The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1919-04-16
WITH THE AMERICANS
ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT
(By The Associated Press.)

With the Americans on north Rus
sian Front, April 14.-ln this inter-
national army which is fighting nu-
merically superior Bolshevik forces in
North Russia there are, mingled with
the half dozen or So varieties of UNI
forms, men who wear no uniforms at
all. They fight, as did the francs
tireurs in the Franco-Prussian wa1
and the first minute men of the
American revolution, for the protec-
ton. of their firesides.
They are peasants, bearder or
b~eardless, with nothing to distinguish
them from the thousands of other
peasants living around them but their
guns and cartridge belts. They ale
the regular or partisan" troops anl
the sentiments they are showing and
fighting for in this wilderness Of
snow and pine trees loom up so pat
riotcally that the government OF
Northern Russia is beginning to look
upon them as the keystone on which
to build a Russian state that will be
Tree lEOh bO1Su0V1SMs
These peasants have known the ra-
wages Of Bolshevik troops in their VIII
lagos. They have seen friends execut-
ed for anti olshevik activities. They
hail the Allies as rescuers. In nearly
every attack the regular troops make
against the enemy one finds these
armed partisans, crack shots, going
ahead or along the flanks of the
Americans, British, French and train
ed, uniformed Russians to scout a path
or take a pot shot at the enemy. !.
The point of view of these peasants
is this: "The army has not yet been
organized; we are robbed and i'll
treated by the Bolsheviki; therefore
we have to defend ourselves" The
peasants in the Kholmogary district,
along the Dwina river, have been
fighting for four months. Military
authorities say they do their work as
cheerfully and efficiently as regular
soldiers. The Red Guards are helping
against the revolted population.
The appearance of peasants fighting
voluntarily against Trotzky's forces
has a demoralizing effect upon the
Bolsheviki as it disabuses the minds
Of some of them Of the theory that
they are being opposed only by "im-
perialsts."
The partisans know that if they are
captured they will be shot. But.
knowing the forest country as city
jewellers X ow their own stree>S they
are seldom captured. IL Scouting
they r as tireless as wild animals.
The government of the North TO,
a long time did nothing to help the
partisans, but, o that their useful
ness is recognized, they and their
families are provisioned as if they
were regular soldiers. In December
a big delegation of partisans went to
Archangel and, according to the local
newspapers, "this new appariticn
stirred up all the classes of population
Of the town."
1t became clear that a sound evo1u.
ton from anarchy toward patriot.
ism had taken place among the PEG.
pie, that the efforts of the partisaps
though Of a local character, must abe
supported, and that it was absolutel,
necessary to create a suitable atmos
phere for further organization of par
tisan detachments. A. big committee
including all political parties has beer
formed in Archangel to aid in this
plan and a new pertisan newspaper j:
to be published. for the benefit Of :hs
fighting peasants.