Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-05-19
BY JosEPHUS DANIELS,
Former Secretary of the Navy.
ARTICLE 80

Former Secretary of the Navy.
ARTICLE S3
Admiral Kolchak failed to redeem
Russia from the Bolshevists, but he
made a brave effort, and for a time
held the worlds attention as the hope
and promise of a triumph for sanity
and constitutionalism over the mad
ness of Lenin and his proletarian
dictatorship.
The chance to win such. fame as
will follow his memory in the annals
of Russia he, owed to an American
admiral
And this is the story:
Admiral Kolchak commanded the Black
Sea feet When the revolution swept
Russia in March. 1917, the sailors Of the
Baltic feet mutinied, assassinated their
commander-in-chief and brutalIy muir
dered about one hundred officers, but the
sailors of the Black Sea fleet remained
loyal for several months, but finally were
induced TO mutiny.
WOULD NOT
SURRENDER SWORD.
Kolehak would not turn his sword over
TO any representative OF mutinous sail
ors
They demanded It, but he would not
give it.
Instead. drawing It from its scabbard
he held it for single moment in salute
to the Russian flag, and then, with
Quick gesture, sent its shimmering blade
spinning through the air and watched II
fall into the sea.
There was q gasp from the sailors as
they realized what be had done, but
there was not a man among them who
did not honor him the more for It,
Turning upon his heel sharply the
former cOmmander-in-chief came down
from the quarterback, climbed over the
side Of the flagship into waiting boat
and was taken to SebastOpol, where he
was nut in prison along with Smirnon
and other officers.
What might have been the fate OF kol-
chak we cannot tell. although it is not
unreasonable TO think he would. In time,
have suffered the fate Of the commander
in-chief Of the Baltic feet. Execution
BY order OF the sailors soviet" is quite as
deadly as assassination.
BLACK SEA
MEN MUTINY.
Through the spring, and. indeed, until
the middle OF June, ths Black Sea fleet
remained loyal TO the provisional govern
nent. and was stiu q formidable force.
But in June, 1917, little group OF agi-
tators from the Baltic fleet arrived IN
Sebzstopol, and began to tax and
hsrangue. They told how the Baltic
ships we're now wholly in the control OF
committees OF sailors; how no officers
Ind a n
how much happier everybody was under
the new system
Admiral KOlchak was popular in the
Black Sea fleet; his personality exercised
a powerful influence over the men; they
were reluctant to mutiny against him.
But the persuasions Of the Baltic agi-
tators at last prevailed. On June 20 the
sailors of the Black = "a fleet called
meeting and adopted a resolution depOs-
ing Admiral Kolchak, and electing a com
mander-in-chief from their own ranks.
When the admiral was notified Of what
they had done, he appeared on the quar-
ter deck Of his flagship ami addressed
the men.
1t was a dramatic scene and a tense
moment
The admiral appealed to the men to
remain loyal in simple, but eloquent Ian
guage. He made his plea in the name OF
Russia and OF the cause OF justice and
democracy for which she was fighting
with the allies and the United States.
The men were moved. but not to repu-
diate their action. They were touched,
but they stood by their purpose.
AMERICAN MISSION
ARRIVES IN PETRoGRAD.
But it happened that while these things
were going on in the Black Sea, other
things had been happening IN Petrograd.
The Root diplomatic mission, appointed
by President Wilson and headed by EHhu
Root, reached Vladivostok on June and
went straight to PetrOgrad on q special
train provided by the Kerensh govern
ment.
The naval member Of this mission was
Admiral Glennon.
With Admiral Glennon went Admiral
McCully, who is a master Of the Russian
tongue and a great admirer Of the Rus
sian people. whose affection and conf
dence he has held through all events.
The first intimation the American ad-
mirals had that they were about to face
unusual circumstances was when, son
reaching the station in SebastOpol, they
found a reception committee awaiting
them composed wholly OF workmen and
sailors
net there. nor had he sent any members
Of his STAFF to greet them.
GLENNON TALKS
TO SAILORS.
But Glennon and McCully were quick
enough to catch something of the sig
nifcance Of this unexpected welcome and
TO accommodate themselves to its peculiar
character.
'They wore no swords" said Admiral
Glennon to me in making his report, 80
the American officers left their swords
in the train"
The American officers were taken to the
flagship, from which Kolchak had been
deposed the day before.
Admiral Glennon stood on the quarter
deck, where KOlchak had stood In his
Continued on Page Three.)
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