle. who was formerly In tho
Canadian army on the west front, waa
sent to Russia as the representative
Of the committee OF the American En-.
gineers In London and spent several
months in Rumania and south Russia
10 pow told for the first time.
Colonel Boyle was n Of the few
foreigners In Russia who had the con-
ffdence and close friendship Of the "
tromlet Russian parties from h be-
ktnning OF the revolutionary period,
re was known among the b%olshevists
~ q man OF action, honest and fearless
md anxious to extend them q helping
hand in every work of reconstruction.
On his tourneyings around Russia he
was never interfered with or chal-
leneed. He carried personal letters and
credentials from Lenine, Trotsky and
= host OF lesser leaders and could Oh.
the local or provincial Sovtets. He
was accompanied everywhere by a staff
OF three Russian officers who spoke
English fluently and who displayee
great personal loyalty to Colonel Boyle.
During the latter part OF February
and Rumanians became very serious.
War had even been declared on Ru-
mania by the bolshevist government,
owing to Misunderstanding about the
status Of certain Russian troops In
Rumanian territory n Rumanian
troops In Bessarabia. Active hostilt-
hes, however, had been generally avoid
ed, and both sides were presumably
anxious to reach an amicable under
standing.
But Communication between Odessa
and Jassy was In q state Of disorgan-
tzatiOn which made the telegraphs ana
the mails useless. Every attempt az
at Jassy and the bolshevists at Odessa
was blocked or brought to naught by
by i%ntriguers Or mischief-makerA. IL
began to look as II things were going
to drift straight into bloodshed on q
large scale.
Boyle, who had been trying to alleviate
the food shortage In Rumania, arranged
4 meeting Of unofficial representatives
Of both sides on the Rumanian frontier
and succeeded In putting through an
agreement between these representa-
tives. The Rumanian government was
ready to approve the decision OF these
formal confirmation or even favorable
consideration, to be obtained from the
bolsheyist side?
The bolshevist delegates" were with
out credentials or authority. but they
felt II their case were properly put be-
fore the authorities In Odessa their
course of action would be approved.
Travel between Jassy and Odessa had
been impossible for several weeks
owing to the tearing up of the railway
line In Benderi and the wrecking OF
several bridges and trestles.
Colonel Boyle volunteered to be the
bearer of the olive branch, to Garry the
least possible delay by Of an
airplane which he had already per.
suaded the Rumanian authorities to put
at his disposal, and he proposed also to
use his own personal influence with the
leaders In Odessa to secure
their approval.
Speedy action was necessary. for IL
was known that orders had already
been given to the bolshevist troops to
begin hostilities on q large scale, and
1t was felt that once serious fighting
had begun, the chances OF an amicable
adjustment would be much diminished.
The necessary papers were hastily
pfSpoieu Shu eASheu, u" Noi~i'SA 1870
motored to an airdrome near Jassy
where q Rumanian pilot was waiting,
The weather on the day Of Colonel
Boyle's departure was stormy and
threatening, and several aviation ex-
perts advised him to postpone his
Journey. He declined to be dissuaded
and left Jassy about noon, arriving
safely at Odessa shortly before sunset.
The flight was made at a height OF
about 5000 feet across a rough
famous country and in the face of a
driving sleet storm. The machine twice
developed engine trouble, but this was
and a landing was made in
an open field not far from the water
front at Odessa By midnight Colonel
Boyle had secured the signing Of the
peace treaty and the cancellation OF
the orders for a bolshevist offensive
against Rumania.