Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1919-07-25
CAPTIVE YANkS
Pan B0LSHEvISM
Russians Try to Convert Prison
ers to Red Theories.
PLAN proves UTTER FAILURE

American Doughboys Captured On
ArchanosI Front Are Given unwsL
come Courses Of Lectures on eoL
shevIsm While In Moseow-hopsd
10 Send Them Homo Pramed for AoL
tation In United states.
American doughboys who fell into
the hands Of the bolsheviks as war
prisoners were given an unwelcomed
course of lectures on bolshsvism while
In Moscow. The bolsheviks aimed to
convert the Americans and send them
home primed for agitation IN Amer
lea.
The plan failed, Judging from the
sentiments Of five Americans who we're
released In Moscow and allowed to
leave at the request Of the Unitsd
Press, writes Frank J. Taylor. STAN
correspondent Of that organization.
These men were Bryant r. Ryall, Y.
NJ. G. A. secretary, New York city,
who had been In Russia before doing
civilian relief work; Sergt. Glenn w.
Leitzell, Miffiinburg, Pa, and Privates
Freeman Hogan, Detroit; Jens Laur
sen, Marlett, Mich, and John Trfplett,
Hindman. Ky. In addition. the party
brought out Francis Linford, wound
ed English lad from Sussex.
Prisoners Are Stripped.
All the Yanks were captured on the
Archangel front. When the boashe-
viks surprised them by q dank move
ment, the Yanks were passed back
from post to post until they arrived
In Moscow. They were stripped Of
practically everything, including
clothes.
Some of them had almost entirely
Russian uniforms. The b0lshevtks
had a particularly keen eye for Amer
lean 20. D." equipment, especially
shirts. All Of the Americans had bol-
shevik overcoas, their own having
been stolen.
In Moscow the Americans were CIV
en- fairly clean and decent QuartsrA
but were issued practically no food A
Red Cross fund and later money from
the Y. NJ. c. A saved them from starv-
alton. The five did their own mar
keting and prepared their meals.
They were allowed a remarkable
amount Of freedom In Moscow, and
could 60 about the city in the day
time. At special times they had to
20 hAl oh m
the world revolution given by Rus
slams who had lived abroad and spoke
English.
The bolsheviks did their best to con-
vert the Yankees who kept their
peace, and expressed no opinions un-
Finland. The doughboys were sup
posed 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
they arrived at the internment camp
at Terijoki. where the Firms quar-.
antine arrivals from Russia.
snake No BoishsvIks."
Sergeant Leitzell said: They're
not making any bolsheviks Of Ameri-
can prisoners. They try to preach boil
shevism to us, but It doesn't 60.
They'd take men who've got brains,
who've accomplished something by
ability and work and reduce them to
the lowest level. Who's going to stand
for thatI
They're a bunch of thieves and
robbers. The leaders are preaching
that everyone ought to have the same
amount of money, but every leader has
q 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 came by his
decisive ideas regarding bolshevism az
the result of his flrst-hand experiences.
Private Hogan is serious and dehb-
crate. He speaks little and listens
much. His views are equally inter-
esting. 'Tf America ever went boil
shevik like Moscow" he said, I'D
make my self lone hand to stand out
against them.
IF you want to be a good bOlshe-
vik, you've got to be GRUMPY and dirty.
The majority Of people In Russia
wouldn't tolerate II II IL weren't for
the fact they would starve to death II
they opposed the bolos."
This is what the ordinary American
doughboy thinks of bolsheyism. These
chaps had three months to study It In
Moscow. mecca Of the bolshevikA