Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-04-10
make STAND
SAYING WAR
is NOW over
Troops Finally Prevailed
on by Commander to
Go Back to Front.

hrchangeI, Wednesday, April ..
-(By the Associated PTess).-
| 4 company of American troops
recently showed some hcsita-
ton in returning TO the fight
| ing front south OF Archangel,
declaring that the war with
Germany was over and that the
United States was not at war
with the bOlsheViki. The regi-
mental commander, in a speech,
said that they were fighting
desperate defensive battle, and
appealed to them to stick ii out.
The company then left for the
! front.
The situation arose when the
company named was ordered back
to the front after a rest period at
Archangel The officers were in
formed~that the men did not want
to &c to the front again. They ask
ed to have their arguments an
swered.
Drafted to Fight Hun, They Say.
The men contended that they
were draft men conscripted for the
war with Germany, which was fin
ished now, that American was not
at war with the bolsheviki, that
the entire bolshevik was the sub
ject of much political debate and
indecision in the United States, and
that so far as they were concerned
they were unable to see why they
should be fighting if there was no
war.
Commanders Appeal Wins.
The regimeutal commander said
that, perhaps, their own lives de-
pended on the fighting on this front
and then made his successful ap-
peal, reciting to the men traditions
Of the American army.
In view of the situation which
has developed among the American
troops in ArchangeI. official circles
are impressed with the necessity of
promptly relieving the American
soldiers who are now in North Rus
sia.
Expect to Return Soon.
The soldiers have interpreted the
Washington statement that they
would be released at the earliest
moment possible as meaning not
later than June /, which is the time
they believe navigation at Arch
angel probably will be open and
while out of a spirit of loyalty to
their officers and to American tra-
ditiOns, they express a willingness
to stick it out until that date. they
are exceedingly reluctant to go to
the front and risk heir lives.
Feeling is General.
This incident was onlythe outCrop-
ping of what seems TO be the gen
eral feeling among the American
troops, officers as well as men Be
cause Of this feeling, it is admitted
that more or less generally the
troops now here probably will be OF
little use after June l.
In official circles in Archangel,
there is no disposition seriously to
blame the troops for this condition.
On their arrival in north Russia
last September the Americans were
keen for fighting the bolsheviH,
who they had been told were Ger
man agents. They have fought
bravely throughout the campaign
and they are still doing so.
IEardshipS Cause Loss Of Spirit.
However, since the armistice with
Germany was declared, the soldiers
have been subjected to constant boi-
sheyiki propaganda, which together
with their desire to return home
after the end of the war for which
they were drafted and the hard
ships and loneliness of the Arctic
winter, has caused them 70 lose
their spirits.
Meanwhile. they have had no Off
cial statement from the government
to answer bolsheviki propaganda
and no American in Archangol is in
a position 10 tell them Officially
what they are fighting for.
Washington Officially Advised.
Washington, April l0.-An oniCial
report to the war department OF
discomfort among American troops
in northern Russia is understood to
contain the same facts related in
The Associated Press dispatches re
ceiyed today describing the uu-
willingness of an American COM
pany to return to the firing line un-
til appealed to by their regimcntal
commander.
Officials indicated that the report
would not be made public. II was
said there was nothing to show tlat r
the American officers at ArChangel
regarded the situation as very ser