The sun., 1919-04-27
Former Command
err of Black Sea
Fleet Extraordi-
nary Man, Who
Has Organized
and Led Land
Forces to, a Re-
markable Success
ByFREDERicK CUNLIFFE.owEN

ByFREDERiCK CUNLIFFE OWEN
TSRANCE, Great Britain and italy
r. have intimated their intention
l. Of recognizing the Omsk die
tatorate presided over by Admiral
Alexander vassilievitch Koichak as
the sole de facto Government Of Rus
ella, the only one that stands for law.
order and civilization, and IL the
United States were to follow suit and
u e President were to detacf Rear Ad-
miral j. H. Glennon from his new
command at tho head Of the Third
Naval District, with headquarters in
New York. and were send him on post
haste to Omsk as the special represent
tative and plenipotentiary Of the
American nation, no one would be
more warmly welcomed by the Musco-
vite dictator. No one would enjoy a
more privileged and influential posi-
ton in his encourage.
kolchak Is indebted for his life to
Glennon, and il the dictator, as now
seems probable, manages to evolve or
der out Of the sanguinary chaos and
devastation that have ragged in the
once mighty empire Of the Cars for
the last two years and succeeds in
crushing the fires Of Belshevism, the
entire civilized world will owe deep
debt Of gratitude to Admiral Glennon
II was in the early summer OF 1917
that news reached the outer world to
the effect that a mutiny had broken
out in the Black Sea feet, and that the
sailors were massacring their officers.
Admiral Kolchak, the commander in
chief, had always been regarded as
possessing in very exceptional de-
gree the respect, the good will and
even the affection of his men, and as a
6ulwarli against the excesses and ex-
travagances Of revolution. He had,
after the abdication OF Nicholas H.,
given his adhesion to the so.called
Provisional Government of Prince
Lvoff, into the hands of which Nicho-
las H.. his only brother Michael, in
whose favor he had abdicated, snd the
last puma, or lawfully constituted ma
tional Parliament had Jointly confided
the supreme power of the nation. But
when the administration of Prince
Lvon was overthrown and had to
make way for Kerensky the Germans
and the Bolsheyists realized that Kol-
chak would prove formidable obstacle
to their fell designs, and determined
that he should be put out OF the way.
Kerensky in the Plot.
Kerensky lent himself to their prof.
cots. He visited Sebastopol, Odessa
and other cities on the Black Sea coast
and preached not only on shore but
also on board the various men-of- war
the doctrines of revolution and Of the
perfect equality of all men before the
mast with their officers on the quar-
terdeck. His words and the German
Bolshevist propaganda bore fruit The
sailors rose against their commanders.
They arrested the Admiral on his own
flagship and exacted Of him the sur
render of his sword. This sword was
a golden hilted sword Of honor, pre-
scented to him by his fellow knights
of the Order of st. George, for the he
roism which he had displayed in the
defence of Port Arthur. during the
war between Russia and Japan of
d
fused to comply with the demand
"This sword" he exclaimed, 81 won
at the cost of my blood at Port Arthur
fighting against our country's enemies.
You are not worthy so much as to
lay q finger on it."
Then he flung the sword into the
sea, following it's fight with his eyes,
turned on his heel and retired to his
cabin. But a guard was shortly after
ward placed at It's door and he was
kept I'm close confinement there in port
at Sebastouol. while on shore every
pressure was brought by the Bolshe-
Wiki and by their German allies to
bear upon the sailor Soviets to COM
plete the wholesale slaughter OF the
officers Of the fleet by putting him to
death.
The sailors had yielded to the pres
sure put upon them in the matter and
were preparing to hang Kolchak, when
suddenly and quite unexpectedly Rear
Admiral Glennon OF the United States
navy, a friend of former years. made a
dramatic appearance upon the scene.
He had come to Russia as one of the
principal members Of the special EN-
bassy of Elihu Root, had been warned
by another mutual friend. Capt Crom-
bic, Naval Attache Of the British En-
bassy at Petrograd (afterward muir
dered by tho BolshevikD OF what was
going on and hastened to Sebastopol
Glennon arrived Just in the nick OF
time, made his appearance at n big
meeting Of the sailor Soviet, addressed
them as a brother member OF the same
profession. as a representative OF the
greatest democracy in the world and
as a member of a mission that had
come from the United States for the
express purpose Of bringing help and
encouragement to the Russian people
IN their new found liberty and ernan-
efpation. He spoke so much to the
point and with such sailorllke direct
ness and eloquence that Kolchak. in
stead of being put to death, was re-
leased with honor. and even with
apologies and was permitted to return