The Washington times., 1922-09-24

the Manchurlan steppes, their
faces wrinkled and bronzed from
exposure: youthful Russian sol.
diers. with their heavy packs and
rifles. hurrying up to the front.
and battle SCARED veterans Of
many a desperate struggle limping
back to abandoned homes. were in
that living picture.
Staggering cossack officers in
gaudy uniforms. dangling costly
sabcrs after them, and smart.
looking French lieutenants added
a dash OF color to the scene. In
evidence elsewhere, the soldiers Of
old China and the troopers of the
Mikado. the cocky little fighter OF
Japan, whom one met with at
every turn and corner along the
Trans, Siberian We gazed In mute
wonder and astonishment at this
cosmopolitan gathering before de-
Gliding to weather the chilly out
doors in an attempt to see some.
thing OF Harbin.
old GLORY" FLYING.
What Immediately att acted our
attention was "Old Glory" flying
over the American consulate. .
sight that warmed our hearts. II
was thrilling. indeed, 10 see the
Stars and Stripes" floating in
the breeze of a foreign land; and
all that banner symbolizes stood
out in striking contrast to the po
litical chaos of poor old Russia,
,ottering and helpless under the
withering blows Of a mighty revo-
'utiop.
Beyond Harbin the railroad
rayerses the bleak, cherries
5teppes Of Manchuria. For days
we journeyed over that wide. snow
clad waste and we looked In vain
Tor a hill or even a tree, to break
the dull monotony Of the plains.
SEMEN0V A TYRANT.
En- route to Chita. which was.
at that time. the headquarters Of
the notorious Cossack leader,
Semenov, whose career as a sol
der of fortune is unparalleled IN
fact or story, we encountered
scores Of his ill.famed armored
trains and troops OF his rough
looking soldiers. who were con.
stantly troiicking up and down
the railroad. an annoyance TO the
travelling public. and a hindrance
to the allied contingents In
Siberia.
From Manchuria City to Lake
Baikal. Semenov and his Buria
Cossacks waged campaign Of
terror against helpless peasant
and equally helpless Russian busi,
ness men along the Trans
Siberian. The ataman maintained
an iudeDendent rule In the trans
Baikal country. and the omsk
government was at no time power
ful enough to compel him to send
an army to the hard d.pressed
troops OF Kolchak. His strategic
position along the railroad gave
this unprincipled chieftain an ad'
vantage that friend. as well as foe,
had to reckon with.
YERKNIE UDINSkE
There can be no doubt that the
Japanese maintained Semenov in
such powerful control Of the
Trans Siberian railway, for 1t well
suited the purposes OF the Tokyo
government to keep that benight-
ed country in bitter turmoil, and
TO create a spirit Of discord among
the several factions In Siberia.
Well did Japan know that a united
Russia would never have tolerated
the presence of a foreign foe upon
her shores, nor allowed an expedi-
tionary force to assume the role
of an armed occupation.
We expected to be delayed In
Chita. but to our surprise we were
promptly furnished with q change
OF locomotives and hustled out
OF the yards in the early hours Of
the morning. We caught but a
flee;.ng glimpse of that unattrac.
tive city as we rumbled on.
The country west OF Chita Is h
refreshing change to the plains OF
Manchuria. Winding our way for
two days over richly pine-studded
mountains which remind the trav
eler of the Green mountains Of
Vermont or the White mountains
OF picturesque New Hampshire.
CHRISTMAS. 1919.
On Christmas the writer held a
midnight mass for the American
soldiers at Borosovka. A choir OF
sixty voices. assisted by large
orchestra. rendered one Of Shu-
berts lovely masses. This i'm