davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-04

The commander called his orderly in
soldiers outfit for me. received
two complete undergarments made OF
coarse linen, two pairs OF footrags,
a laundry bag. a pair of boots, one
pair of trousers. belt, a regulation
blouse, a pair OF epaulets. a cap with
the insignia on it, two cartridge pock.
cts and a rifle. My hair was clipped
off.
There was an outburst of laughter
when I appeared in full military attire,
as a regular soldier Of the Fourth Com
pany. Fifth Regiment. / was con.
fused and somewhat bewildered hardly
being able to recognize myself. The
news of a woman recruit hao preceded
me at the barracks, and my arrival
there precipitated a riot Of fun. I was
surrounded OH all sides by green re.
cruits who stared at me incredulously,
| but some were not satisfied with mere
them. They wanted to make sure that
their eyes were not deceived, SO they
proceeded to pinch me, joste mo and
brush against me.
Get out. she amt no baba." re-
marked one of them.
Sure, she is" said another, pinch
ing me.
She'll run like the devil at the
first German shot," joked a third. pro-
voking an uproar.
Wen make It so hot for her that
she'll run before even getting to the
front" threatened a fourth.
Here the commander of my company
| interfered. and the boys dispersed. I
was granted permission to take my
things home before settling perman-
emily at the barracks, and asked TO
be shown how to salute. On the way
home I saluted every uniform in the
same manner. Opening the door of
the house, l stopped on the threshold.
My mother did not recognize me.
Maria Leontievna Botchkareva
here?" I asked sharply. in military
fashion. Mother took me for some
messenger from headquarters, and
answered, NO"
I threw myself on her neck. Holy
Mother save mel" she exclaimed.
| There were cries and tears which
brought my father and little sister to
the scene. My mother became hys.
terical. For the first time / saw my
father weep. and again I was urged
to come back to my senses and give
up this crazy notion to serve in the
army. The proprietress of the house
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-04

friends was what / would like to be
called.
Call me Yashka," said, and that
name stuck to me ever after. saving
my life on more than enc occasion.
There is SO much in a name. and
"Yashka" was the sort Of a name that
appealed 10 the soldiers and always
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-04
AND HERE II CONTINUES
I Enlist by the Grace OF the Csa,

CHItst oy the Grace of the Gar
NEARLY two months Travelled
homeward from Yakutsk, by
water, rail and foot. The war was
everywhere. The barge on the Lena
was filled with recruits. In Irkutsk
the uniform was much in evidence.
and every now and then Il regiment of
soldiers would march through the
streets on the way to the station,
arousing ones martial spirit. Ny
convoy left me upon my arrival there,
and l had to appeal to the authori-
ties for funds TO continue my journey.
My heart was hammering when I
reached Tomsk, after an absence of
about six years Tears dimmed my
eyes as walked the familiar streets.
Here, in this two-storied house, I had
first learned the fickleress of mans
love- That was ten years ago, during
the Russo-Japanese War, and l was
only fifteen years old. There, in that
dilapidated little store, where / can
see the figure of Nastasia Leontievna
bent over the counter, I spent five
years of my early youth, waiting on
customers. scrubbing foors, cooking,
washing and sewing. That long ap-
premiership, under the severe eyes of
Nastasia Leontievna, served me in
good stead in later years, must admit
The smoking chimney yonder belongs
to the house in which l was married
some eight years ago, only to expe-
rtence at first hand the brutality OF
man. And here, in this basement, my
father and mother have been dwelling
for seventeen years.
swung open the doors My mother
was baking bread and did not turn
Immediately. How old she had grown
How bent her shoulders, how white
her hair! She veered her head about
and stared at me for fraction OF an
instant. A lump rose in my throat
rendering me speechless. -
Mania" she exclaimed, rushing
toward me and locking me in her
arms.
We wept, kissed each other, and
wept again. My mother offered pray
ers to the Holy Mother and swore that
she would never let me leave her side
again. The bread was almost burned
to charcoal having been forgotten
in the oven in the excitement of my
return. Father came in, and he also
was greatly aged. He greeted me ten
derly, the years having s1ftened the
harshness of his nature.
paid some visits to old friends
Nastasia Leontievna was overjoyed to
see me. The sister OF Afanasi Botch-
karev. my first husband, also vel
coined me cordially, in spite OF the fact
that I had escaped from her brother
She realized well enough how brutal
and rough he was. She told me that
Afanasi had been called in the first
draft, and that it was reported that
he was among the first prisoners taken
by the Germans. l have never heard
of him since.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-04
THIS STARTS THE STORY

