Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-19

Among the distinguished veterans
IN Washington to attend the eighth
annual congress of ''Fidac." a fedora
ton of veterans from 10 countries par
ticipating as allies in the World War,
are two young Polish women, Nine.
Marie Zaleska and Mime. Wanda Pei
czynska, whose youthful appearances
would deny the fact that both had
taken active participation in the great
war
When the Russian empire collapsed
and the Bolshevik reign of terror COM
menced, Poland found herself faced with
worse situation than had prevailed
at any time during the war. The Boil
Shevik army was breaking through the
Polish lines and threatening an occu-
patton of the country. All available
forces were concentrated upon the Dor
der, where the casualties were severe.
Among the wounded and dying, young
woman doctor. a girl scarcely out OF
her teens, moved silently and skillfully,
rendering aid to those who lay wounded
under fire on the battlefields. Marie
Zaleska, who, at the outbreak of the
war had been a medical student IN
Warsaw, was one of a number of Polish
women whose services we're accepted to
serve with the combatant armies OF
Poland.
BoIsheviki Captivity Horrible Ordeal.
Nine. Zaleska, whose round girlish
face and soft dark eyes convey the i'm
preston of having seen only the happy
and pleasant things of life, will tell you
that the most terrible ordeal of her life
was the 10 days when she was held
captive by the Bolsheviks.
Il had been caring for the wounded
in a village on the frontier" she
reminisced, when the Bolsheviks en-
tered the place and took me captive.
At first I was accused of being a spy
and was thrown into prison to await
execution. How was I treated? Hor-
riblyl"
Nine. zaleska paused a moment and
distressed expression came into her
eyes. For five days I was given moth
ing to eat except plate OF terrible
soup of which it was impossible to
swallow a mouthful. The Bolsheviks
we're horrible to their captives. Fortu-
nately / convinced them I was not
spy, and after 10 days l was permitted
to leave. The first day of my release
1 walked over so miles to get to our
army. I was in a frightful condition
when arrived behind our lines"
After the war Nine. Zaleska con-
tinued her medical studies, specializing
in the diseases of children. For some
llffl6 she Was III NlAdl &c Va a
tuberculosis hospital in Warsaw. About
six years ago Nine. zaleska was mar
ried and moved TO Paris. where her
husband, although Polish, Is profess
sor at the University of Paris. Nine.
Zalcska has two small sons, who, dur
ing her absence from home, are with
her mother in Poland.
Captured Three Times.
AS the official. representative Of the
Polish Legionnaires, who saw active
service with combatant troops. Nine.
Wanda Pelczynska, also from Warsaw,
brings to Washington interesting MEM
oirs Of her experiences in the war. Also
young and attractive, like her COM
patriot. Nine zaleska, Nine. Pelczyn-
ska suffered some terrible experiences
during the war When merely a slip
of a girl she organized woman's mes
senger service for the Polish Army.
Taken prisoner three different times,
once by the Austrians, once by the
Germans. and later by the bolshevih,
Nine. Pelczynska had a miraculous
escape from death. Captured by the
Germans, when she had broken through