Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-11
STORY OF WORLDS
GREATEST ODYSSEY
First Personal Narrative of
Czecho-Slovak Conquest
Of Siberia.
RED GUARDS ARE WHIPPED
Bohemian Officer Who Went to
Russia With Masaryk Tells
How Movement Began.
RED GUARDS ARE WHIPPED
by FERDINAND pIsEckY.

tDr. Pisccky was Il professor in the
Normal School at T!cIn. and Il reserve
officer in the Austro- Hungarian army.
at the beginning OF the war he was
called to active service. and became 4
lieutenant with Czecho- Slovak unit
Almost at once he was thrown into the
lighting on the eastern front and on
November 2, 1914. he surrendered to
the Russians. He was twenty-oue
months in Russian prison camp. In
August. 1916. he released, and
made an officer OF Jugo-Slavic unit
organized to fight for Russia. and there
after was attached 10 the Serbian lega-
ton in Petrograd. He went TO London
In January. 1917. and returned to Rus
STA with Professor T. G.. Masaryl-, head
Of the Czecho- Slovak National Council. !
The greatest Odyssey in the history
OF the world is now In progress. A
hundred thousand men are 3ourneying
clear around the globe for the simple
privilege Of lighting the masters who
have held them in subjugation and
political slavery for 400 years
The story OF the Czecho- Slovak
exodus from Russia across Siberia Is
not only one OF the most picturesque.
but surely one OF the most signifcan Mt
important results is obviously that the
c,ntrol OF the whole eastern branch OF
the Trans-Siberiah Railroad has :assed,
involuntarily. SO 10 speak. into the
hands OF the allies. What effect this
will ultimately have on the progress
OF the war no man can say. But the
ctr ,,
fully told, and I propose TO tell IL here
AT the time OF the Russian rcvolu-
ton there were approx mately 100000
Czecho-Slovaks In European Russia
concentrated chiefly around Kiev. in
the Ukraine. These men were all tech
nically prisoners of war. who had sur
rendered voluntarily because they re-
fused to fight the battles Of Austria
Hungary. Indeed. they were eager to
fight against their former masters
Pro-German influences at the court OF
the former Car had prevented their
organization for this purpose.
CHANGE CAME ABOUT
WHEN kERENSKY ROSE
But there came change when Ker-
ensky rose to power. Fifty thousand
OF the Czecho-S lovaks were armed. and
many OF them fought bravely for the
new republic until the great retreat OF
July. 1917. utterly destroyed The Rus
sian army. The Czecho- Slovaks. how
ever. strong in their national feeling.
remained unaffected by Bolshevik doc
trines. and withdrawing once more
into the Ukraine remained there as an
inactive organization until the spring
of this year.
Meanwhile. Professor T. G.. Masarvk.
head OF the CzechoSlovak National
Council, had come TO Russia from Eng
land, by way Of Norway and Sweden
lie took up with the Bolshev.k nego-
uations already inauguratcd with the
former kerensky government. with the
idea OF getting the Czecho- Slovak
troops TO Vladivostok. and thence to
the western war front. where they
might continue to fight usefully for
their national ideals.
AT first the Bolsheviki were indif-
ferent to the idea. Then. as it appeared
that the Czecho -Slovaks were hone
lessly anti-German and vigorously ma
tionalistic, they began to sec that it
would be just as we'll to get rid OF
this element. which might interfere
with their plans for Russia Two regi-
mcnts OF Czecho -S!ovaks had already
been dispatched TO France by way OF
Archangei. This perhaps helped to
bring the Bolshcviki TO a resolve.
Al any rate. a definite and formal
agreement was reached between Pro-
fessor Masaryk. representing the
Czecho- Slovaks. and III leaders of the
Bolsheviki whereby the existing Rus
sian government was to furnish the
Czecho -Slovak troops all means OF
reaching Observation-Disclosures food
and transportation. The French gov
eminent undertook to supply all the
necessary funds for this enterprise. and
has steadily fulfilled its obligations.
our troops were Quilted with Russian
uniforms. on which appeared tie red
and white insignia OF Bohemia. ar
ranGements for transport were made
with the railroad administration. and
food wns to be purchased wherever
necessary on the long journey.
GREAT EXODUS HAS
FIRST HALT At SAMARA
The great exodus began in April,
1918. The first objective OF the
was the city OF Samara.
town of about 200. 900 inhabitants.
and one Of the chief functions on tho
main line OF the Trans Siberian Rail-
way. This first leg of tho tourney
was about 1000 miles long Some OF
our troops marched the whole distance
Some went in trucks and others man
aged TO get trains.
They wasted little time in Samara.
AS they were able to get train service
eastward, they left for Siberia in units
Of about 1000 men each. The whole
BODY, however. was under command of
General Diettrichs, n very able Russian
oihccr or pronounced revolutionary
sympathies. Indeed, number OF the
htsher ofhccrs were Russians-four
generals. I believe, and considerable
sprinkling OF coloncls-but the body