Mexico weekly ledger., 1919-08-07
.CzECHO--SLAVs PASS
THROUGH MEXICO
Soldiers Who Have Seen Five Years
in Siberia and Other Countries
Through Here
ONLY ONE TRAIN STOPPED
Many Displayed American Flags as
They Passed the City. Trains
Fourteen Hours Late.

soldiers from the Siberian front pass
through Mexico Thursday night
and Friday morning. The local Red
Cross chapter which had orders to
feed the soldiers as they stopped here
were able to put magazines on only
three of the trains. and food on one.
Only the fourth train stopped in this
city.
Approximately fifteen hundred SOL
diers were on all four trains also
number Of casuals. The last train
which was the only one to stop here
had Ill hospital cases and four
Red Cross nurses in charge Of them.
According to report there were
twenty-five nurses on the first train
and several on each of the others, all
of whom mad seen service on the east
ern fronts.
The first train to pass through this
city came at $3.50 Thursday evening,
the second at 400 a. M, Friday, the
third at 1886 and the last one at 1850.
The local Red Cross chapter was on
the job and were ready to serve and
feed all four trains but only one had
time to stop as the rest were all from
twelve to fourteen hours late.
The last train stopped in the yards
and later at the station where it re-
raained for about fifteen minutes. On
account of the movements the train
the canteen workers were unable to put
all Of their food on board but the lar
ger portion OF it was dispensed.
Contrary to the popular idea that
the Slav soldiers were dark, large
majority were blonds. Only compar-
ative few were dark. A large number
had short thick boards, and some wore
mustaches. Practically all of the
soldiers wore leather belts around and
across their bodies and on the whole
presented picturesque appearance.
On the first two trains to pass through
this city almost all of the soldiers had
small American flags which they wav-
ed enthusiastically while passing. The
ages of the soldiers ranged from
young men about eighteen or twenty
years old to some who were sixty-five
or seventy.
Isadore Taylor, one of Mexico's jew
elers who came from Russian many
years ago, met the last train and en-
joyed short talk with the Czechs.
They all were able to talk Russian
and "Issy" probably learned more
about them at first hand than anyone
else in Mexico.
The Czecho-Slovak troops which
passed through Mexico Friday have
had experiences surprising the widest
flights of fancy. The fame of Keno
phon with his Greeks and Doniphan
with his Missouri veterans long ago
circled the earth and men will never
tire of singing their achievements.
But what writer of romances would
have chosen plot as daring as the
plans of the Czecho-Slovaks, con-
scripted soldiers of Austria, who de-
serted to the Russians, not through
fear or perfdy, but under the inspir
alton of dream to relieve their kins-
men of the oppessor's yoke? At the
me of their desertion they expected
to fight as allies of the Russians.
Each knew that capture meant immed
late death as traitor, but not one
hesitated.
A still sorer test was ahead of
them, for swift changes in Russia left
them without allies. Their only re-
course was to proceed to Siberia,
Whence they hoped to join the armies
N France and fight there and in
flanders. In these columns and else,
where the story of their magnificent
hting march has been repeatedly
told. Disarmed, they fought bare
handed and captured weapons from
the foe. Deprived of transportation
facilities, they improvised schemes Of
transport worthy of the most ingen-
ius Yankees. They formed govern
ment, thousands of miles from home,
and it was recognized by the greatest
tions. History has no parallel for
that. Later Austria was so hard
pressed that it had to surrender, the
parts Of the old dual monachy separ- |
ated and zecho-Slovakia was estab- |
lished, but still these soldiers had TO
battle their way to Siberia. They ar
rived, took passage on the Pacific for
San Francisco and are now, after !,