In 1917 the announcement Of the
formation of the Battalion of. Death,
a won ms fighting unit in the Rus
sian army by Maria Botchkareva
thrilled the world and an obscure
Russian peasant girl stepped into the
international hall OF FAME. This is
her story told by herself. The. earlier
installments told Of her childhood
and marriages. Her second husband,
a political prisoner she accompanies
to Siberia, but hts jealodsy at last
forced her TO leave him and she
resolved to Join the army and fight
for her country 49, ..t'
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-04

worked in my favor. In time II be-
came the pet name Of the regiment.
but not before had been tested by
many additional trials and found to
be a comrade. and not a woman, by
the men.
CONTINUED TOMORROW
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-04
Jeered at by Her Contpan.
ions IN the Beginning,
She at Last, by Faithful
Performance Of Duty,
Wins Their Respect
Notable Russian Woman,
Continuing the EnthrulI.
ing Story OF Her Career.
Reaches the Place
Where Big Things Hap
pen

fcopv-toht 1919, bD Frederick 4 stoi5s CO..
This story. told by Maria Rotchk.r~,a ana!
translated and Transcribed by isaac Don
LEVINE IL published by the Frederick A.
stokes Company under the title OF "YashkA -
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-04

CONTINUED TOMORROW
New-York tribune., 1919-09-07
Despair Predicted
If America Fails

THAT is the attitude of the world,
and reflect upon the reaction, the
reaction Of despair, that would come
if America said we do not want to
lead YOU. You must do without our
advice. You must shift without US.
Just as American soldiers restored
the morale of the fighting peoples OF
the Allies. said the President, so the
United States now could restore the
peace morale of the world 1t was the
people thems selves, he said, who would
in the end determine what course the
United States would take.
The neace, Mr.. Wilson asserted. had
been made on american speciica-
tions." among these specifications. he
sa;d. was the establishment Of Poland
and the other new mid-Europoan na-
tions which now separated Germany
from the pathway of an empire she
expected to establish in the Southeast
"Are YOU going to institute move
against France and England and Japan
70 get Shantung back for emma! :!
asked the President.
On the contrary, he added, the es-
tablishmont Of the league would be
power to which China could appeal
for future justice.
Of the ultimate outcome OF the
treaty he had no doubt, the President
said. The only thing that can be
accomplished, he added. "is delay. The
ultimate outcome will be the trium-
phant acceptance"
New-York tribune., 1919-09-07
Boycoiis Is Called
Real Club for Nations

"Let any merchant put up TO HIM
self that if he enters into a cove
nunt ard then breaks il and the peo-
ple all around absolutely desert his
establishment ard Will lave nothing
10 do with HIM. ask him after that #
it will be necessary TO send Tor tne
police. The most terrible thing that
can happen to any individual and the
most conclusive thing that can hap
pen TO nation il 20 be read OF; OF
decent society.
'ffhcrc was another thing that we
needed TO accomplish that IS accom-
plished in tins document. We wanted
disarmament. and this document pro-
viies IN the only possible way Tor
disarmament hy common agreement.
Observe. my fellow citizens, that Just
now every great fighting nation IN
the world Is member Of tins part
rcrship except Germany, and, mas
much as Germany has accepted
limitation Of her army 10 100000
men. | don't think for the time be-
ing she may b. regarded as great
fighting nation.
"And you know. my fellow citizens,
that armaments mean great standing
armies and great stores of war ma
torial. They DO not mean burden
some taxation merely, they DO not
mean merely compulsory military
service, which says the economic
New-York tribune., 1919-09-07
All Nations Given
Chance to Arbitraic

