Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-28
AND HERE IT CONTINUES

AND HERE IT CONTINUES
r RETURNED 10 the front. The
L trains were frightfully crowded,
but fortunately l had accommodations
in a flrst.class compartment AT
Molodechno reported to General
Valuyev, commander of the Tenth
Army and lunched with the staff. The
general was painfully surprised to
learn Of the punishment I had re-
ceived at the hands of the soldiers.
"Did they beat you?" he asked in.
oredulously, finding it hard to imag'
inc soldiers maltreating Yashka.
Yes, Gospodin General, they did"
answered.
But Why"
at told him of the German | had
wounded as he came over in the com
pany Of several comrades.
God, what has become of my once
glorious army" he cried out.
As unfolded'to him the remaining
phases of the episode he punctuated
my story with exclamations Of sur
prise.
At the end of the meal General
Valuyev informed me that l had been
promoted to the rank of captain. He
pinned an extra star on my epaulets
and congratulated me.
was provided with car and driven
to corps headquarters, where l re-
ported to my commanding general
He and the officers of the corps statt
tn lSnnw
developments in the rear. / conveyed
to them the impression made upon me
by Kerensky and Verkhovsky two
days before.
"Their appearance is witness to the
fact that all is lost" l said.
"And how about the transfer Ithe
general asked. THE battalion is wait
ing for you to come and take 1t TO a
more congenial sector"
/ answered that orders would soon
arrive for the transfer, and showed
he certificate of my right to command
without committee. The general was
lad for my sake.
Meanwhile, my girls learned of my
arrival They formed ranks, desiring
to give me a cheerful welcome. My
presence seemed TO have buoyed up
their depressed spirits, After com
mending the women on their reception
went with them TO mess. 1t was
my custom to eat the same food as
the girls. Only | seldom ate with
them Before eating / usually super
vised the mess, satisfying myself that
everything was plentiful and in good
rider. | knew from experience that
here is nothing like food to keep up a
oldier's heart.
Was it the promotion that put ms
happy mood. or my return to the
girls, to whom 1 had grown deeply at
tached? ] don't know But after din
ner it occurred to me that it would b'
the right thing to let the girls have
some fun. So 1 suggested a game ant
my soldiers took it up joyously. As
the game proceeded many men gath
cred around the circle in which it was
going on. They watched anXiously
clearly desirouS to play, too. but no
daring to join in for fear lest I order
the girls away. 1t was a great pleas
ure to observe how these grown-uI
children 1onged to participate in thu
ports. But I looked Indifferent.
Finally they sent several delegate!
o express their desire to me.
"Gospodin Captain" the men said
not very boldly, I'VE want to speak t.
you"
"All right. go ahead" I answered
me plain Yashka or Botchkareva."
MAY we be allowed to take part il
the game?" they asked, encouraged b!
my words.
Yes; but on condition that you d.
not molest my girls; consider them a
elbow soldiers only" I declared.
The men swore that they would be
have, and the girls were not at all dis
pleased at the new arrangement. The
played for twoIor three hours, and tn
men kept their pledge. When tn
game ended they left with quite
different feeling toward me. 1t was
feeling of respect and even love, il
stead of their former one of hostility
The battalion remained in the r.
serve billets for several days. Their
developed, as a result of that game,
new attitude on the part of man
soldiers toward US women. Companie
of them would come over and joi
the battalion in sports or singing an
various entertainments.
The expected order for a transfe
did not come promptly. Meanwhil
the time arrived to relieve the corps !
the trenches. I determined that "
had had enough rest and upon OF
arrival at the fighting line 1 put m
battalion on regular war footing.
sent out scouting parties, establishe
observation posts and swept No Man
Land with my machine guns and rife
Tho Germans were tremendous
stirred up. Our own soldiers becan
excited. too. but because of the frient
" relations we had established in Il
rear, they contented themselves wit
sending delegates and committees
argue the matter with me.
I'VE have freedom now, you say
debated. "You insist that you
not want to fight. Very well. I W
not ask you to fight the Germans. b
you have no right to ask me to a
against my convictions. We can
M here not to fraternize, but to war.
kill and get killed. It is my freedo
IS TO get killed IL 1 want to. Then
me fight the Germans at. my sectc
y Let the Germans fight only again
rs the battalion. We will leave you alo
Z aud you leave us alone"
The soldiers reasoned that this W
no more than fair and consented
such an arrangement. When tn
tkAed me why was so anxious
&fII Germans. / told them that
49, -. l. -.