East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1919-07-08


movement. the "Yanks' were passed
back from post to post until they ar
rived in Moscow. They were strip
ped of practically everything includ-
ing clothes.
Some of them had almost entirely
Russian uniforms. The bolsheviks
had a particularly keen eye for Am
'erican 20. D." equipment. especially
shirts. All of the Americans had boil
Ishevik overcoats, their own having
been stolen.
In Moscow the Americans were
given fairly clean and decent quarters
but We're issued practically no food. A
Red Cross fund, and later money from
the Y. NJ. C. A.. saved them from star
Ivation. An American mess was soon
started. The five did their own mar
keting and prepared their meals.
They were allowed a remarkable
lamount of freedom In Moscow. and
could go about the city In daytime At
special times they had to report for
lectures on bolshevism and the world
revolution given by Russians who had
lived abroad and spoke English.
The bolsheviks did their best to
convert the Yankees, who kept their
peace. and expressed no opinions until
they had crossed the border into Fin
land. The doughboys were supposed
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
asked them for their opinions, when
they arrived at the internment camp
IA
tine arrivals from Russia.
Sergeant Leitzel said They're
not making any bolsheviks of Amer
lean prisoners They try to preach
bolshevism to us, but 1t doesn't go.
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 that?
Bunch of Thieves.
They're a bunch of thieves and
robbers. The leaders are preaching
that everyone ought to have the same
of money. but every leader has
a pile of rubles stuck away that
would knock your eye out. They all
believe in the principle that Bolos
had at the front. What's yours is
"Bolos" is the name the Yankees ON
the Archangle front gave to the boil
sheviks. Leitzell is an intelligent.
spirited. red-headed American who
came by the decisive ideas regarding
as the result of his first
hand experiences.
Private Hogan is serious and delib-
crate. He speaks little and listens
VII mt
esting. "If America ever went boil
shevik like Moscow" he said, I'D
make myself a lone hand to stand out
against them. If you want to be a
good bolshevik. you've got to be
and dirty. The majority of
people in Russia wouldn't tolerate it. |
If it wern't for the fact they would |
starve to death If they opposed the
Private Triplett a rather easy go-
ing youth said, 81 think the Bolos are
just too damn lazy to work. If it !
weren't for the women they'd never |
get anything done. They have to dig |
the trenches at the front.
You see the women carrying huge |
leads while some big bum of boil |
shevik walks alongside carrying moth |
ing. With the women doing every |
thing. the men have to enlist, or the
Solos won't let them eat
Private Laursen said, 81 figure
they're crooked and deceitful and are
bunch of cut-throats. All the hon
est ones want to get out of Russia MS
soon as possible. They all want TO go
to America. Like hell well let them
inf l see any Im going to shoot
'em!'
This is what the ordinary American
thinks o. bolshevism. These