"Therc never before has been pro-
vided a world forum in which the
legitimate grievances Of peoples on
titled to consideration can be brought
to the common judgment Of MANKIND.
And if ] were the advocate OF any
suppressed or oppressed people |
surely could not ask any better
forum than TO stand up before the
world and challenge the other party
10 make good It's excuses for not act
ing in that case.
"To reject that treaty, to altcr
that treaty. is TO impair one OF the
first charters Of mankind. And yet
there are men who approach the
question with passion, with private
passion and party passion. who think
onl, Of some immediate advantage TO
themselves or to group Of their
fellow countrymeA, and who lock at
the thing with the jaundiced eyes
of those who have some private pur-
pose of their own.
"Whcn. at last, in the annals of
mankind, they are gibbeted, they
will regret that the gibbet is so
high.
II would not have you think that
! an trying to characterize those
who conscicntously object TO any
thing in this great document. / take
or my hat in the presence Of any
mans genuine conscience, and there
are men who are conscieEtiously op-
New-York tribune., 1919-09-07
The Speech at Kansas City

strength of the nation, but they mean
the building up Of a military class.
Again and again. my fellow citizens.
in the conference at Paris. We were
face 10 face with this situation.
THAT in dealing with a particular
civil government we found that they
would not dare TO promise what their
general staff was not willing that
they should rot promise: and that
they we're dominated by the military
machine which they had created.
nominally for their own defence. but
really whether they willed it or not
for the provocation of war. And
so. as long as you have military
class it does not make any difference
what your form of government IS.
If you are determined 20 be armed to
the teeth YOU mus: obey the orders
and directions Of the only men who
can control the great machinery Of
war. 1t is not merely the cost OF 1t
(armamcnt). although that Is over
whclming. but il is the spirit Of It,
and America has never had, and |
hope in the providence of God never
will have, that spirit.
New-York tribune., 1919-09-07
Great ision Calls
For Peace for y Orld

"lt is not q great vision. my Tel
low citizens. this OF the thouehtiul
world combined for peace, and TINS
of all the great peoples of the world
associated TO see that justice Is one
that the strong who intend wrong
are restrained and that the weak
who cannot defend themselves are
made secure? We have a problem
ahead Of us that ought to interest
US i'm this connection. We have
promised the people of the Philip
nine Islands that we viii set them
free.
eli has been one OF our perplex-
tiles how we should make tacm safe
after we set them free. Under this
ARRANGEMENT they will be safe from
the outset. They viii become mem
bers Of the league Of nations, and
every great ration in the world VIII
be obliged TO respect and preserve
AGAINST external aggression from any
quarter the territorial integrity ana
political independence OF the Inlllp-
pines. II simpihcs one OF the most
psrplcxinc problems that has iaced
the American public.
But it does not simplify our prob
lens merely. gentlemen. 1t Illus
tratea the triumph OF the Ameri-
can spirit. ! do not want to attempt
any fight Of fancy, but can fancy
those men Of the first generation
that 20 thoughtfuiiy set this great
government up, the generation o.
Washington, Hamilton, Jefferson and
the Adamsos-l can fancy their look-
ing on with sort Of cnraptured
amazomen. that the American spirit
should have made conquest OF the
world.
"ii anything that have said has
left the impression on your minds
that have the least doubt Of the re-
suit. please dismiss the impression.
And If you think ! have come ont on
this errand 70 fight anybody, please
dismiss that from }our mind. | have
not come to fight or antaGoni2e any
individual or body Of individuals. |
have. let me say without the slight
est affectation. the greatest respect
for the United States Senate; but, my
fellow citizens, | nave come out TO
fight for a cause. That cause is
greater than the Senate; it is greater
than the government. 1t is as great
as the cause Of mankind, and in
tend, in Office or cut, to fight that
battle as long as live. My ances-
tors were troublesome Scotchmcn,
and among them were some Of that
famous group that were known as
the Coyenanters.
VERY well, there is the covenant
Of the league Of nations. am a
covenantor."
New-York tribune., 1919-09-07
"Put Up or Shut Up"
Challenge Repeated

