Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-10-22
VLAD|YOST0K
 TELLS MANY GOOD TALES
Czecho- -Slovaks About 14, 900 Strong Invaded This City
 Few Weeks Ago.
LARGE PATRIOTIC
 MASS MEETINGS
Mobs Seemed Not Unlike Those of Old Roman
 Holiday Crows.

vladivostok comes a Czecho-Sloyak soldier, Jaromir Spacek by name, with many strange stories to tell of the occupation of the CzechO- -Slovaks in that city.
 Their vanguard arrived on May 2O but it was a number of weeks before their f,.il strength of 14,O00 reached the terminal of the Trans-Siberian Railway When a sufficient number had come, the little army solemnly held a patriotic mass meeting. This ceremony was observed whenever they reached and occupied an import ant Siberian city There were speeches, (parades, and gymnatic dis plays by the "sOkols' or athletic-lit- erary societies. Apparently the cit izenry of Vladivostok attended en masse and went home vastly impress ed with the high degree of culture possessed by the newcomers. The singing especially pleased them. Within short time. the Czecho-Slo- walks were thoroughly popular.
 Det they kept order in the streets. tAIlu JuGt uU IL III d PCllCCIlS Aii- partial fashion. The Czecho-Sloyak patrols adopted set rule of dispers- ing each and every street gathering that assumed large proportions. They wasted no words about it. The terse command "Razchodis!" meanina Adjourn" boomed through the high ways of Vladivostok at all hours of the day and night. And it was strictly needed by the populace. When they were told to "razchOdis," they obediently went home.
 Crowds Enjoy OratOry.
 The ViadivOstok mobs seem to have been not unlike the old Roman holi- day crowds. They liked to listen to speeches and they always applauded the speaker who held the platform no matter what he waas advocating. An orator with energy and loud voice could persuade them to do all most anything. It was this volatile quality of Vladivostokians which made the city authorities positively forbid cpen-air gatherings. Public assemblanges must meet only in a hall. and then not without special permission from the mayor And the Czescho-Slovak military patrols en- forced this order On one occasion a patrol of four soldiers put to flight mob of more than 40 persons.
 Apparently the townspeople do not resent being ordered about by the mitittary police Occasionally they grstmble at not being allowed tc fight among themselves when they choose. but for the most part they arc passive and well-behaved. One citizen spoke admiringly to Private cpaeck of the efficiency of the CZezh- Slevaks soldiers.
 ''Yon are great fellows!" he said "You have so much vigor. We re. spect you. When you came here the order lin the streets was not bad. But now 1t Is still better. You know bes of all how to keep order!"
 One fay Private Spaeck encoun tered on. the sidewalk a peeved olt ladN who! stopped him and gave ut terAnce to her, grievances.
 'eWhere is our liberty now?" sh' whined. "We thought we were to ge freedom. and now you come and orde1 us about. Where is our liberty. : ask you?"
 Private Spaeck says he put: hi hand very gently on the old woman: should and replied. -"Auntie. you sur rendered your liberty to the German emperor. a good many months ago Don't you know that?"
 This seemed to convinceH her, fO she sighed deeply and said: 'Ah. yes you are right And if it were not fo you. we might all have been destroy ed long ago.
 Other Cities Ask for Aid.
 News of the peace and order pre- vai!ing in Vladivostok spread to oth CT Siberian cities and a number o them sent delegations to the Czech slovak officers, requesting them t send squads of soldiers for patro duty The officers objected that the. had not enough men to be able to de tacE them for such duties. One city delegation came back. and said the would be satisfied with from tw to five men. Another city offered t pay F roubles per months per maj for all soldiers that should be turn ed over to them for police service. !. But the labors of the Czech-sloval army in eastern Siberia have no been confined to keeping the civil DO pu;ation of the cities in good order There has been shanp and blood
 
 plains and marshes. Not long ago small force of CzechO-slovaks Wa sent out to defend a portion of tn Eastern Chinese Railway against tn attacks of hostile troops. They Ina only one gun. while the enemy ha seventeen. They did not fire a sir gle shot. but crept uo kwith bayonet and surprised the detachment of tn enemy which was holding the sever teen guns. The enemy surrendere after short fight. in which some fhe Czechoslovaks were badly woHn( ed.
 Bravery of Wounded Men:
 Hours after the fight. two unharn d Cxecho- -Slovaks soldiers. were cal ryine two ftheir wounded men bac to the operating base. The way Ia w