The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1920-05-06

that form OF government will be
a success or not, but if the people
there want to try it, l don't see
why we should object. / feel con-
fldent they will make something
out OF it, and it is quite probable
that after they get started they
will have to make some chan ges
which they will do.
Anyway, things can t be any
worse for them than they are
now. They are tired of fighting
and as the Imperial government
army is composed of the peasan-
try in many cases where they are
drafted and sent to the front to
fight the Bolsheviks they murder
their officers and join their
brothers, as they call the Boil
sheviks. The. result was that late
fast fall there was practically no
opposition to the Bolshevik adj
vance and they swept the coun-
| try like wildfire. They were the
best friends we had over there,
and while they fought most
everyone else there was not a
spike pulled nor rail removed
in our sector Of the railroad. Not
but what they could have done
SO if they wanted to, but they
wanted to be friends to the Amer
leans. 1t seemed like we could un-
derstand their position better
than anyone else. There were
several skirmishes with local fac
tions in the Shushan mines dis
trict near Vladivostok, and alto
gether we lost something like so
or 60 men.
Great credit is due our COM
manding officer, Col. G. H. Nor
row, for the manner in which he
handled the situation in our sec
tor. For nine months he sat on
a powder keg, not knowing what
minute it would blow up. We
were 1000 miles from our base of
supplies and the lives Of his 2400
men and officers were his great
est concern; yet by his tact and
diplomacy, barring one incident,
we had no serious trouble with
anyone, although we were at the
breaking point so many times,
that how we escaped is miracle.
We made and left many friends
there and the ties of friendship
with those poor people cemented
by the cold and snow and hard
ships of a Siberian winter will be
among the memories we will ever
cherish.
The Russian people are ex-
tremely courteous, and surely we
are glad to count ourselves among
their friends. We have always
felt that our friendship for them
was understood and appreciated
by them. Of course, we well
know that our mission here is
solely to render them such assis-
tance during these dreadful days
as we may without doing violence
to the principles of fair-play and
liberty as we understand them IN
our own country. THUS it was a
pleasure indeed for us to receive
messages from Russians express
ing their appreciation OF our
sympathy. We know more OF
Russia's sorrows, her great trials,
her wonderful sacrifices. We
zeenly feel the great struggled
hat is now going on throughout
his wonderful empire. Our SYM
oathy has been and will contin-
lie to be deep and sincere thru
,ut this painful ordeal. We real
re that our failure to take direct
sides I'M this domestic struggle
places us in trying position IN
he eyes Of many Russians, but
We have absolute faith in the out
come; there will come out OF this
velter of turmoil and strife a
lew and mighty Russia, with
whose people we shall live and /
mutually enjoy sincere and last
ng friendship.
In speaking Of Lake Balkal,
which is the pride Of the Rus
'ians. Mr.. Wallace says:
It is the third lake in point OF
ize in Asia, and the largest fresh
water lake of the continent; 1t Is
in the southern part OF
Siberia, in the government OF r.
y,ltsk on the line of the Trans
Siberian railway. 1t covers, an I
lrea of 1880 square miles, ana
md has a shore line Of 1920 miles.
# is 1856 miles long, and It's
width varies from 9 to 60 miles;
t is 1887 feet above sea level, and
is depth is 1897 feet, making 1t {
he deepest fresh-water lake IN
he world. The average depth Is
20 feet, and the lake IS divided
" two areas of shallow water IN
O three deep basins. Its waters 19,
re clear and transparent. Inc
1Nln1 A.