The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-12-31
SOCIALISTS
enlist
SYMPATHY

navy in Prince LVOn anu NerchShy ,
cabinet. and one of the leaders OF
the PARTY of Socialists.Revolutioni
has come to the United States to en-
list the sympathes Of the American
democracy for the movement OF the
Russian people who we're fighting LOT
months on the VOlga front. toeether
with the Czecho.Slovaks, sustaining
thc line against the Bolsheviki. De
prived of the aid from the Aiiles
which these Russian forces had Deeii
,od 10 expect, they have been COM
pelled to retreat, and today Russia
is mcnaced by the Bolshevist danger
unless help is given her. 1t is to en-
list this help that Colonel Lebedeh
has come to this country. Later ne is
going. on the same mission to France.
Colonel Lebedeff was an officer in
the Russian army in 1904. lie TOOK
mart in the Russo.Japanese war, ana
was wounded. He was decorated ior
bravery i'm the Far East. In l9O5 ne
| io;ned the Revolutionary movement
in Russia. had to leave that country, !
and lived in exile abroad, mostly in
| France.
At the very beginning of the war.
in 1914. Colonel Lebedeff organized
detachment of the Russian political
immigrants in France, and with this
detachment entered the French army
as a private soldier. He fought on the
French and Macedonian front for two
and a half years, up to the moment OF
the March revolution in Russia. He
was wounded several times, was de-
corated with the Croix de Guerre. and
was promoted to rank OF OFFICER
After the March revolution of 1917,
Colonel Lebedeff went back to Rus'
sia and was invited to enter Prince
I.voffs cabinet as secretary OF the
navy.
TJpon entering this office, Colonel
Lebedeff undertook strict measures
for establishing discipline in the Rus
sian fleet. During the Bolshevist re-
volt in July, 1917, Colonel Lebedeff
], was at the head of the forces which
suppressed this revolt. Shortly after
that Colonel Lebedeff left the cabinet
= because of the Provisional govern
ment would not consent to his pro-
gram of immediate strict measures
against Bolshevism. After leaving the
cabinet, Colonel Lebedeff co-operated
with the grandmother of the Rus.
sian Revolution" Catherine Bresh.
kovskaya, in editing a revolutionary
and patriotic daily, VOLTA Naroda.
In June of 1913 the Colonel entered
the new ministry, which was organ
lied of the Volga by the Committee
+ of the Constituent Assembly. 1t was
!, as member of this ministry that he
T organized the detachments known as
= the Army of the Russian People
, which have made such a notable stand
. against the Bolsbevist elements Act
ing in cooperation with the Czecho
Sloyaks, the detachments of the Army
, of the Russian People took SyZran
, Simbirsk, Kazan, and other important
, cities. In Kazan tho forces under
Colonel Lebedeff took possession OF
500 900, 900 roubles in gold. two-thirds
of the gold reserve of the old Rus
sian empire This vast sum had been
in the possession of the Bolheviki. and
part of this gold would have been
transferred to Germany in accordance
with the supplements to the Brest'
Litoysk treaty. At the same time
these forces. under Colonel Lebedeff,
captured a large quantity of silver
\ securitiea and oyher valuables. all
of which was forwarded by the colo
mel to the directorate Of five, chosen
at the Congress Of Ufa, and sitting at
Omsk.
!, Colonel Lebedeff was sent to this
+. country by the Congress of Ufa. His
=. recent military experiences have been
:. entirely on the Volga front, where
q month after month, waiting for aid
v from the Allies which failed to come,
he and his forces struggled against
n superior numbers, but were finally
@ compelled to retreat before the Boil
i shevist menace.
@ Colonel Lebedeff, in speaking of his
Il experiences today, dwelt at length up.
on the unity in Russia of the forces
opposed to Bolshevism The move.
I ment took definite shape in the month
I of April of this year. 1t was started
by the wOrkmen of Petrograd, draw
!. ing some 10000 men. These work.
r. ment protested against the Soviets
n but in vain. They could get no re-
cognition. and rapidly became sub
ject to Soviet terrorism. Then a
group of 100000 OF the Petrograd
workers formed q local Workmen's