Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-12

! Kerensky listened impatiently. lie
had evidently made up his mind or
the subject There was only one point
of which he was not sure. Would
be able to maintain a high standard
of morality in the organization? lie
would allow me to recruit It 'mme-
d,ately IL I made myself answerable
for the conduct and reputation of the
girls. pledged myself to do so. And
: il was all done. I was granted the
authority there and then to form a
unit under the name Of the First Rus
sian Women's Battalion of Death.
1t seemed unbelievable. few days
: ago ii had dawned upon me as a mere
fancy. Now the dream was adopted
as practical policy by the highest in
authority. | was transported. As
kerensky showed me out his eyes fell
on General Polovtzev. lie asked him
to extend to me all necessary help. l
was overwhelmed with happiness.
a brief consultation took place i'm.
mediately between Captain Demen-
: tieV and General PolovtZev, who made
the following suggestion:
Why not start at the meeting TO
be held tomorrow night in the Mariyn-
ski Theatre for the benefit of the
Home for Invalids? Kerensky. Rod
zianko. Tchkheidze and others will
speak there. Let us put Botchkareva
between RodZianko and kerensky on
the program"
| was seized with fright and oh.
jeCted strenuously that | could never
appear publicly and that l would not
know what to talk about.
You will tell the same things that
you told Rodzianko, Brusilov and
Kerensky. Just tell how you feel
about the front and the country they
said. brushing away my objections.
Before | had time to realize it I was
already in photographers studio,
and there had my picture taken. The
following day this picture topped big
posters pasted all over the city, an
nouncinE my appearance at the Mari
ynski Theatre for the purpose OF or
ganizing Women's Battalion OF
Death.
/ did not close an eye during the
entire night preceding the evening set
for the meeting. II all seemed a
weird dream. Where did I come in
between two such great men as Rod.
Zianko and Kerensky? How could |
ever face an assembly of educated
people. |. an illiterate peasant woman?
And what could | say? My tongue
had never been trained TO smooth
speech. My eyes had never beheld q
place like the Mariynsh Theatre, for
merly frequented by the Car and
the imperial family. l tossed In bed
in a state of fever.
She Prays for Guidance
Holy Father" l prayed, my eyes
streaming with tears, show Thy hum
BILE servant the path TO truth. | am
afraid; instill courage into my heart
! can feel my knees give way; steady
them with Thy strength. My mind is
cropping in the dark; illumine it with
Thy light My speech is but the COM
mon talk of an ignorant baba; make
it flow with Thy wisdom and pene.
trate the hearts Of my hearers. Do
all this, not for the sake of Thy hum
BILE Maria. but for the sake of Rus
sia, my unhappy country"
My eyes were red with inflammation
when | arose in the morning. I con.
tinued nervous all day. Captain De-
mentiev suggested that | commit my
speech to memory. l rejected his sug'
gestion with the comment:
II have placed my trust in God and
rely on Him to put the right words
into my mouth"
II was the evening of May 81. 1917,
was driven to the Mariynski Theatre
and escorted by Captain Dementiev