The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-07-18
PRISONERS OF
BOLSHEVIKS
Yanks Captured on Archangle Front
Were Given Unwelcome Course
of Lectures by
Captors.
by Frank j. Taylor, United Pess Staff
Correspondent

[By Frank j. Taylor, United Pess Stat
Correspondent
NEW YORK, July 1S.-Americal
ldoughboys who fell into the hands Of
| the bolsheviks as war prisoners were
given an unwelcomed course of lee
lures on bolshevism while in Moscow
! The bolsheviks aimed to convert the
Americans and send them home prim
I ed for agitation in America.
| The plan failed, judging from the
/ sentiments of five Americans who
were released in Moscow and allowed
tc leave at the request of the United
Press.
These men were: Bryant r. Ryall
Y. M. c. A. secretary, 345 Madison
avenue, New York City, who had been
in Russia before doing civilian relief
work; Sergeant Glenn w. Leitzell
Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania; Privates
Freeman Hogan, S12 Casper avenue,
Detroit, Jens Laursen, Marlett, Michi-
gan, and John Triplett, Hindman, Ken
lucky In addition the party brought
out Francis landlord, wounded Eng
lish lad from Sussex.
All the "Yanks" were captured on
the Archangel front When the boil
shevtks surprised them by a flank
movement, the "Yanks' were passed
back from post to post until they ar
rived in Moscow They were stripped
of practically everything, including
clothes.
Some of them had almost entirely
Russian uniforms. The bolsheyiks had
particularly keen eye for American
20. D." equipment, especially shirts.
All of the Americans had bolshevik
overcoats, their own having been stol-
en-.
In Moscow the Americans were CIV
en- fairly clean and decent quarters,
but were issued practically no food.
A Red Cross fund, and later money
from the Y M. c. A, saved them from
starvation An American mess was
soon started. The five did their own
marketing and prepared their meals.
They were allowed a remarka BILE
amount of freedom in Miscow, and
could go about the city in daytime.
At special times they had to report
for lectures on bolshevism and the
world revolution given by Russians
who had lived abroad and spoke Eng
lish.
The bolsheviks did their best to con-
vert the Yankees, who kept their
peace, and expressed no opinions until
they had crossed the border into Fin
land. The doughboys were supposed
to be ripe" for bolshevism, when they
left Russia.
To learn what impression Russian
bolsheviks had made upon the dough-
boys, the United Press correspondent
asked them for their opinions, when
they arrived at the internment camp
in Terijoki, where the Firms quaran-
tine arrivals from Russia.
Sergeant Leitzel said: They're not
making any bolsheviks Of American
prisoners. They try to preach bolshe-
vism to us, but it doesn't go. They'd
take men who've got brains who've &C
complished something by ability and
work, and reduce them to the lowest
level. Who's going to stand for that!
They're bunch Of thieves and rob-
bers. The leaders are preaching that
everyone ought to have the same
amount of money, but every leader
has a pile of rubles stuck away that
would knock your eye out. They all
believe in the principle the Bolos had
at the front What's yours is mine
that's their creed"
"Bolos" is the name the Yankees on
the Archangel front gave to the boil
sheviks. Leitzell is an intelligent,
spirited, red-headed American who