Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-27

camps. But they were not prepared
for the torments and humiliation that
they were made to suffer by our own
boys. That never entered into our
calculations at the time the battalion
was formed.
/ took my documents along and left
the same evening, telling my soldiers
that l would not stay away longer
than week, which was the limit that
they set on their endurance. Upon
my arrival in Petrograd I went to the
quarters occupied by the battalion
while in training. 1t took a very cas-
ual eye to observe that an oppressive
atmosphere weighed heavily on the
Russian capital. The joy, smiles and
Njubilation were gone from the streets
of the city. There was gloom in the
aid and in everybody's eyes. Food
was very. scarce. Red Guards were
plentiful. Bolshevism walked, the
streets openly and defiantly, as if its
day had already come.
My friends, who had taken an in
terest in the battalion, were horritied
to learn of conditions at the front.
| Their accounts of the state of affairs
at the capital detected me greatly.
kerensky, after his fight with Korni-
low, cut himself off completely from
his friends and acquaintances of the
upper classes. l went to General
Anosov, telling him of my mission.
But he would not accompany me any
where, although he placed his auto
mobile at my disposal. I drove to the
commander of the military district,
then General Vasilkovsky, a Cossack
who looked impressive and strong, but
was actually a weakling. He received
me cordially and asked for the pur-
pose of my visit to the city. He had
heard of the beating I got and ex-
pressed his sympathy.
But" he added, mo one is sure
these days. I, myself, expect to be
cast out at any time. 1t is matter
of days of hours, for the govern
ment. Another revolution is ripening
and Is at hand. Bolshevism is every.
military barracks. And how is 1t at
the front?"
"The same thing. even worse" T an.
swered, and proceeded to tell him of all
my trials and troubles, and the help l
expected to obtain from him and the
War Minister.
Nothing can help you now" he
said. ''The authorities are powerless
Orders are not worth the paper on
which they are issued 1 am going
now to Verkhovsky. the new War
Minister. Would you like to go along?'
On the way we discussed Verkhov,
sky's appointment. He was the same
man who, as commander of the Mos
COW military district, had rescued me
from the mob at Moscow some weeks
before. He was very popular leader
and eXerted great influence on the sol
diers.
Perhaps if he had been appointed
some months ago he might have saved
the army. But it is too late now,
said Vasilkovsky.
When we arrived at the War Min
istry we found that Kerensky was in
Verhovsky's study. We were an
nounced, and was asked to come in
first. AS I opened the door I saw i'm
mediately that all was lost. The
Prime Minister and the War Minis
ter were both standing. They pre-
sented such pathetic, heart-break
ing sight! Kerensky looked like &
corpse, literally. There was not a
vestige of color in his face. His eyes
We're red as If he had not slept fol
nights. Verhovsky seemed to me like
man who is drowning, reaching for
help. My heart sank. War had made
me callous, and was seldom shocked
But this time I was nearly crushed
blythe two agonized figures. 1t was
the agony of Russia that was por
trayed in their helpless faces.
They made an effort to smile, but II
was smile that panied more than
wall. The War Minister then inquired