The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-12-05
Cor11rade Frunze

two years unwillingly they we're en-
crossed in him, and for two years
this vile Strengthening moose hung over
him. For two years he supposed that
it would be necessary to go to Eng
land or to Italy. But what kind of a
journey abroad would it be without
understanding the languages? What
great foresight on the part Of those
who study languages prior to going
abroad?
Among people condemned to death
two types may be distinguished it is
extremely difficult to look at the one,
while with regard to the others feel
ings are more involved and the senti-
ment of pain is replaced by proud
consciousness that they know how to
die bravely. To this latter type Frunze
belonged.
His trial ended in exile. For six
years he had to sit in the Vladimir
Central Penitentiary. Under these
deadening, damp, gloomy and hermit
like conditions, Mikhael aroused the
thoughts of his comrades, did not let
them pine for human sympathy, and
brought assuagement into this pertur
bed, nerveracking atmosphere of
these joyless prison days.
Those days were the hey day of all
kinds of outrages and illtreatment of
political exiles. At one time the head
of the Vladimir Central Penitentiary
was a certain Gudims. To use Hugo's
expression, this was a man with the
! face of a corpse and the soul of
devil. He was a disgusting fat
butcher, with sleek fiabby skin, foul
breath and eyes like beads. He was
mixture of an enraged mediocrity
jesuit and a hangman. /. He had
particularly strong desire to subject
Comrade Frunze to bodily punish
ment. When some important state
official or other visited the prison they
always asked:
ooh, say, you have got M. Frunze
here haven't you?"
And the important one was con-
Quoted into the cell where he could
feast his eyes on the victim and look
him up and down with curiosity ~
When fights, quarrels or scandals
arose among the political prisoners,
they always turned to Comrade
Mikhael.
But such a fellow as this never
gives one-a chance to whip him or to
truss him up. But let us once get
hold of him. and then well give
him something to think about.
Nevertheless, even this butcher, this
mixture of mediocrity, jesuit and
hangman, never found an appropriate
occasion for carrying out his inten-
tions. He sought for such a chance
persistently and stubbornly. i. but the
opportunity never came.
Years of Imprisonment, and exile.
Illegal work in Siberia, an attempt
at new arrest, flight, illegal life.
They were forever on his track. :.
A CROSS the far-off Volga Steppes
"A the Ufa division of the black
admiral lay stretched but in fighting
columns. They were sure of them
selves. They were marching on
Moscow. These were the best troops,
the hope and support, the well-tried
royal bodyguard. On the other side
Of the lines came wagon loads OF
young troops of new army but still
weak. Some Of the new soldiers wore
cap-helmets with big red stars similar
to the helmets of the Normans and
the ancient heroes. These warriors,
however came from starved working
class districts. And the workers of
the Volga rallied to them. They came
from country encircled by a huge
ring Of fire, country which seemed
to be suffocating in dealth-like en-
brace of cold. . Now they are en-
tering the final death struggle. . ).
They swept on and the Ufa division
was smashed. Glory to the young
army. But we do not forget its COM
mander, Comrade Frunze, who al