The New York herald., 1921-04-10
KR0NSTADT SAILOR
EARLY ANTAGONIST
OF THE BOLSHEVKI'
ne Has Always Fought for
More Liberal Rule, Says
Capt. McCullagh.
WOMEN THE FIERCEST
Had to Walk Across Frozen
Gulf to Get Food Liable
to Seizure.
OPPOSED CZAR In 1905
Rebellcd Against Worst Form
of Government Then, as
WOMEN THE FIERCEST
OPPOSED CZAR In 1905
Rebellcd Against Worst Form
of Government Then, as
They Have Done Now.

Bx CAPT. FRANCIS M'CULLAGH.
Sceciul Correspondence TO The New York
s.lnAlp.
REvAL March 27.--Kronstadt has
been called by the Reds "the ornament
and pride Of the Russian revolution"
krasa Q Gordost Rossieski Revolutsie)
because 1t was the first place in Russia
to take the side Of the Bolsheviki. so
that the latter now show ingratitude
II they maintain that the "pack of
drunken Sailors" to use TrotzlSy's
words, who constituted the garrison Of
the island fortress, have no influence
on the Russian masses.
For the last six months Kronstadt
has been steadily drifting into op-
position to the Soviet regime. This
opposition was due to various causes.
Most of the sailors got extremely fed
up" as an English bluejacket would
put 1t, at being cooped up in one
place, especially AS that place hap
pe11ed to be dreary little island with
cut any amusements; the food, fuel
Russia is suffering hit the Kron-
stadters very. hard: there was keen
disillusionment at Lenine's failure to
produce the Socialist Paradise that he
had promised; there was absolutely
nothing to do; and the slack discipline
led, as slack discipline always leads,
to such intense discomfort that blow
up Of some kind became an absolute
physical necessity.
Movements Restricted.
The sailors were not allowed to live
In the town or to visit the town often,
and they objected to these restrictions
on their liberty. There were 1000 men
aboard the Petropavovsk, but just be-
fore the recent mutiny the number of
Communists among them had fallen to
100. They grew to hate the civilian
commissares, and during the last few
months no commissary dared to venture
aboard this vessel. The sailors of the
other vessels were still more anti-Bol-
hevist and made no secret of the fact.
Nothing in their conduct and conversa-
ton SO shocked rigid Communists as
their replacement of the usual Bolshevist
salutation OF ''tovarisch" (comrade) by
'''bratshka" 0ittle brother). The heads
o. the local Soviet were Bregmann and
Gertzberg.
The fiercest opponents OF the Soviet
regime were the women of Kronstadt.
Owing to the insufficency of the food
served out free by the Government, these
women had to walk almost daily across
the ice to Oranienbaum, in order to carry
food thence on their own backs. This
long daily walk was not however, what
the women objected to most. The diff
oultles of getting permits to leave Kron-
stadt nfuriated them far more. And
when they had walked seven versts to
cranienbaum they had another seven
10 walk TO the village where they got
food and then return all the way back
again, carrying what they had been able
T. purchase or seize. for they admitted
themselves that the villagers would give
nothing for money. Their principal
t,ouble was with the patrol OF the Ex-
traordinary Commission on the Oranien-
baum shore, which had the duty Of seiz-
ing all food products 1t is the women OF
kronstadt, therefore, who deserve the
blow struck by the Russian working
classes themselves against Bolshevism.
Always for Liberal Rule.
There were e36, 900 soldiers or sailors and
1900 civilians in Kronstadt, and In the
Cars time there was always two years
supply of provisions in the island fort
ress, though recently there was not more
than enough for one month. They have
always been fighting for what they re-
Earded as q more liberal government
for Russia. and have had perio deal
mutinies OF the fiercest kind. They
mutinied against Kerensky because he
was too rcactionary for them, and swung
round the full circle and opposed Le-
nine because he is too advanced.
My last visit TO Kronstadt was made
In 1906 on the occa sion OF a desperate
mutiny against the Imperial Government
on the part of the sailors. The revolt
was put down by soldiers recruited In
the heart OF Russia, and, therefore, with
no taint of Bolshcvism In their blood
and I found these soldiers lying about
everywhere on the ground, their rifles
ready, watching for the mutneers. About
n hundred Of the sailors were afterward
roped together. shot and then thrown
Into the sea, where, for days afterward.
English skippcrs were Mortified at Sec
ing their swollen bodies tossing about
on the waves. They died singing the
Russian Marscllaise.
| must admit that In 1906 I synpa-
thzcd with the sailors OF Kronstadt,
for they were rebelling against the very
worst form OF government that existed
In the world at that time. And they are
doing the same thing this month.
Trotzky talked of the Kronstadt
50 ilors having been seduced from their
Allegiance to him by social revolution
aries. Menshcvild, White generals and
foreign agents, but though some Of the
Lott Social Revou%zdarics succeeded In
finding their way into Kronstadt
month ago and bringing intelligence that
\ great rising was planned Throughout.
Russia for the end of February, an in
surrocton would in any case have taken
place in ISronstadt this spring.
NoEfovsky an IdeaIist.
kozlovsky, who was at the head of
INC Kronstadt mutiny is high minded
soldier OF lofty ideals and with sin
cere love of that democratic liberty, that
ordered freedom which finds its highest
expression among the British and Amer
ican peoples. He does not stand for re-
action or CzarisIn he Is ALL for mod