East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1918-11-30
EXECUTE HERO BUT
LET COWARD LIVE
BOLSHEVIK MERCY
DISPLAYED IN TRIAL
Russian Captain Executed
After Delivering Fleet
From Huns.
BY JOSEPH sHAFI.ES.


funited Press Cvrrespunfent.)
NEW YORK S4TFs 49, Bolshevik
Justice killed Capt. schastny, pa
triot and hero. and saved the life OF
/. Dibenho coward. traitor and drunk
en- officer.
The stories the two Hen bring out
50 clearly the .q9ailfy Of mercy OF
abe bolsheyiki, that I relate them to-
gether.
Capt Schastny was briliian youna
Russian naval officer. He was a So
ciaiist revalutlonist of the canserva-
tive wing. When the Germans land
ed troops in Finland and began their
/ advance on Helsingfors where nearly
the entire Russian fleet was stationed
| al the time Capt SchaNny. with the
personnel Of the fleet reduced to Ia
. ard none of the ships being ready to
put to set. was given command and
J requested by The sailors 60 do his best
70 transfer the fleet Ito Kronstadt
and thus save 1t from falling into the
hands OF the Germans. For a while
| the sailors Thought thes would be un-
Table to move the fleet from Helsing-
fcrs in time and had sbegun to make
preparations to blow IT. up. When
the Germans heard nf their plan thet
published a proclamation stating that
the blowing up Of the Baltic fleet by
the Russian sailors would mean the
4 execution Of many Of them as may be
4 captured.
The Germans wanted TO seize the
l Baltic fleet and thus make good all
the naval losses they suffered
throughout the war The only thing
left was TO transfer The fleet to Kron-
stadt Under the able and brilliant
4 q
accomplished in time.
Some three mont hs' later Trotsky.
bolshevik war minister. called Capt.
Schastny for an alleged conference at
MOSCOW. As the captain entered
Trotsky's office, the latter walked
out. summoned 2 red guardsmen and
ordered Schastny put under arrest.
Schastny was put on trial Krilen-
kO. former COMMUNICATIVE chief Of the
bolshevik armies was prosecutins
attorney. Trotsky was. the only wit
ness, In a dramatic. 3-hour speech he
demanded the execution OF schastny.
Among other things he said:
Capt SchastHv has performed a
brave task, but Ike every counter
I .revolutionist. Capt. schastny had no
trtght 70 engaVc in counter revolutinn-
ary conspiracies against the soviet
gnvernment. He had no right to play
with the fate OF the fleet
Sailor INTERRUPTS
A sailor in the courtroQm could not
stand for the latter.
How about YqnF playing with the
fate Of Russia he cried. Capt
Schastnv. Russian patrt0t republican
and saviour of the Baltic fleet. was
executed. His last words were:
zone must know how 10 die brave
-ly in a revolution" :.
A few weeks prior to the execution
Of Capt. Schastny another man. high
in the councils Of the bolsheyik gov
! ernment- chief commissary of the
Baltic fleet. was also on trial. His
| name is Dibenko. He was accused o.
cowardice. drunkenness and conduct
unbecoming a revolutionary leadNr.
At the trial it was proved that when
gent at the head of a detachment Of
1000 Baltic sea sailors to stop the
German advance on Narva. In Feb
ruary, he got drunk and ran awas.
leaving his men in the lurch. Such
cowardice IS certainly punishable b.
death. especially by any self respect
ing revolutionary government. But
\ Dibenko. the coward and drunkard,
was a bolshevik. He was found guilty
and simply expelled from the bolshe-
vik party. He is alive today and is en-
I gagged in silly braggadocio and in rob
her raids up and down the Volga-
Thus does bolshevik justice work.