The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-08-30

A6tA D0hs VIZ 0uAAOuklCCu OQI III
tention of crossing Siberia to vlad-
ivostok. We were laughed at; the
Germans treated our intention with
contempt, because we were poorly
equipped even for a short campaign.
But In a short time we had more
rifles than we could use; In fact In
many cases three to the man. We
bought rifles from the Red Guards at
from ten to 30 kopeks apiece. We
got machine guns from them for what
In your money would be 30 cents. One
OF our regiments acquired 300 machine
guns In this way. We bought three
Inch guns for ten rubles each. To do
this we had money of our own. which
we had saved up from working. Later
we received financial aid from a $780,
100000 loan which was hoated. We
were thus able to buy what we re-
quired, whether In arms or food.
"Soon the Germans ceased to treat
intention to make our way across
Siberia and thence from vladivostok
to France as a joke-after we had
a four days. fight with the Germans
at Bachmach, a station on the railroad
about 100 miles from Kiev, and de-
feated them. We now found our
selves recognized first by the Austrian
emperor and then by the Germans
themselves, who had said that we were
nothing and had no real existence as
an organization.
Word was sent to us In the name
OF the Austrian emperor that IL we
would cease fighting and surrender,
the autonomy Of our country would
be recognized. We answered that we
knew no such person as the Austrian
emperor and no such country as Aus
tria-Hungary, and that we were de-
termined to cross Siberia to valdi-
vostok. Then the recognition that we
were a force to be considered came
from the Germans In this way. The
German general asked us for a 4S-hour
truce.
Fifty-seven Days on the Road.
"We were about ten days getting
out of the Ukraine Into Siberia. When
ever we needed food we bought 1t,
and we found enough to supply our
needs. We came one day upon q beau.
tiful train at a station. one evidently
that had been used by the q a or one
OF the grand dukes. We were told II
was occupied by the Red Guard com
mander. l was one OF the group Of
officers that visited him.
4 0tTYnU luruo a frrco hava vr.s A.
your commandT one Of us asked.
1.-Two corps, he answered.
"How many men are there In them !?
six hundred he had to admit.
This will give an idea OF the ridicu,
lous character OF the Red Guard organ.
ization at that time.)
Il was on the advance train, which
led the way across Siberia, and which
we had taken for our use. Other trains
We usually got hold Of In this way
Wherever we found out there was q
train, we got hold Of a locomotive ans
/. put ten or fifteen Of our boys, armed
with machine guns. on II, and sent n
TO meet the train. We told the boil
sheviki that we would shoot II tn.
train was not turned over to US, and
that was all that was necessary. Thel
we would All the captured train will
our troops.
: "The train In which I was took g.
: days to make the journey from PENS
, to Vladivostok. Everywhere alonI
the route the German agents were try
ing to get control Of the railroad b,
Incorporating German soldiers in tn
! Red Guard organizations, and but 70
our troops they would now c0ntro
this vastly important strategic lin
{ from a end to the other"
Says kerensky u Stupid.
"Why did you not assert your fight
Ing power under Kerensky and pre-
vent the collapse OF Russian
"Kerensky Is stupid" answered Car
tain Hurban, "and." he continued, q
q sign that he Is picking up slang Eng
. fish, "a bad actor He Is not q serI
. ous-minded man. We wanted to orgun
Q lie our forces under his government
. as we did under the car. The era
would not permit us to organize into
= AAA8U AVANC UcSuuSG VIC WGIG IGvUAu
{ tionary against our home government
but the Russian generals who knev
what good fighters we were permitte
? us, without legal authority. to forr
Q small units along the front. Whel
Kerensky came into power we wante
t to bring these units together and 10
. with the rest Of M soldiers who ha
p surrendered to Russia to escape froI
9 Austria-Hungary and to get on th
2 side Of the allies. There were $4,000
q Of u IN Russia Mt that time. Ru
Kerensky said that we were chanvir
y lists. and would not permit us to forr
q ri large army. But when he saw no,
q we fought In small units. In the driv
e which be undertook against "a IN Jul,
, 1917, he came to us and was ready {
kiss the earth under our feet.
4 sBut II was too late then. Who vi
! not Nv that an army Of 10000
4 Czecho-Slovak troops may not hav
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