The Washington herald., 1919-04-21
The Amazing Story of
Maria BOtchkQrepQ

1 addressed the girls again, inform
ing them that from the moment thsy
entered upon their duties they were
no longer women. but soldiers. I told
them that they would not be allowed
10 leave the grounds and that only
between and In the evening they
would De permitted to receive rela-
tives and friends. From among the
more Intelligent recruits-and there
were many university graduates in
tho ranks-I selected . number for
promotion 10 platoon and company
officers. their function being limited
at nrst to the internal management
Of the organization, since the men
onicers were purely instructors, re-
turning to their barracks at the end
Of the days training.
Next l marched the recruits to four
barber shops. where from in the
morning until IL at noon q number
or BARRIERS. using clippers. closely
cropped one girls head after another
Crowds outside the shops watched
this unprecedented procedure. greeting
with dertsion every hairless girl that
emerged. perhaps with an aching
heart from the BARRIERS pariors.
The same afternoon MY soldiers re-
ceived their first lesson in the large
garden. A recruit was detailed to
stand guard at the gate and not to
admit anybody without the permis-
sion Of the oficer in charge The
watch was changed every two hours.
A high fence surrounded the grounds,
and the drilling went on without in
terference. Giggling was strictly for
bidden, and I kept a sharp surveil-
lance over the girls. I had about
thirty Of them unceremoniously dis
missed the first day. Some were cast
out for too much laughing. others for
frivolities. Several of them threw
themselves at my feet. begging mercy.
However. I made up my mind that
without severity I might just as well
give 1t up at the beginning II my
word was to carry weight. II must be
final and unalterable, I decided. How
could one otherwise expect to manage
1000 women7 AS soon as one Of them
disobeyed an order / quickly removed
her uniform and let her 60. In this
work 1t was quality and not quantity
that counted, and I determined not
to stop at the dismissal of even
several hundred of the recruits.
We received 500 rifles for training
purposes. sufficient only for a quarter
OF the force. This necessitated the
elaboration OF a method whereby the
supply OF rifles could be made use
OF by the entire body. II was thought
wiser to have the members Of the
Battalion Of Death distinguished by
special insignia. We. therefore, de-
vised new epaulets, white. with a red
and black stripe. A red and black
arrowhead was to be attached to the
right arm. I had 1000 of such insignia
ordered.
When evening came and the hour
for going to bed struck, the girls
ignored the order to turn In for the
fuss about and make merry. I called
the ofiicer in charge to account.
Threatening to place her in attention
for six hours In the event Of the SOL
diers keeping awake after 10. Fifty
Of the girls had risht there punished
by ordering them at attention for two
hours. To the rest exclaimed:
Every one Of you to bed this I'm
slant. i want you to be SO quiet that
I could hear ny buzz. Tomorrow
you will be UP at o'clock"
I spent a sleepless night There
were many things to think about and
many worries to overcome.
At only the oficer in charge was
up. Not a soul stirred Id the bar
racks. The oflcer reported to me that
she had called q couple Of times on
the girls to arise. but none Of them