The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-07-17
nv }. HERBEKr DUCKw0RTH

.. IIEIknTsOL WV -
REvAI. E.thonia--uBy Courier 10
New York. by Mail 10 s~attle.t--As
I approached Pskov. l noted at once
that the Trotxky suspension bridEc
was guarded by shabbiiy dressed
soldiers
Their uniforms were weirdiy
varied
Some had much worn and patched
British tunicA Some parts OF the
uniform OF tho late cars imperial
army. Others. top coats cut down.
shcopskin jackets. and hats OF fur.
felt or cloth from every provinces
from Petrograd to vladivostok
LOOKED LIKE MUSICAL
COMEDY BANDITS
Some wore poasants' string san
dals: others. officers old boots: some
rubbcrs protecting rag covered foot
and others -tanks"--boots captured
from the Esthonian army. Rifles
were siung over the shoulder with
rope These men Of the Red army
looked like musical comedy bandits
from Or or some other imaginary
kingdom.
hut they were really not At All
dangerous They were Just plain
peasant lads. big-hearted- but with
that odd look Of melanchoty 20 char
aetsristic OF tho Russian COULD
SEE NONE OF THAT -REvoLU-
TfONARY ARDOR" OF WHICH !
HAD HEARD so MUCH.
was not stopped oosstng tho
bridgc.
MARKET ALIVE WITH
PEOPIE-LITTLE 10 BCY
At the eastern approach was me
market piAce
IL was market day.
The sargs open spacs dOnfnafsd oy
tho Krumiin and the ax-dorned Troes'
Ky cathedral. pwched atop . high
rock. was alivs win peopsA
The shops and stalls were esossd
Tho scanty. and illegal business.
between tho peasants and the town
folk. WAS being transacted from acks
and bagA
A number Of Red soldiers vcrc buzz
ing It this Illegal market But there
was not much to purchase
The dominant color OF the massed
crowd was the dun. dusty hue OF
old sacking. The peoples ciotnins
wa. made Of coarsely woven cotton
cloth and rough homespun linen
Part. OF the uniforms OF every army
In the world were also TO be secn--
sometimes on women Everybody
wa. desperately shabby.
Here. at least tho people werc
certainly In control There were no
fine feathers. smart rigs. autos. or
white collars But somehow. the
people did not look satisfied They
looked 10 eaunt and lean
SPOTTED FEvER CUTS
POPULATION BY 1900
wandered around for three hours.
There was much TO sec, In this pic
turcsuue and diiapidated Russian
town. tho the shops were boarded up
the troiieys not running. and goats
were wandering about the grass
| grown streets
Pskov had = population bcfore the
war. OF about $4,000.
Spotted typhus. or hunger fever,
Red. White and Green armies have
reduced the population " some
i2.ooo.
Amos, every building. house and
cottage sported red flag.
| / picked out n building with the
most flags and the biggest signs. and
entered. II proved to be tho head,
quarters OF the communist party
for the province Of Pskov.
-AMERrKANsKTs" ARRIVAL
CREATES BIG COMMOTION
In a big room upstairs sat
number OF girls typing.. When !
ANNOUNCED that was an "Amcri-
kanski joornaiecst" ! was ushered
Into an inner room. the sRnctum OF
Cornmissar Gromoff. secretary chair
man OF the communist party for the
provtnce OF Pskov. My unexpected
ARRIVAL from New York caused some
commouon.
The commissar gave me chair
told me to take off my haversack
and coat and make myself comfort
able. and offered me a cigarct
Then a search was started for an
Interpreter. The girls from the out
side office came in to stare at me
The news had soon spread that ! had
come across the "granitza." or from
tier.
An interpreter WAS unearthed- She
was Mrs. Sam Paul. whose husband
used to work at the Plant shoe FAC
tory Boston.
The Pauis returned 10 Russia after
the March revolution. 1917. to visit
their parents. and have been unable
10 return TO the states. Mrs Pau
was studying medicine at TUFTS
college.
was put thru the ''third degree.'
How had I got into Russia
without a permit?