The Washington herald., 1919-04-27

both as a woman and as a soldier. She
was always in the lead Of any enter
prise. serving as an example. She Is
plain soldier and a word Is a pledge
to her. If she had been promised the
command of the battalion without the
aid of a committee. then she could
never understand a reversal of the
pledge"
The commander OF my corps and
other officers also spoke up for me.
Finally. some one remembered that
Kerensky had abolished capital pun
ishment.
Capital punishment has been abol-
ished. Gospodin Minister" they said.
IF Botchkareva is to be shot, then
why not let US shoot some of those
1.J0O deserters who are raising the
devil here?"
Abandons Plan.
Kerensky then abandoned the
thought of shooting me. but insisted
before departing from Molodechno
that l be tried and punished. The
trial never came of
The corps commander was wrought
up when he discovered that had dis
appeared with his car. He had to
borrow one to get to Redki. and al
though glad at heart at my outburst.
he decided to give me a scolding and
remind me of discipline. l was too
excited and nervous to do anything
when / returned from Molodechno, and
so lay down in my barrack, trying to
figure out what would become of the
battalion. l knew / had committed a
serious breach of discipline and re-
preached myself for 1t.
I was called before the commander
late in the afternoon, and he repri-
manded me for my unnhlitary con-
duct. The generals rebuff was severe.
/ acknowledged every point of it with
out argument. recognizing that my be-
havior was objectionable.
Omcers Immensely Pleased.
The hour for dinner came, and l
went to headquarters. The scene at
the table was one OF suppressed mer-
riment. Everybody knew of what had
happened at Molodechno. The officers
winked knowingly and interchanged
smiles. / was the hero of the clandes-
tine celebration. Nobody dared to
laugh out loud. for the general at the
head of the table had assumed a grave
expression, as II struggling not to
sanction inadvertently by smile the
illegitimate leyity of the staff over my
treatment of Kerensky. At the end
the general could not maintain his
poise and Joined in the laughter. The
ban was lifted.
Bravo. Botchkareva" one Of the /,
men exclaimed.
That's the way to treat him." said I
another.
"As if there weren't enough COM
mittees in the army. he wants still
more" spoke a third.
He had himself abolished capital
punishment. and now wants her shot"
laughed a fourth.
The officers were plainly hostile to-
ward kerensky. Why? Because they
saw that Kerensky did not understand
the temper of the Russian soldier His
flying trips to the front perhaps made
kerensky and the world think that the
army was a living. powerful. intelli-
gent organism. The officers who were
with the soldiers day and night know
that the identical crowd which gave
an enthusiastic welcome to Kerensky
would accord a similar reception to a
Bolshevist or Anarchist agitator an
hour later. Above all, 1t was Keren-
sky's development OF the committee
system in the army that undermined
his standing with officers.
After dinner / applied to the general
for seven officers and twelve men in
structors to accompany the battalion
to the trenches. One of the officers
young lieutenant named Leonid Gri-
gorievitCh Filippov. was recommended
to me for the post of adJutant in bat
tie. Filippov was known to me as a
brave fellow. as he had escaped from
German prison camp. l addressed
to the group of instructors a warning
to the effect that il any of them
would be unable to consider my SOL
diers as men it would be better for
them not to join the battalion, and
thus avoid unpleasantness in the fu-
ture.
Assigned to Active Duty.
The battalion was assigned to the
112nd Division. located within six
versts of Redki. in the village of Be-
loye. We were met by the units in re-
serve. formed in ranks to greet us,
with great enthusiasm.
1t was a sunny day In midsummer
We spent little time at division head
quarters. After lunching we resumed
our march. having been further as
signed to the 525th Kuriag-Daryinski
Regiment, about a verst and a half
from Beloye and two versts from the
fighting line. We arrived at Senkai.
regimental headquarters. after sunset
and were met by a shock battalion"
formed for volunteer soldiers for Of
fenstive warfare. There were many
such battalions scattered throughout
the army, comprising in their ranks
the best elements of the Russian SOL
diery.
Two barns were placed at the dis
posal of the battalion and one dugout
nffiraFg
occupied by the instructors and MEM
bers of the supply detachment. How
ever. as the men in the place began to
manifest a certain amount of curiosity
In my girls, decided to sleep in one
barn and let Tatuyeva take charge of
the second. At night many soldiers
surrounded the barns and would not
let US sleep. They were inoffensive
Made no threats. But they were SIM
ply curious. intensely curious.
I'VE merely want to see. 1t is some
thing new" they replied to the re-
monstrating sentinels; "babas In
breeches"' they made merry. land
soldiers to boot. Isn't it outlandish
enough to attract attention."
In the end had to go out and talk
with the soldiers. 1 sat down and ar
gued it out. Didn't they think it
right for the girls to want a rest after
a day of marching? Yes. they did.
Wouldn't they admit that recupera-
tion was necessary before taking the
offensive? Yes, they would. Then why
not suppress their curiosity and give
the fatigued women a chance to COL
lect new strength? The men agreed
and dispersed.
Russians Begin Offensive.
The girls were in high aDirffa the