The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-13
RUSSIA SEEKING
AMERICAS AID
AGAINST REDS

NEW YORK. Dec. l3.-CoL Vladimir
L Lehedeff, Of the Russian army, for
mer secretary Of navy in Prince Lvoff's
and Kerensky's cabinet, and one of the
leaders of the party of socialists-revo-
l~utionists, has come to the United
States to enlist the sympathies OF the
American democracy for the movement
OF the Russian people who were fight
ing for months on the Nolga front. to-
gether with the Czecho- Slovaks, sus-
tanning the line against the Bolshevih
Deprived of the aid from the allies
which these Russian forces had been
led to expect, they have been compelled
to retreat, and today Russia is men.
aced by the Bolshevist danger unless
help is given her. 1t is to enlist this
help that Col. Lebedeff has come to this
country. Later he is going on the same
mission TO France.
Col. Lebedeff was an officer in the
Russian army in 1904. He took part in
the Russo-Japauese war, and was
wounded. He was decorated for brav.
cry in the Far East. In 1905 he Joined
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, Col. Lebedeff organized a detach-
nlent of the Russian political immi-
-, grants in France and with this detach-
ment entered the French army as a
private soldier. He fought on the
French and Macedonian front for two
and a haf years, up to the moment Of
4 the March revolution, in Russia. He
was wounded several times, was deco
rated with the CroiX de Guerre. and
was promoted to rank of officer. After
the March revolution of 1917 Col. Lebe-
def went back TO Russia and was in
Vited to enter Prince LvoffE cabinet as
secretary of the navy.
Upon entering this office Col. Tebe-
def undertook strict measures for es-
tablishing discipline in the Russian
fleet. During the Bolshevist revolt in
head Of the forces which suppressed
this revolt. Shortly after that Col.
Lebedeff left the cabinet because the
provisional government would not con-
sent to- his program of immediate strict
measures against Bolsheyism After
leaving the cabinet. Col Lebedeff CO.
operated with the granddaughter Of the
Russian revolution Catherine Bresh-
kovskaya, in editing a revolutionary and
patriotic daily, VOLTA Naroda.
In June Of 1918 the colonel entered
the new ministry, which was organized
on the Nolga by the committee of the
member of this ministry hat he or
gained the detachments known as the
army Of the Russian people, which
made such a notable Stand against the
Bolshevist elements. Acting in Coop
Grafton with the Czecho- Slovaks. the
attachments OF the army OF the Rus
sian people took Syziam, Simbirsk, Ka-
gan and other important Volga cities,
In kazan the forces under Col, Lebe-
def took possession Of SOC, 900, 900 rubIes
in gold. two-thirds of the gold reserve
, of the old Russian empire. This vast
sum had beer in the possession of the
Bolsheviki, and part of this gold would
have been transferred to Germany in
accordance with the supplements of the
BresA- Litovsk treaty. At the same time
these forces, under Col. Lebedeff, cap
tured a large quantity Of silver, Sc
4 ~curities and other valuables. all OF
y which was forwarded by the colonel to
the directorate Of five, chosen at the
congress of Ufa and sitting at Omsk.
Col. Lebedeff was sent to this coun-
try by the congress of Ufa. His recent
military experiences have been entirely
on the Volga front. where month after
month, waiting for aid from the allies
which failed to come, he and his forces
struggled against superior numbers, but
were finally compelled to retreat before
the BolsheVist menace.
Col. Lebedeff, in speaking of his eX-
periences, dwelt at length upon the