The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-03-13
DEFENDS THE
CzECHOSLOYAkS
Catherine Breshkoysky Con-
tradicts Col. Robins
Testimony
RUSSIANS HAILED
THEM AS SAVIORS

were Attempting TO Get Gut OF Russia /
to Aid the Allies in France When |
They Were Attacked by German
Controlled Bolshevilsi.
NEW YORK, March BIN a letter to
The Times Catherine Breshkovsky contra
diets the testimony of Col Robins re-
Gently given in Washington. She writes:
With so many misrepresentation and
calunnies afioat now about conditions inl
Russia, 1t is almost. impossible to reply tol
every false assertion or testimony Yeti
there are matters of such great couse-
quences. questions SO pregnant with mean
ing, that it would be a crime not to give
the world a true exposition of the actual
facts. Among many other calumnes re.
garding conditions in Russia, one OF the
most revolving is the recent testimony
| of Colonel Raymond Robins before the
senate committee in the matter of the
i Czechoslovaks, their stay in Russia, and
their fighting against the BoIsheyiki.
/ The events referred to occurred in the
spring of 1918, when the remnant Of this
brave and honorable army, which for
three Years had fought against Germany
together with our Russian troops, deeid-
Ied-after the treacherous peace arranged
by Lenine and Trotzky at Brest@Ltovsk
was signed--to go to France and continue
the war for the freedom of all the dem
ocraeies Of the world, and their own as
well As it was impossible for them TO
lcross the former Russian front because
of tho German troops. the Czechoslovaks
decided to go to the east, through all Rus
STA and Siberia, to reach Vladirostok, and
from there to sail for France, n journey
OF many thousands of miles by land and
water.
As for myself. l was at that time hid.
den in Moscow, and through my many
friends could get news from some prov.
inccs along the Nolga river, where small
+ detaehmcnts of the Czechosloval1 army
! appeared by and by, part on foot and
part by rail, all armed, and even with
! some artillery. Then | began to get let
: tiers from many peasants asking me who
: these mysterious troops were and what
were their intentions. To those questions
they added that this strange army was a
wel-hehaved one, never harming anyone
and paying regularly for all the provisions
obtained along their route.
Soon afterward We read in the papers
that detachments of Czechosloyaks. armed
;: and in good order, dotted the long way
from the Nolga to Eastern Siberia Find
ing it impossible TO be transported ans
fed in one large body they had dissolved
themselves into many groups and wcr,
continuing on their way.
81 1t was III Nav Of 1918 that some officer
: twere sent by the Bolshcviki to Siberia {,
tlordet these brave men to lay down thei
arms. Some arms were given up by tn,
snail dctaehments near Novo Niohola
yevsk, but about half were retained b,
: the CzechosldvaiSs. These happening
were reported in the Moscow paper
: without any comment, but intelligent poo
Ipie began To understand the meaning q
The persecution OF the Czeehoslovaks.
was clear that behind the Bolshevist pol
icy TO disarm any force fighting the Ger
nans III Russia stood the kaisers anrbas
/ sador. Count won Mirbaeh.
Aud very soon afterward we read agaiT
that some more officers ard Red Guardi
had been sent to Siberia for The sam,
purpose But tile Czechoslovaks under
| stood that it meant death for them 4
: I've left TO the mercy of the Rcd Guards
s who already counted among their numbes
many thousands of German and Magya
Iprisoners, equipped and armed at tn,
command OF Moscow Instead of sarren
dering the Czcchoslovaks turned to tn,
west, and their first deed was to turn tn,
Red Guards otli OF the town Of Novo
Nicholayevsk. The JOY Of the inhabitant
was intense
The first Of July left Moscow secretl
with a Young friend. member OF on
Ipaity, and proceeded to tho east, wher
hoped to encounter friends and part
Isans able to organize a truly deniocfati
& government for all RUSSIA. Crossing tn
J, t1,ssl mountains, making detoufs to avoi
Z the front, stopping in the villages {
: change horses and get some rest, on a
: sides we heard the same lamentations {
n the peasants about the looting and viz
II lenee Of the Red Guards md about tn
II peasants wishes to get aid from som,
II body
II There are people, the Czcchosloyakl
II good people, heard from the peasant
II willy do they not, come here to turn OF
these brigands?l'
Hi And the nearer we approached Siherii
II the louder we're the complaints OF I'll
II people and the more eager the desire /
III HdNe THESE BIaNe zsOiuieIS A4in AlileIi.
II Tumen, an important trading eente
II was full OF Bolsheviki when we entered i
II These brigands were turning the Peep
mad with despair and fear Of their vi
II lence and robbery, taking from ever
= family everything possible and emptyir
= all the shops and stores. to send the goo'
-, to Ekaterinburg Il was Just the IN
II ment when the Czeehosloyaks. havir
turned the Bolsheviki out Of 0msk. T
II Ibolsk, and the villages on. the way. we
II approaching fnmen and were expect,
II from day to day by the tortured inhal
II tants.
II The Bolshevist party opened its ran
II mot only to. criminals. hut, also to maj
II lpsychologicallv abnormal, almost insan
Ialenents Given the privilege OF ehoc
II ing their functions, these elements h
II every opportunity to satisfy their crt
II instincts So in Tumen there was a b
II sheyist inspector of the prison, fci
h cions monster. who tortured the prisonc