The sun., 1919-01-17
EX.CAPTTVES SWARM
ACROSS THE URALS
Omsk Government Pcrplexed
by Inability to Clothe Re-
turning Thousands.
KOLCHAK Is HAMPERED
Allies Failure to Uphold His
Supreme Power Agitates
Anti-Red Russians.
spe1di Gable Despatch TO the srS from the
London Times Seyrice

specdi Cable Despatch TO the srS from the
London Times Seyrice
Copyright 1918; all rights reserved
oMsK, Jan. 13.--tDelayed THE
thtef question confronting the Omsk
Government is how to deal with the
swarms of prisoners released in Ger
many and now streaming into Siberia
Some forty thousand already have
passed the Urals and about two hundred
thousand are expected in the next six
weeks.
Registration stations have been opened
a, Tiumen and Kurgan, where endeavors
are being made to battle and reciothe
ne men before forwarding them to their
homes. Food supplies are ample, but
ths question Of clothing Is almost un-
;,rswerable in the present conditions
when the active army itself Is half
FAXED. Communications to the Far Ia st
IRE disorga nized and consested.
Tell of sunerings.
Returned prisoners relate piteous tales
or their sufferngs. Broken in health,
they we're dependent on charity for sus-
icrance. Occa sionally they managed to
travel on trains. but generally they had
10 march except when peasants gave
Many obtained a few days work here
ana there for food. But for the kind
ness CO the people few would have
reached their destination. Apparently
the returning prisoners are not affected
with Bolshevism and have no object
on earth but TO reach their homes,
from which most of them have been
absent four years.
Their passage through the Bolshevik
Tines was unimpeded and 1t Is known
many of the Bosheviki have been en-
tering Siberia in the guise OF prisoners
and evidently with the object OF in
fe'ting the new army and stirring UP
the population against the Government.
Registration of prisoners In strictly con-
Quoted. but It is difficult to detect the
false from the real. and despite the sue
cessful quashing of the recent Bolshevik
conspiracies further outbreaks are liable
to occur
The question OF the supreme comma nd
Of the forces is still agitating Russian
public opinion.
Col Janln is back in Omsk from the
front and still is without instructions
modifying those which order him to
command the Russian as we'll as the for
eSn forces. In Russia the military opin-
ION still Is firmly against the chief>Spm-
Eand of the Russian troops being Held
by foreigner. partly because OF the i'm
piled reflection on the ability of their
own officers and partly because such An
appointment would diminish tire prestige
OF Admiral Kolchak. who assumed the
command In chief of the new army.
Need Less Assistance Now.
The observation is made that IL the
Allies themselves are not going to nght
re Bolsheviki II is not reasonable that
.Nc:r nominee should command the Rus
sian forces that are struggling to main
tain IL successfully.
Since the capture OF Perm the mill
tdry stores have been concentrated and
tHe Russians are rendered compare
lively independent OF the Allies assist
srcs. but whether they are completely
Independent remains to be seen.
The operations at Perm were heroic
ir the circumstances, for the i'll equip.
rent OF the trooy have resulted in over
~ per cent. OF tire soldiers being put on,
~ action by frostbite. There are noN
n Siberia 100000 men who cannot be
sent to the front owing to lack OF arms
and equipment and It 10 unlikely the
Perm booty will suffice for all their re-
qutrements.
The question seems to be whether II
:, expedient for the Allies to bargain for
the supreme command as the price OF
r-oviding the necessary material.