IF there is better scheme. ! for
one will ubscrbc to it, but | want
to say now, as | said tho other night.
il is case of put up or shut up.
Negation will not save the world.
Opposition constructs nothing. OPP
position is the speciality Of those who
are Enthusiastically inclined.
again assure you | am not com
pairing any Of my respected col
leagues to Bolshcviki. but am
merely pointing out that the Boil
shevik spirit lacks every element Of
constructive opposition. They have
destroyed everything and hey have
proposed nothing.
And while there is a common alb
horrcncc for political Bolshevism. !
hone there will not be any sucn thing
grow up in our country as interna-
tional Bolsheyism, the Bolshcvism
that destroys the constructive WORK
OF men who have consciontiously
striven 10 cement the good feeling
of the great peoples of the world.
New-York tribune., 1919-09-07
Democracy Must Act
Now or Face New War

1--WE don't want TO see anything
like that done again, because we
know that democracy will only have
10 destroy tnat form OF government;
and if we don't destroy 1t now, the
Job H. still TO be done; and by COM
blnation Of the great fighting pco-
pies Of the world 10 see to it that
the agcre sive purposes Of such gov
ornmcAi cannot be realized, you make
it 10 longer worth while Tor little
groups Of men TO contrivc the down
laii Of civilization IN private con-
ference.
ny fellows citizens. it does not
make any difference what kind Of
minority governs you. IL It is
minority. And the thing we must see
TO is that no minority anywhere mas
heart. my fellow citizens. O. the
tragical things tfat are happening
in that great country which we long
to help ard can ind no way that Is
effective TO help / mean the great
realm Of Russia.
The men WHO now are measur-
ably in control Of the affairs oi
Russia represent nobody but them
selves They have again and again
been CHALLENGED 20 call oonstitu-
tional convention. They have again
and again been challenged TO prove
that they lad some kind OF a man
date even from single class of their
fellow citizens And they dared not
attempt it; they have no mandate
from anybody. There are only thirty
four CT them. am told, and there
were more than thirty-four men who
used TO control the desfinies Of
Europe from lhelnstrassc.
There is closer monopoly of
power in Petrorrad and Moscow than
there ever was in Berlin. and the
thing that is intole,ablc is not that
the Russian people are having their
way. but that another group Of men
more cruel than the Gar himself is
controlling the dest MES of that great
people. And | want to say here and
now that am against the control by
any minority anywhere. Search your
own economic history. and what have
YOU been uneasy about? Now and
again you have said there were small
groups of capitalists who were con-
trolling the industry. and therefore
the development, OF the United
States. Seriously. my fellow citizens.
if that is so (and ! sometimes have
feared that il was) we must break Up
that monopoly. | am not now say
ing that there is any group OF our
fellow citizens who are consciously
doing anything Of the kind, and am
saving these allegations must be
proved. But if it is proved that any
class. any group, anywhere is with
ont the suffrage Of their fellow citi-
New-York tribune., 1919-09-07
Same Agreements
Already Are in Force

ave have such an agreement with
France: We have such an agreement
with Great Britain; we have such an
agreement with practically every
great nation except Germany, which
refused to enter into such an ar
rangement because. my fellow citi-
zens. Germany knew that she IN
tended something that did not bear
discussion and that If she had sub
mitted the purpose which led to this
war to so much as one months DIS
cusgion she never would would dared
go into the enterprise against man
kind which she finally did so into.
"And. therefore, say that tins
principle of discussion is the prlnci-
ple already adopted by America. And
what is the compulsion 20 do thisF
The compulsion is this, that # any
member state violates that promise
20 submit either 20 arbitration or
discussion it is thereby ipso fac'o
deemed 10 nave committed. an act Of
war arainst all the rest. Then you
will ask, do we at once take up arms
and fight them? No. We do some
thing very much more terrible than
TINT We absolutely boycott them.
New-York tribune., 1919-09-07
Calls on America
To Halt Minority Rule

"We have got TO be frank with our
selves. however. If we do not want
minority government in Germany we
must sec TO it that we do not have it
in the United States. II you do not
want little groups Of selfish men to
plot the future of Europe. we must
not allow little groups Of selfish men
to plot the future of America. Any
man that speaks for class must
prove that he also speaks for all his
fellow citizens and for mankind; and
then we will listen TO him.
"Then there was another thing we
wanted to do, m fellow citizens. that
is done in this document. We wanted
to see that helpless people were no.
where in the world put at the mercy
Of unscrupulous enemies and masters.
There is one pitiful example that is
in the hearts Of all Of us. mean
the example Of Armenia. There was
Christian people. helpless. at the
mercy Of Turkish government which
thought il the service of God to de-
Stroy them
New-York tribune., 1919-09-07
SAYS League Pact
Will Discourage " ars

