Evening star., 1918-07-06
SITUATION IN RUSSIA
MADE GRAVE BY CZECH
Control of Siberian Railways Threatens
Famine and Death Throughout Nation.
Misunderstanding Caused Trouble
With Soviet.

station, some. sixty miles beyond, we
caught up to the troop train. This
was a division terminal and the en-
gfnes on both our trains could pro-
coed no father.
We waited patiently for an hour
layed, and were informed that there
were no locomotives available for
that division and that we would have
to wait until one came in. 1t was
said that we would only have to wait
half an hour as a passenger train
was about to arrive.
In a few minutes the train arrived.
The locomotive was detached and
after coaling was hitched to our
train.
Demand Made for Locomotive.
The Czech troops were furious and
sent deputation to the station
master, demanding an engine immedi-
ately. The delegation protested that
it had been already more than a week
on run which would take normally
about three days.
The stationmaster franticaily asked
what he could do. He said that he
could not take engines of Of freight
trains running food to Russia and
that the transsiberian express had
promised. however. to send no or
dinary train ahead Of the troop train.
We found the same thing at Glasov-
Ekaterinberg, Kamayshlov. Tiumen
and at practically every station across
Siberia: Frequently we had to wait
tor locomotives to come in from
farther down the line.
The Transsiberian is operating
with less than 80 per cent Of the loco
motives needed for normal times.
They told me at Perm that there were
more than soo locomotives incapaci-
pairs for which the materials were
not at hand.
At Krasniarsk a recent fire had de-
stroyed $50 locomotives. On some of
the divisions there appeared to be suf-
fcient locomotives. but on others the
locomotives were worked twenty-four
hours a day. using three shifts of
crews.
On the whole. the railways were
having difficulty in getting locomo-
Every day or SO there would come 4
frantic plea from Petrograd and Mos
COW to hurry up the grain shipments
because Moscow was hungry and
Petrograd was actually in the grip Of
famine.
At every station and on almost every
isolated siding from Ekaterinberg to
Vladivostok we passed troop trains
full Of Czech soldiers. There were in
all about 125 train loads.
A Russian troop train is made UP Of
"Taplushkas." which are nothing more
hunks to accommodate thirty men,
and sheet iron stoves for warmth.
Artists Decorate Cars.
The sides of these cars were highly
decorated by amateur artists, who
had drawn in chalk everything from
landscapes to caricatures Of the Ger
man crown prince. Some of them
were good.
The C1echs were as clean and whole
some and as well disciplined a body
They wore their little red and white
ribbon insignias with real pride.
When we stopped we usually found
some Czech soldier who could speak
English or French. Here and there
We found Belgian or French oficers
who were assisting in moving the
Cseoh troops onward.
But the Czech troops were suspi-
cious OF the soviet government. They
charged the railway officials and the
local soviets and "kommittets" with
playing Germany's game by retarding
luC movement vi lNC SZGCN forces TO-
ward tho western front
frequently a troop train would be
stopped at some obscure siding whore
there was little or no food. Then the
suspicious Of the Czechs would become
aggravated into open hostility toward
In every train there were Czech off,
GERS. In not a'few cases we found Rus
sian officers, who. when they found
their shoulder straps stripped from
their shoulders by the Russians, had
Joined the Czech army. The of1lcers
men to make allowances for this dis
organization Of transportation and short
age of food.
Once we came to a station where
there were two troop trains-one train
contained Czech soldiers en- route to
the western front. the other contained
German war prisoners returning
home. Our train stopped on a track
between these two other trains.
The Csechs and German prisoners
throneed the platform. There ap-
peared to be no intercourse between
them. But the Csschs were indignant
that the soviet was Transporting these
German prisoners Of war back to
Germany.
Trouble Grew Acute.
When we arrived at 1rkutsk a So
Wet official told us that delegation
OF Csechs had called on the soviet
that morning and presented 1t an ulti-
matum that they would take possess
sion Of the railway by force unless an
engine was procured for them within
z certain specified time. The soviet
found an engine.
That train had hardly quit the sta
tion before another troop train drew
In. The soviet had the same thing all
over again.
The Siberian soviets were frantic.
They had the task OF transporting
these 10000 men and there were not
nearly locomotives enough to haul the
food trains. let alone the necessary
local passenger service.
The Csechs found transportation
across Siberia slow indeed. The long
or they waited the more impatient
they became.
It got to such point that the local
soviets would do anything in their
power to get rid Of the Cseohs. Food
trains and passenger trains alike were
sidetracked to pass the troop trains
on.
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