Evening star., 1918-07-06
Planting Seed Devoured.

During the winter they got hungry
and ate the seeds intended for this
years crops. The Volga peasants
were bringing large quantities OF
seeds from Siberia, but Czecho-Slovak
trouble has stopped the transporta-
tion of those.
The Czecho-Slav conflict has un-
doubtedly weakened the Soviet gov
ernment. but. unless things have
changned greatly In two months. can
not accomplish its downfall. On the
contrary. the soviet should have every
chance Of success.
II the soviet government fell the
only possible thing TO replace 1t would
be a German-controlled government
like that Of the Ukraine. If the so
Wet government falls it will be Ger
many who steps in and restores
order'-not the allies.
"It must be remembered that the
CZecho-Slovaks are not Russians but
Bohemians whose home is far re-
moved from any Russian frontier. Sc
stances be misconstrued as an upris-
ing in internal Russia against the So
Wet government.
Nor must it be considered that the
Czecho-Slovak movement is in any
way expressive of Russian feeling.
for the Czecho-Slovaks are in an alien
land. They are Slays but not Rus-
SLAMS.
A large portion of the soviet leaders
are not well informed persons. They
not thoroughly understand, and they
are not always willing to put them
selves out to understand.
They aided the French in equipping
the Czecho-Slovak troops. They re-
duced the amount of grain shipments
from Siberia in order to transport
those troops to Vladivostok for ulti-
mate movement to the western front
There was a natural sympathy for the
CzechS because those men were going
to France to fight the oppressor. Ger
many, for the freedom of their coun-
try.
certainly impatient at the delays. yet
| do not see how those delays could
have been prevented 1t is quite a
sizeable job to transport food for
90, 600, 900 people over one-track
railway when the average haul is
1000 miles and the railway organtza-
tion practically gone to pieces owing
same time, transport 10000 troops
the other way for a distance of about
1000 miles
We have had certain transportation
difficulties in our own country desplte
our wonderful system of railways. 1t
is a real miracle that the trans
siberian railway runs at all.
There had been a good deal of talk
about japanese Intervention. Slmlo-
nov was in Manchuria operating
against the soviet forces. The soviet
saw counter Revolutionary piot III
every dark shadow.
When the friction developed be-
tween the CZechs and the local so
yiets the Moscow government at once
Jumped to the triple conclusion that
The Czechs were intended to aid Simio-
nov, participate In counter reVolu-
tion and to act as an integral part of
an allied force for the invasion OF
Siberia Inasmuch as the French had
organized and paid for the equip
ment of the Czech forces, the soviet
charged France with bad intentions.
This was perfect foolishness on their
part. but then it was In accord with
other crazy things the "bolshevikf'
have done.
There are now at Eladivostok 49,
600 czech soldiers. Here we have an
accomplished fact as basis for argu-
ment. These $4,000 men had been
TRANSPORTED all the way from Euro
mean Russia and were waiting ships
to take them to America, en- route Tor
There were 10000 more Czechs
within practical reach Of Vladivostok.
They had b1en brought from Europe.
Soviet Not Deceitful.
This very fact refutes the asser-
ton that the soviet was attempting
to hold back the Czech legions. If
the soviet had been taking orders
from Germany those 100000 Czechs
would never have been armed. clothed
and equipped or even been permitted
to mobilize, let alone $4,000 trans
ported as far as Vladivostok.
The only plausible explanation is
that it was misunderstanding on
both sides Had there been allied CO.
operation with THE soviets this mis-
understanding would probobly never
have arisen. 1t was considered mad
yisable that allied consuls or diplo-
mats should have contact with the
soyiets because such contact might
be taken to imply recognition.
If there had only been some inter-
mediary to explain things to both
sides the Czecho-Slovaks would many
of them have now been on their way
across the Pacific and starving Rus
sia's grain supply would not have
been shut off.
DOWNRIGHT Chica 90 Neysl