1.-THE whole intent and purpose Oh
the document are expressed IN pro
visions by which all the member
states agree that they Will never 81
10 war without first having done one
or the other of two things-elther
submitted the matter in controversy
10 arbitration in which case they
agree TO abide by the verdict, or
submitted it to discussion in tn"
counsel Of the league of nations; ana
for that purpose they consent to
allow six months for the discusslon'
and whether they like the opinion
expressed or not that they VIII not
90 to war for three months after
that opinion has been expressed, 50
that you have. whether you get arbi-
tration or not. nine months discus
sion. and want TO remind you that
that is the central principle Of some
thirty treaties entered into between
the United States OF America and
some thirty other sovereign notions.
All Of which ere confirmed by the
Senate Of the United States
New-York tribune., 1919-09-07

sat at Paris was such that they put
it in the document that the first
meeting Of the labor conference
under that part of the treaty should
take place in Washington upon the
invitation of the President of the
United States. lam going TO issue
that invitation whether we can at
tend the conference or not.
"But think of the modification.
Think of standing by in Washington
itself and see the world take coun-.
sci upon the fundamental matter OF
civilization withous us. The thing
is inconceivable, but it is true. The
world is waiting. waiting to see, not
whether we vii take part. but
whether we will serve and lead, for
it has expected us to lead.
"ln Paris delegations from all over
the world came TO me TO solicit the
friendship OF America. They frank
IL told us that they were not sure
of anybody else that they could
trust; but that they did absolutely
trust us to do them justice and to
see that justice was done them.
New-York tribune., 1919-09-07

In his address President WilSo'
sold.
q came back from Paris, bringing
one Of the greatest documents Of
human history. One Of the things
that made j. great was that II was
penetrated throughout with the prln-
ciples 10 which America has devoted
hor life. Let me hasten to say that
one Of the most delightful clrcum-
stances of the work on the other
side of the water was that | dis
covered that wha; We called Amer
lean principles had penetrated to the
heart and to the understanding, not
only OF the great peoples of Europe.
but to the hearts and understanding
of the great men who were repre-
senting the peoples of Europc.
81 thing J can say tnat one
of the things America has had
most at heart throughout her exist
chce has been that there should be
substituted for the brutal processes
of war the friendly processes OF con-
sultation and arbitration, and that IS
done in the covenant Of the league OF
nations. am very anxious that my
fellow citizens should realize that
that is the chief topic OF the coy
epant of the league of nations, the
greater part Of its provisions.
New-York tribune., 1919-09-07
Agreement Necessary
To Reduce Armament

"And there is no other way TO dis
pense with great armaments except
by the common agreement OF the
fighting nations Of the world. And
here is the agreement. They prom
Use disarmament and promise TO
agree upon plan. But there was
something else we wanted that Is
ACCOMPLISHED by this treaty. We
wanted to destroy autocratic author
itv everywhere in the world. We
wanted TO see to il that there was no
Mace in the world where a small
group Of men could use their TEL
low citizens as pawns in game;
that there was no pace in the world
where a small group Of men. with
out consulting their fellow citizens,
could send their fellow citizens 20
the battlefield and 20 death in accom-
plishing something dynastic, some
political plan that had been CON
ceivcd in private, some object that
had been prepared for by universal,
world wide intrigue. That is what
we wanted to accomplish. The most
startling thing that developed itself
at the opening of our participation
in this war was not the military
preparation Of Germany were
familiar with that, though we had
been dreaming that she would not
use it but her political preparation;
% find that every community III the
civilized world was penetrated by her
int que
"Thc German people did not know
that. but il was known in Wilhclm-
strasse. whore the central Offices Of
the German government We're, and
Wilhc'msirasse was. the master Of
the German people; and this war, my
fellow citicns, has cmanc'pated the
German people as well as the rest of
Ia. 1,-.~1l