The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-08-01
HUNS DIDN'T GET
\ UKRAINE GRAIN
Il Was Burned There by Rem
nants Of the czecho- SIovak
Retiring Army.
Touch IEUTs IN sTOMACHs
Food Allowances Reduced, and Star.
walton In Some Places 10 Appar-
ent-Take Revenge for oppres-
sive Treatment OF Bohemia.

Misunderstanding the many easy
ltriumphs which enabled the Teutons
this year to slice great sections from
the map OF Russia, like coupons from
u bond, Germany and Austria both suf-
lfered n frightful disappointment.
And the pang was In the weakest part
OF their political anatomy-the collec-
tive stomach Of their peoples.
The grain OF which the two kalsers
expected to plumber the Ukraine was
not there-at least there was so little
OF 1t that Germany had to lower her
bread ration. while Austria continued
10 starve a bit more rapidly. The sup
plies had been burned.
These fires were lighted, with a kind
of poetic justice, by the remnants of
the Czecho-S lovak army-deserters
from the Austrian ranks and invet-
crate enemies Of the Hapsburgs. who
had been reconstructed into Russian
military units under the Kerensky
regime and fought so splendldly for
Russia before the whole nation COL
Elapsed from the gnawing of the boil
soheviki.
Fortunate fer the Allies.
Until March Of this year this Czecho-
gIovnk army had been stationed in the
Ukraine-50.O00 men In line and $4,000
more In reserve. Then bolshevik rep
resentatives dissolved their organiza-
tion and took away their arms, though
about 10000 refused to part with their
weapons. They were given promises
that they would be allowed to leave
Russia for the United States, but, or
course. no means Of transportation
were provided. And so they remained
where they were.
It was fortunate for the allies that
they did. As soon as they realized
that Germany's chief objective I'm
Russia was the Ukrainian grain sup
ply they began a systematic campaign
Of pillage and burning. In which they
we're assisted by the peasants them
selves, aroused at the thought that
the old landowners were to return un-
der German protection.
The evidence that the Czecho-Slo-
vaks were successful Is incontestable.
Count Cxernin, Austro-H Hungarian
prime minister until his little ex-
change or ~pleasantries with M.
Uemenceau. placed the responsibility
for the bare Ukrainian cupboard on
the shoulders OF the Czecho- Slovaks.
German representatives In the Aus
trian reichsrath repeated the charge In
greater details. A Magyar deputy In
the Hungarian parliament recently de-
elared that the Czecho- Slovak army In
Ukraine had burned or taken way
Everything of value.
Had Their Revenge.
Not only did they destroy what they
could. but they fought bitterly to pre-
vent the Teutons taking what was
0eft. Retiring and hampered by their
lack Of equipment. they stopped to
meet the advancing Germans repeat
edly In the field. Their last battle,
one Of those confused struggles which
get little space In the cable reports,
was fought nea Bachmac. halfway
1etween Kieff and Kursk on the road
20 Moscow. After the fight, though
.ohe Csecho-Slovaks had been armed
thie6y with axes, they themselves
Buried more than 800 Germans.
Certainly In Ukraine the Czecho-
Ulovaks have had their revenge for
a1hree centuries Of s~uffocation and
4oppression In Bohemia. But through
out the war they have launched shat
tering blows against their Austrian
and German enemies and the whole
Idea Of Mittel Europa.