Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-08-20
One Of Their Number an or
ficer Reviews WanderingS
of These Men Who Are Now
Fighting in Siberia,
REQUIRED 81 DAYS TO
REACH VLAOIVOSTOCK
Journey After Leaving Ukraine
Made Under Difficulties
BoISheWki Tried to Hamper
Every Movement,

tsY MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wtaHI
washington, Aug. 19--Capt. Nladi
mir S. Hurban an officer in tn,
Czecho-Slovak army which japan ant
the United States have decided to aid il
Siberia, has come to Washington from
Vladivostok to make report to Pro
fessor Masaryk, commander-in-ch
of the Czecho-S -Slovak army and presi
dent of the national council. Captain
Hurban has given to the Associated
Press his story of the experiences ot
the Czccho-Slovaks from the time Tho
army of escaped prisoners Tough
their way eastward from Ukraine.
The history of the origin OF oui
army, of its operations on the Russian
front, and its march around the world
to the French front will some day read
like fantastic romance, before which
the imagination fades into the pro.
saic." he said.
"Our army in Russia was organized
from Czecho-Slovak prisoners Of war
under almost insurmountable difficult
ties. We were cooperating with the
Russian army, and since the summer
of 1917 were practically the only army
on the Russian front, capable of any
military action in the proper sense OF
first revolutionary offensive under Ke-
renslSy it was only our army that real
~ attacked and advanced.
When the Bolsheyile soviet govern
ment signed the peace treaty at the
beginning Of March our army. OF
about 10000 men, was in Ukratnia,
near Kiev The former Ukrainian
government; to escape the Bolsheviks,
threw themselves into the arms of the
Germans and called for German help.
When the German and Austrian ar
mics began their advance into Ukrain-
la, the position of our army was almost
desperate. We were in a state which
had concluded peace, into which, how
ever the Germans were advancing and
occupying large territories without re-
sistanee. The red guards of the soviets
did not represent any real military
power.
Menaced by Germans.
"The Germans advanced against us
in overwhelming numbers and there
was danger that We would be Sur.
rounded. our rear was not covered
and the Germans were liable to attack
MS there. We had no lines of com.
munication behind us, no stores of ma.
terials and no reserves; everywhere
there was disorganzation and anarchy,
and the Bolshevik red guards seized
the locomotives and were fleeing east
in panic.
"Under these circumstances EN-
peror Charles sent us a special en-
yoy with the promise. that If we would
return, we would be amnestied and
our lands would receive autonomy,
We answered that we would not ne.
gotiate with the Austrian emperor.
"As we could not hold front
we began retreat to the east. Already
then in agreement with the allies. (ou1
army had been proclaimed part of.
the Czecho-S -Slovak army on tho west
ern front, and thus allied with the
French army it was decided to trans
port our army over Siberia and Amer
lea to France. We began the difficult
retreat from Kiev The Germans inI
an Overwhelming force were trying toI
prevent out escape. About a hundred
miles behind us they seized the impor-
tant railroad junction at Bachmas,
which we were obliged to pass in our
trains on out retreat to the east.
Beat Huns at Bachmac.
when we arrived at Bachmac the
Germans were already waiting for us.
There began battle lasting four days,
II which they we're badly defeated and
which enabled MS to get our trainsl
through The commander of the Ger
man detachment offered us a forty
eight hours truce. which we accepted. |
for our duty was to leave Ukrainia
but, the truce was cancelled by the
German commander, Linsingen, butt
90 late; our trains had already go,
away We lost altogether about 6O0I
men in dead, wounded and unaccount-
able while We buried 1000 Germansl
n only one day.
In this manner we escaped from |
Jkrainia. Our relations with the Boil !
heviks were still good. We refrained |
rom meddling with Russian internal |
Lffairs and we tried to come to an
greement with the Bolshevik govern
nent with respect to our departure,
r passage through Russia. But al
eady, signs were visible that the Boil
heviks--either under German influ-
nee or because we then representa-
ne only real power in Russia--would
~ to put obstacles in our way. 1t
'ould have sufficed to order one of
ur regiments (our army was then.
March, near Moscow to take Mos
ow' and in half day there would
ave been no Bolshevik government;
'r then we were well armed. having
iken from the front everything we
'uid carry to prevent It from falling