The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-10-20
THE CzECHO-Sl0VAKS
At VLAOV0S10k
How They Have Kept order In the
Streets of the City in Far
Away Siberia.

Washington. Oct 20.--F'rom NIadi-
vostok comes q Czccho Slovak soldier,
Jaromtr Spacek by name, With many
strange stories to tell of the occupa-
ton of the Czecho -SlovakS in that city.
Their vanguard arrived on May 20.
but il was o number OF weeks before
their full strength of $4,000 reached
the terminal OF the Trans siberian
railway. when sufficient mum Der
had come the little army solemn1y
held patriotic mass meeting This
ceremony was observed whenever
they reached and occupied an impor-
! tant Siberian city There We're
speeches, parades and gymnastic dis
plays by the 'sokols," or athletic
! literary societies. Apparently the
citizenry of Niadivostok attended en-
masse and went home vastly impress
ed with the high degree OF culture
possessed by the newcomers. The
singing especially pleased them
Within a short time the Czecho-
Slovaks were thoroughly popular
Yet they kept order ia the streets
7 And they did it In perfectly inn
partial fashion. The Czecbo -Slovak
/ patrols adopted the SET rule of dis
persing each and every street gather
Ing that assumed large proportions.
p, They wasted no words about it The
( tbIee command, ikdHf nhI mean .
! ing Adjourn" doomed through the
highways of yladivostok at ali hours
! of the day and night, And il was
strictly needed by the populaees
! when they were told to 'razchodisf
/ they obediently went home.
Crowds Enjoy Oratory.
/ The VadiVostok mobs seem 10 have
| been not unlike the old Roman holi-
| day crowds, They liked to listen to
/ speeches and they always applauded
| the speaker who held the platform.
no matter what he was advocating.
! An orator with energy and a loud
voice could persuade them to do al
most anything 1t was this volatile
Equality of thc Neutrality-suspicious. which
made the city authorities positively
! forbid open-air gatherings. Public
assemblages must meet only in a hall.
/ aud then no, without special permits
sion from the mayor. And tho Czecho-
| Slovak military patrols enforced this
order. On one occaSiel a patrol OF
/ four soldiers put to flight mob of
more than 400 persons.
4 Apparently the townSpeople DO not
resent being ordered about by The
military police. Occasionally they
grumhlc at not being allowed TO fight
among themselves when they choose.
but for The most part they are passive
and we'll behaved, one citizen spok c
admiringly to Private Spacek of the
efficiency of the Czecho- Sloyak SOL
diers.
you are great fellows" he said,
You have so much vtgor. We re-
spect you. when YOU came here the
order in the streets was not bad But
now 1t is sun better. You know best
of all how 10 keep order
One day Private SpArnk encounter
cd on the sidewalk peevish Old lady
who stopped him an gave utierance
10 her grievances.
Where is our liberty now" she
whined. 1--WE thought we were to get
freedom, and now YOU come and or
der us about Where il our liberty. |
ask YOU"
Private Spacek says he put his
hand very gently on The old woman's
shoulder and replied, "Auntie, you
surrendered your liberty 10 the Ger
man emperor a good many months
ago. Don't Won know that -
This seemed 10 convince Ter. for
she sighed deeply and said An yes.
You are right, and If it were not for
YOU VIC might all have been destroy
cd long ago
other cities Ash For Aid.
News 81 the peace and order pre-
Nsiilng TN NladiVostok spread 10 other
siberian cities aud a number Of them