Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-07
NeJU MilitdriSn on
PrlLsSian Ruins
Continued from Page One

sequently. the soldiers of this army are
rarely drafted into the active army.
The real reserve from which the
active army draws its reinforcements is
the militia. This is recruited among
the peasants. In every village or group
Of villages there is n Especial military
commissioner, whose business 1t is to
select and drill recruits and to send
them to the front. In addition to the
regular Red army, there exist the we'll
known special regiments of Let's and
Chinese, who are n sort of military
police, and whose numbers have been
much exaggerated.
Cossacks Shattered Polish Amy
new formation Of the Red army are
the Cossack divisions, which are com
mnnded by their own officers. The Cos
sacks receive high pay and unlimited
permission to plunder. They are quite
independent cavalry units. anI muny
of them until recently served under
General Denikine, which is sufficient
proof that they are not communist ia
natics. General Budennyi's horsemcn,
whose daring raids shattered the Polish
army. are of this type.
In May, 1920. the total strength of
the Red army did not exceed / 900 900
men. Even ut this estimate, however
it is the strongest army in the world
today 1t is well supplied with tanks
and heavy artillery, and the munition
factories and arsenals are all working
busily under the direction Of ''bour.
scOis' specialists.
Imperialist Commanders
The predominance of non Bolsheyist
officers in the Red army, and the extern
sion of their authority over their men
is absolutely beyond doubt. The old
czarist officers, the German officers.
and even most of the graduates of the
Red military academies, are at heart
Contemptuous of communism.
Besides General Palivanov, who is its
chief. the Red general staff consists OF
General Kuropatkin. the commander of
the cars armies in the Russo japanese
war, and Generals Drachevsky, Prescott
and Gillenschmidt, all old czarist COM
manders. Interference of Red commits
saries in military matters is strictly
forbidden. The officers are authorized
to enforce discipline and inflict all
kinds Of punishment. except the pain
of death. which must be referred TO
the council of commissaries.
Can the commanders and officers OF
the Red army, the majority of whom
are today undoubtedly counter -revolu.
tionists, use their power over their men
to overthrow the soviet government
Vast Army of Spies
In all military affairs they are now
their own masters. But politically they
are still subjected to very strict sur
veillance. TO the command of every
army is attached council Of commits
saries whose members are nominated BY
the High War Commissary Trotzky.
This council has under its orders hosts
of secret agents, who pervade the army
and whose office it is to watch over
and report on the political morale aut
reliability of the generals and regi
mental officers. This vast army of spies
within the army of fighters is organ
lied so secretly that it happens that
officers themselves are agents Of the
council of commissaries. The conse
quence is an atmosphere of universe
distrust and suspicion which paralyzei
counter revolutionary enterprise anC
divides the officers among themselves
Nevertheless, some of the Red fanat
les in the Kremlin regard the army
since its reorganization by Genera
Palivanov with increasing apprehension
and to calm their fears. Trotzky was
bo'NNt w NlNhN' liV iNFNi hlilN
already mentioned as a training corps
whose men never see fighting. In the
reserve army the old communist prin
ciples are still upheld; when not being
drilled by their officers, the men are
under the supervision of special com
munist propagandsts, and everything l.
done to stimulate their revolutionary
ardor. The consequence is that they
are useless az fighting men and ar,
never sent to the front. But the exist.
encc of this make believe cOmmunis
army satisfies the doctrinary fanatic
among the Reds.
Strange Host Menacing Europe
Such is the nature of the strangt
! host that Is menacing Europe with new
barbaric invasions. Commanded b.
Russian and Prussian militarists Of tht
old school fighting under the Red tlal
of proletarian revolt, simultaneously AZ
instrument Of imperialistic conquest anC
of radical propaganda, the Red arm!
! is the product of the most contradiCtor!
ambitions and instincts, all of then
evil and equally mcnaciug to democracy
And there can be neither peace no
brotherhood of nations, nor real recon
struction in Europe, until this new mill
tarism is overthrown whose existence
reduces the disarmament OF Germany