The Washington herald., 1919-04-23

eral Of the women who took an inter
est in the battalion were at the gate.
quickly formed the battalion. The
general greeted US and we saluted,
He then shook hands with me and
gave orders to let the girls out into
the garden, for he wanted TO talk
things over with me.
I asked myself. a. I led the group
of distinguished, visitors into the
house. what 1t all meant IF 1t means
that they came to persuade me 70
form a committee" thought, then II
will make Il mighty hard for me. but
I shall refuse all pleas"
Ny anticipation proved correct The
general had brought all these patron
esses of mine to help him break my
obstinacy. He Immediately launched
into an exposition Of the necessity 70
comply with general regulations ana
introduce the committee system in the
army. He argued along the already
familiar lines. but would not bulge.
He gradually became angry.
Are you a SOLDIER" he repeated the
question put to me by Kerensky.
Yes. Gospodin Generai!'
Then Why don't you obey ordersT
Because they are against the inter
ests of the country. The committees
are a plague. They have destroyed
our army" l answered
But It is the law OF the country" he
declared
yes, and II is a ruinous law. de-
signed to disrupt the front In time OF
war;"
Now ] ask you to do II as q mat
ter OF form" he argued in a different
tone altogether. perhaps himself rea-
liking the truth OF my words. "Al the
army committees are beginning TO
wonder about you. Who is this Botch-
kareva7' they ask. and why is she
allowed TO command without . com
mittee?' Do II only for the sake OF
form oYour girls are so devoted TO
-you that a committee elected by
them would never seriously bother
you. At the same time il would
save US trouble"
Then the women surrounded me and
begged me and coaxed me TO give way.
| Some OF them wept, others embraced
me. all got on my nerves. Nothing
could enrage me SO much as this
wedding. grew exasperated and
completely lost control OF myself.
J gripped by hysteria-
You are rascals, all Of you! You
want to destroy the country! Get out
| OF here" I shrieked madly.
Shut up. How dare you shout like
that? / am a general. l will XIII
| you" Polovtzev Numbered at me.
| trembling with ire.
"All right. you can kill me: kill
me-" cried out. tearing my coat
open and pointing to my chest. XIII
me-"
The general then threw up his hands.
muttering angrily under his breath.
What the devil, This Is a demon, not
| a woman, You can do nothing with
| her." and with his mixed suite, with
drew.
The following morning a telegram
came from Gen. Polovtzev. notifying
me that l would be allowed to con-
tinue my work without a committee!
Thus ended the row caused by the
mutiny in the battalion, and which
| nearly wrecked the entire undertaking.
| 1t was a hard fight that l had made.
but convinced of my right. there was
no retreating for me.
Events have completely justified my
| feeling. The Russian army. once the
most colossal military machine in the
world. was wrecked in a few months
by the committee system. Coming
| from the trenches. where l learned at
| first hand what a curse the commit
| tees proved. ] realized early their por-
| tentous significance. To me il has al
! WAYS been clear that a committee
| meant ceaseless speechmaking. That
was the outstanding factor about IL
and considered no other aspect OF II.
| kne that the Germans worked all
day while our boys talked. and in war
J I always understood II was action that
| counted and conquered.