Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-14


spite Of their ostensible political privi-
leges are often half starved, the Red
soldiers are usually well-f and cloth
ed, for Trotzky makes every effort to
keep the army adequately supplied.
Consequently many workmen enlist and
they are inclined to be willing and
contented recruits.
"Not SO the peasants, who have
plenty of food of their own and only
want to be left in peace to work their
farms.
Conscription Resisted
1.-THE country people stubbornly re-
sist conscription and the Bosheviks
are forced TO send troops into the vii
lagos to seize the men liable to mill
tary service by force. As this is not
! always practicable, the orders of mobil- =
ization issued by Trotzky in Moscow
remain a dead letter in numerous coun-
try districts.
"This explains how it is possible
that the Bolsheviks are at present re-
duced to the necessity of mobilizing
youths of seventeen and eighteen. while
they have but million men of the
older classes under arms. The peas
ants form the most unreliable element
do not desert to the enemy they are
continually trying to make their es-
cape in order to return to their farms.
The Russian peasant, never warlike,
has had more than enough fighting.
Generally speaking the Red army
does not differ materially today in spirit
and organization from the old imperial
army of the czars. Trotzky has sue
ceeded in doing what Kerensky failed
to achieve-he has abolished the demon
alizing soldiers councils and re estab
lished the penalty of death. Soldiers
guilty of cowardice and insubordinatior
are mercilessly shot. l myself have re
peatedly seen Red infantry driven for
ward to the attack by machine gun fir,
from their rear. This barbarous methot
was frequently employed during th
war both by Germans and Russians ant
Trotzky has adopted it without hesi
tation.
Many German DrilImasters
"The comparatively good discipline o
the Red army is also in great measur
: due to the presence in its ranks o
| numerous German noncommissioned of
ficers. These Germans, who were pris
oners in Russia at the outbreak of tn
revolution, receive very high pay an
enjoy privileges which make them ex
, tremely eager to serve the Bolsheviks
. They are used to instruct the recruit
q in the depots and are but rarely sen
!, to the front. Thus, while the car
! army always suffered greatly thrOug
a lack of competent instructors of non
9 commissioned rank, the Red forces ar
!, amply supplied with energetic and ex
y perienced Prussian drillmasters, VIII
: know exactly how to lick the unwield
"a Russian recruits into shape.
= I'm other respects, however, it is
:, great mistake to apply western stand
ards to the military operations now &c
ing on in Russia. The opposing forc'
are scattered over an immense terri
4 tory, and there are scarcely ever {
:, many as 100,0 600 men engaged on bo,
~ sides in battle. Even of these half a.
" generally irregulars, who do much loot
G ing but little fighting. The fighting b.
Is, tween the Bolsheviks and their advel
:. saries often degsnerates into mere que
&C rilla warfare on a large scale. Their,
:, fore, fluctuations in the fortune of WI
" aese frequent and sudden, but rarely
"a decisive Importance.
= Shortage of Ammunition
10 "The Bolsheviks have been hand
le capped for long time by shortage
lt ammunition. In spite of their despot
" measures. Lenine and Trotsky encoul
ot ter great difficulties in getting t
workmen of the munition factories
t. work. Until now the Red army h
: been chiefly supplied with ammuniti
l., from the immense stocks accumulat
"a during the last months of the czaI
IS regime. These supplies are still suff
IT cient to supplement the output of t
munition factories for six months MOI
in but then they will be exhausted if mi