Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-15
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES


It was reported to me that General
Polovtzev was actually frightened
surrounded by the throng of raging
and menacing women. He sent them
back to the Institute. promising that
he would not disband them and that
he would come to the barracks at 3
O'Clock the following morning. went
with the messenger to the quarters
and found everything in splendid
order. The girls seemed anxious to
comfort their Natchalnik, and so
maintained calm and moved on tip.
toe.
In the morning everything went as
usual, the rising hour, prayers. break
fast and drilling. At 9 was informed
that General PolovtZev. the adjutant
of Kerensky, Captain Dementiev and
several of the. women who took an IN
terest in the battalion were at the
gate. ! quickly formed She 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. as 7 led the group
OF distinguished visitors into the
house. what it all meant. "If it means
that they came to persuade me to
form a committee" I thought. then
2 it will make it mighty hard for me,
but I shall refuse all pleas"
My 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 to
comply with general regulations and
introduce the committee system in the
army. He argued along the already
familiar lines but l would not bulge.
He gradually became angry.
Are you a soldier?" he repeated
the question put to me by Kerensky.
"Yes, Gospodin General!
Then why don't you obey orders?''
because they are against the in.
terests Of the country. The commit.
tees are a plague. They have destroyed
our army" I answered.
but it is the law Of the country"
he declared.
Eyes, and it is a ruinous law, de.
signed to disrupt the front in time OF
war"
"Now ask you to do it as matter
of fern" he argued in different tone
altogether, perhaps himself realizing
the truth of my words. "All the army
committees are beginning 10 wonder
about YOU who is this BotchkareVa!
tbey ask and why is she allowed to
command without a committeeF Do
IT only for the sake OF form. your
girls are so devoted to you that com
mittee elected by them would never
seriously bother you. AT the same
time 1t would save us trouble.
Then the women surrounded me and
hepeed 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
wheedling. I grew eXasperated ano
completely lost control OF mysef
"You are rascals, all Of you! You
want to destroy the country! Get ou'
Of here!" shrieked madly.
"Shut up! How dare you shout like
that? am a general. will XIII your
Polovtzev thundered at me, trembling
with ire.
II cried out, tearing my coat open ano
nojnting to my chest. xiii me"
The general then threw up his hands
'nuttering angrily under his breath
"What the devil! This is demon
NOT a woman! You can do nothing
with her." and he, with his mixec
suite, withdrew.
The following morning telegram
came from General Polovtzev notifying
me that I would be allowed to con
tinue my work without a committees
Thus ended the row caused by TN
mutiny in the battalion, and which
nearly wrecked the entire undertaking
r. ,,,ns n hard fight that l had mace