El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-11-15
GUERILLA WAR
BEG0ME5B0RE
IN RUSSIA
Neither Reds Nor Deni-
kine's Men are Eager
For Attack.
DIFFERENT FROM
TRENCH WARFARE

by CAPT. JOHN HODES0E.
WITH the Don Army. Nov. 81 am
w writin gthis from the headquar-
tiers OF the Don Cosssck Third Army.
We form Gen Denlkine's right wing.
and we hope within few weeks TO
capture these towns closely ahead Of
us, which are the strategic key to
the whole Bolshevist eastward posi-
ton
This front IS a curious puzzle to a
soldier who has fought in France.
No one digs in The opposing forces
do not lie close up TO each other, and
neither side Is much given to court
ing an encounter. She Bolsheviks
rather less than the Cossacks
The relish OF the campaign IS sup
piled By the many brilliant raids
which are carried out by mounted
Cossack briEsdes- These are indeed
adventures on a grand scale They
serve not only as cutting-out expedi-
tons but TO igvs the populations be-
hind the Red army a chance to either
rising against the oppressor or re-
sisting and dislocstinE his mobiliza-
ton methods.
Trimmed By British
Denikfne's armies are now being
reinforced by batteries o. guns man
ned by soldiers drilled and trained
bv British officers and men at base
schools a fortnight ago attached
1ny self % stokes gun contingent
with which have since managed 70
work my way TO the front
procra Situation and lack OF
clear-cut patriotism as We know IT
is certainly a Characteristic or lne
Russians but much OF this must be
country has passed through the great
war. has suffered ct the humiliation
OF BETRAYAL and defeat and has, O.
Top Of % all been un to its neck IL
the most horrible OF all tuternecille
wars FOR two years NY own OFFICER
INTERPRETER quite frankly excused the
low morale OF his eompatrlots cy
saving that they were naturally
little tired
Peasants Arr P-ontee=..
The peasants look healthy AID jol-
lT. but they proflteer 10 the utmost
one woman az an outlandish place
charged me a shilling for an egg.
told her that IL could not have cost
anything ike that sum. and accused
Eer Of profiteeriEg. Her answer ST.
fenced me. An egg. she said. had in
peace time represented 70 her the
equivalent OF a box OF matches
which would now cost her about a
shilling
The morale Of the peasantry is
lower than It was and they lie with
perfect nonchalanca- A common man
Who lives under what approx mates
TO the shadow Of the Euillotine FOR
wears IS not going to develop high
moral attributes. That the Russian
character IS Fundamentally al right
men SIN ReIigfouu.
IN spite OF the bolshevist blight
The people have not forgotten the
farmalities, at least OF their old re-
1icious practices The mon approach
Battle II a Clearly way and face
death in revereut spirit During
our journey each night at dusk the
men OF the battery formed up along
side the track. chaEted their beauti-
ful evensouE. and lifted their fine
voices in prayer cannot do justice
to the ar-esting and awesome effect
which 7 always experienced on hear
ing the men performing these d5vo-
lions in the calm OF the evening at
quiet country railway stations and
The battery Of stokes guns with
which 7 am marching goes into ac-
tion for the first time tomorrow. A
few weeks ago I would not have
risked the adventure with them for
= large fortune. They were RACED
absolutely without enthusiasm or
discipline and we're lazy beyond be-
lief
Regain Their SELF Respect.
Today, however. they are clean,
smart vel setup and fun Of pluck
Their English clothes, the self respect
with which their English instructors
have lmlued them. and the pride they
take ln their English weapon. have
All worked marVels- They seem TO
have realized that there IS stiH some
thing left for which il is worth while
living and fighting
II seems that the end IS still a
long way Off some Of the best Rus
sian generals think that the civil war
VIII run into another two years. but
there are distinct signs everywhere
among the troops of Denizine that
their crushed and degraded patriot
ism has been reaWakeued- and that
they are determined to carry on until
lolshevism has been destroyed