The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-07-11
CZECHO-S -SLOVAK ARMY EMPTIES
 UKRAINE HARDER

Washington, July Il. - Amid the ha=ny easy triumphs which enabled the Teutons this year to slice great sec tions from the map of Russia, like coupons from bond, Germany and Austria both suffered one frightful dis appointment. And the pang was in the weakest part of their political an atomy-the collective stomach of their peoples.
 The grain of which the two Kaisers expected to plunder the Ukraine was not there-at least, there was so little of 1t that Germany had to lower her bread ration while Austria continued to starve a bit more rapidly. The sup plies had been burned.
 These fires were lighted, with kind of poetic justice, by the rem nants of the Czecho- Slovak Army-de- serters from the Austrian ranks and inveterate enemies of the Hapsburgs, who had been reconstituted into Rus sian military units under the Keren- sky regime and fought so splendidly for Russia before the whole nation collapsed from the gnawing of the Bolsheviki.
 Until March of this year this Cze- cho-Slovak Army had been stationed in the Ukraine-50,o0 men in line and 50,000 more In reserve. Then Bolsheviki representatives dissolved their organization 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, of course, no means of transportation was provided. And so they remained where they were.
 Systematic Burning.
 It was fortunate for the Allies that they did. As soon as they realized that Germany's chief objective in Rus sia was the Ukranian grain supply they began a systematic campaign of pillage and burning, in which they were 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 walks were successful Is incontestible. Count Czernin, Austro- Hungarian prime minister until his little exchange of pleasantries with M. Clemenceau, placed the responsibility for the bare Ukranian cupboard on the shoulders of the Czecho-SloVaks. German rep resentatives in. the Austrian Reichsrat repeated the charge in greater detail. A Magyar deputy in the Hungarian Parliament recently declared that the Czecho-Slovak Army in Ukraine had burned or taken away everything of value.
 Not only did they destroy what they could, but they fought bitterly to prevent the Teutons taking what was left Retiring and hampered by their lack of equipment, they stopped to meet the advancing Germans re- peatedly in the field. Their last bat tie, one of those confused struggles which get little space in the cable re- ports, was fought near Bachmac, half way between Kieff and Kursk on the road to Moscow. After the fight though the Czecho-Slovaks had been armed chiefly with axes, they them selves buried more than 300 Ger mans.
 Certainly in Ukraine the Czecho. Slovaks have had their revenge fol three centuries of suffocation and op pression 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.
 Eating Into Austrian Unity.
 As early as August 10, 1914 riot against mobilization began at Prague and thenceforth Czech soldiers ant Bohemian nationals have been tre mendous disintegrating influence botl on the eastern front and in the hear of Austria. The desertion of tn Twenty eighth Regiment in the Car pathians in the spring of 1915 is ia nous. These Boys of Prague" a they were known, marched over to tn Russian lines 2.000 strong. Befor them snapped the Bohemian flag, tn split-tailed silver lion rampant on scarlet field, and they swung along t the strains of their own military band singing their national hymn, "Wher Is My Homer"
 This is only one of an, interminabl series of such instances which com pelled the Austrians to turn the. con trol of their armies over to Germany The German general staff sandwich ed in all Czech and Slovak soldier with Germans, Austrians and Mag vars, so that mass surrenders becam Impossible. But individual an group assertions continued, until i'm mediately before the Russian revolu tion there were between 250,0 an 300,o0o Czecho-Slovak deserters i Russia alone. not to mention tn thousands of Bohemian prisoners i the hands of the Serbians and Italian
 Now, the Teutonic sympathizei among the officials of the old Russia regime distrusted the Czecho- -SIovak In other words, their hatred for tt Teuton was too ardent. They wei not allowed to fight against their al cient enemies. In fact. they wei treated almost like ordinary priso1 CTS, and great groups of them wei sent as track workers to Siberi where for want of food and clothir thousands of them died.
 Tn Thick of Fighting.
 With the revolution, however, tn, promptly organized their own arm under their own leaders. Yet 1t WI not until the great Russian offensi, of 1916 had been prepared that tn, were placed on the line in east Gal cia. On July 2, when the attack VI ordered, a Szecho- -slovak briga, swept forward and took the villa of Presovce the first town captur, in Korniloff's drive, together with ;