The sun., 1919-04-07
UKRAINE'S MYSTERY
LEADER TELLS AIMS
Gen. Petlura Insists He Is
Fighting Bolshevism and
Cries for Allies Aid.
STILL FIGHTING AT KEW
Losses Are Heavy and Armies
Need Munitions, Boots and
Other Equipment.
ny ,. M. JEFFRIEs. ,
Special Ca6is Despatch to The sus from fAs
Londoa Times Service.

ny De M. JEFFHIE1.
Special Cabis Dsspasch to The Sun from tAs
Londos Times Service.
coprtohf. 1s1s: oil rohfs reserped
VIENNA, April 6.-I have reached
Vienna after q journey of three weeks
| through what Is at present the most
isolated country in all Europe, over
territory which 10 lying partly in what
used to be Austria and partly across
tho old Russian border, which 70 at
present under the control OF the direo-
torate of the Ukraine.
The sum OF general knowledge about
has been that its troops were be-
segins Lsmberg on the west and east
under that mysterious leader Simon
Petlura. the military leader OF the
Ukrainians were engaged In what
looked like family quarrel with the
Bolsheviki. who had driven them from
Kiev and were slowly capturing the
whole of the Ukraine from them.
found Gen. Petlura In a salon rail-
way carriage. In which he lives, standing
at the station in the small town OF Pros
kuroff, ten miles from the Bolshevik
advance guards
One who had heard Of his various
callings was prepared for something Of
superficial brilliance. of a master of all
trades, but the man Is very different
from that He 10 of medium height
dark. OF slender build and about 40
years. old. He was clad In extreme
plainness with a uniform OF brown clothes
and affixed to his left breast was
simple fligree badge. the trident of the
Ukraine, this being the only mark or
sign he bore.
His clean shaven face Is like that Of
a forceful ecclesiastic and much lined
for q man Of his years. His voice is
quiet and grave and he never once
raised II during our three hours inter-
view. given through a young interpreter
who had learned French in Vladivostok
No Easy Task to Create a State.
Gen. Petlura seems anything but tho
exotic character his reputation de-
scribes. He was born in Postave Of q
Cossack family. educated In q seminary
in that city and afterward went to the
University of Lsmberg. He began our
conversation by saying rather sadly
that II was not an easy task to create q
State.
We have many enemies" he said,
but our greatest enemy IL the igno-
He then gave a sketch Of the founda-
tion Of the Ukraine State after the
breakup of the Russian army. He with
others worked to try TO keep the Ukrai-
nian regiments free from Bolshevism.
They also worked at civil Organization
and were making some progress, but all
came to nothing through the arrival of
the Germans in February. 1917.
The German coup d'etat in April sub
~ taxr -
Ukraine. and arrests. shootings and de-
portations began. The Germans only
idea In Ukraine had been to carry Off
provisions and anything else the land
could give them. They had, Gen. Pet
lura said. even taken away part of the
land. for several thousands of wagons
were despatched to Germany containing
the celebrated black earth OF the
Ukraine.
When the Germans put Gen., skoro-
padsky into power. Ged. Petlura and his
companions had always spoken and
acted against him as n conscious tool Of
the GermanA
Il was for self-government and a
league OF the Ukraine" Gen. Petlura
continued. but after sending an appeal
to German headquarters against their
| exactions and military oppression, OF
which I spoke clearly. was arrested in
July. 1918, by the Germans and taken
to the barracks OF the Sixty-seventh
Regiment in Nev. where I was impris-
oned for three and one-half months.
When, after the German revolution, q
revolt broke out In Kiev was freed.
Organ ized for seIf-Government,
AN parties in Kiev met together and
elected directorate of Winnichenko,
Schwetz and myself. the three OF US rep
resenting, respectively. the educated
classes. the peasants association and the
self-government league. We were given
power to choose members. and there
Joined with US the head OF tho railway
workers. Makarenko and Andrieff repre-
senting the independent Socialists. I my
self Immediately went to Poitava and
other centres and began organising
troops. There were raised two regi-
ments of volunteers with sharpshooters
and the Baporevska regiment.
with these two regiments we fought
and disarmed the Germans, also the
Skoropadsky troops. and the whole
countryside was with US. I have seen
even women disarm German troops and
give them a sound. clout as they did II.
We have some strappins peasant
women. After two months struggle the
padsky went under and we entered Kiev.
II only the Allies had helped u.s."
Did you try to get into touch with
the Aliies2".I asked.
"As soon as we entered Kiev we be-
gan communication with the Entente
Powers through their military represen-
tatives in Odessa. You may say that
those communications have been con-
tinuing ever since but here we are and
the Allies are In Odessa with their backs
to the sea and we have never linked up"
What was the reason OF this-what
was the obstacle?"
well. we had TO deal with soldiers
at Odessa. I wish there had been diplo-
matists there instead. have nothing TO
say against the soldiers save that by
training they take the military point of
view. They demanded that winni-
chenko, then later Andrieff. and I my
self should leave the directorate before
| the question OF recognition OF the
Ukraine by the Allies could be consid-
cred.
| Sees Mistake by Entente.
why so? Because 1 had taken IN
| arms against Gen. Denikine's army, the
volunteer army. as II is called. 1 say
| plainly the Allies make n mistake In
| Aa