Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-16
EFFORT TO
S |LEN c {
RU USS|AN'
c HEc KED
Professed BoIsheviki Greet
Nine. Breshkovsky With
Cries and Catcalls;
Crowd Dispersed.

Kisses, yells ard catcalls of pro>
fessed bolshevism mingled with the
applause that greeted Nine, Catf-
crime Breshkovsky, "little grand
mother of the Russian revolution.s =
who spoke last night at the Brandeia
theater in the interest of the Cath
crime Breshkovsky Russian Relief
fund.
The moment she appeared on the
stage chorus of Kisses came from
the top gallery. So loud were
these that they were scarcely
drowned out by the applause that
burst from the rest of the audience
at sight of this large, brown-faced.
white-haired woman, who has had
such a large share in the shaping
of the history of Russia.
The air was tense throughout the
meeting. The gang in the gallery
grew more turbulent. Loud Kisses
issued from them at frequent in
tervals.
Long live the sovietsr a man
called out.
A prolonged chorus of cheers
burst from his associates.
At this point number of police
men and plain clothes men were
rushed to the gallery and the meet
ing proceeded with more decorum.
Speaker Undisturbed.
Throughout the disturbance the
aged woman, who was the center
of the storm, sat as calm and isn-
ruffled as though she had been ii
her garden alone on summers
morning. She showed neither SUR
prise, resentment nor anger.
Her large face with the high
cheekbones, tanned brown and
healthful with the out-of-doors
peasant life, was in perfect repose,
enhanced and made beautiful by the
halo of her snow-white hair. The
lids dropped almost drowsily over
the, large, full eyes. Nine. Brcsh-
kovsky, after 80 years in the midst
of Russian politics, is accustomed
to such scenes, startling though
they appeared to an Omaha
audience.
1t was after the completion Of
her address that the worst dis
turbance burst loose.
A wild-eyed young woman with
short, curly hair struggling out from
under the edges of her cheap straw
hat leaped to her feet on the main
floor of the theater. So excited was
her appearance that two men who
sat nearby got ready to leap upon
her if she made move to hurl a
bomb. The girl shrilled out several
sentences in Russian. Nine. Bresh-
kovsky raised languid eyes toward
her. Frank S. Howell, who presided,
restored order by telling the girl
that any questions she wanted to
ask must be in writing.
Hurrah for Soviets.
Then in the front row of the gall
lery short, swarthy fellow leaped
to his feet and hurled forth SEN
tence\ in broken English.
HC SPCdhCl lldS lotu ludb NuSSla
is full of wheat and has more bread
than she needs" he shouted. Then
why do they come here to US? And
why don't they Withdraw American
troops from Russia and let the Rus
slams establish the kind of govern
ment they want? Hurrah for the
soviets."
An indescribable pandemonium
rocked the gallery. The hoarse roar
of wild men mingled with the hys-
terical cheers of women. This con-
tinued for moments in spite Of the
effort of Mr.. Howell and DIR. Ed
ward Egbert, executive secretary Of
the fund, to restore order. Several
women leaned far over the railing
of the gallery, rocking to and fro, in
an ecstacy of excitement.
"Hurrah for the sovietsp was the
shrill, excited cry heard as the hub
bub began to die down. And it flared
up again.
Then another bolshevist jumped
up and shouted another question.
mo more questions will be am
swered unless they are in writing.
DR.. Egbert announced.
Lights Turned On.
"1ts too dark to write up here,
voice yelled back.
The lights were ordered turned on.
DR.. Egbert proceeded to announce
the manner of subscribing, to the
fund for taking care of and edu-
eating 100000, Russian children
whose fathers were killed in the war.
The disturbance continued more
or less throughout the meeting, but
was held in check by officers and
volunteers. Even on the main floor
of the theater there were those who
gave sarcastic laughs at some Of the
remarks of the speakers.
The personality of "the little
grandmother" dominated the audi-
ence in spite Of all this, and kept
fair order where, evidently, the boil
shevists, as they frankly acknowk
Continued ON Fsase Two. Column -
p s.