Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-09-02
SENT TO SIBERIA

II was in May, 1918. that thousand
eminent Of Russia for an outing In Siberia
because Of food shortage in Petrograd
More than n hundred teachers and attend
ants accompanied them. High in the LTral
Mountains they took up their abode TO
remain through the summer. but before
the summer was over fast moving events
had changed the background. and bat
ties were raging between the Czecho- Slo-
yak armies on the one hand and the
Bolshevik on the other, while winter
came 90 and famine and cold overlook
the colony OF children. The efforts Of
the American Red Cross and the Kolchak
government saved them from extermi-
nation. but there were serious inroads in
their ranks.
In the spring Of 1919 Kolchak was MAX
ing rapid advance toward Petrograd
and II seemed that the children could
30 homo with his victorious armies. Then
came the sudden collapse Of his front
and the retreat Of the soldiers and of
the children who suffered agonies Of
deprivation. A group of boys were lost
in the mountains at this time and start
led the world with reports Of the Wild
Boys of the Urals." while they suosisted
on roots and herbs and made a heroic
fight for life. Danger in'rea sell with tine
continued advance Of the Bolshevik ar
mics and for a time Il looked as though
tho young wanderers would perish like
the Child Crusaders OF older history. but
the American Red Cross did a thing tina
its commanders believe TO he its great
est achievements
GREAT RED CROSS EFFORT
The scattered groups of children We're
collected aud a retreat was made with
kolchak. first to Omsk and finally to
Nladivostok. without one loss or accident
in the entire band. and in the face of
resistance from natives, soldiers. and even
army corps commanders, who felt that
tho fate OF the Russian nation was being
jeopardiged by a non-combatant chill
dren. The Red Cross established a colony
on Russian Island. fourmiles from the
big Siberian port. and then went about
measures to send the children through
the BolshevIk lines over the TRANSIT
berian railway.
All was in readiness when the Japan
csc suddenly acted. took Vladlvostok and
exmnded the lines OF their army for
hundreds of miles along the railroad
Land transportation was out Of the ques-
ton and the plan of circumna vigatng
the globe to restore 1872 Russian children
to thetr homes was adopted. After many
efforts to secure a ship. the Red Cross
finally negotiated with a Japanese con-
Germ for the only vessel anywhere avail
able, happening significant OF the mari
time supremacy In the Land Of the Ris-
ing Sun
The Yome Maru set sail from Vladi-
vostok on July II and steamed across the
Pacific, to enter through the Golden
Gate just as the sun came up on August
. A few hours later 1872 children clam
bered out of the big buses that took them
to the camp at Fort Winfield Scott pre-
pared by the Junior Fed Cross against
their coming. There followed three won
derfui days in which the qualification OF
their wishes was limited only by the
range of possibility, and on August IL
they all went back aboard the faithful
big ship that is carrying them home over
SO many thousands of miles,
DUE HERE IN SEPTEMBER
The ship is reported due In our own
harbor about the first of September. and
then there will occur another interlude.
the details of which will rest In the hands
of the Red Cross, 1t was stated at the
office Of the society that a programme
Is even now In process OF preparation.