Evening star., 1942-11-06
(22d of a Seriess)
BY LELAND STOWE,

BY LELAND STOWE,
Foreisn Correspondent of The Star ant
Chicago Daily News.
WITH THE RED ARMY ON THE
RZHEV FRONT.-It is an unprece-
dented experience to visit a wal
front, whole series of headquar-
ters and advance posts, and find two
men sharing the command, whether
1t is the command of division or a
regiment, or whatever the unit may
be. Mine, perhaps, is the first and
last such experience that any for
eign correspondent will have, at
least for an unpredictable period
for the status of the Red Army S
commissars has just radically been
altered by governmental decree.
Nevertheless, the former commits
sars of all ranks-from the rank
equivalent to captain up to the
rank equivalent to full general-are
still in the Russian Army and their
contribution to Russia's fighting &C
tivities will still be extremely great
Their new functions merely change
the manner in which their unques-
tionably high capacities will be used
Commissars All Leaders.
In various sectors of the Rzhev
front I have met dozens of commits
sars including many who have es-
corted me around for hours and
including several who are as widely
known in the Red Army as the gen.
erals with whom they have shared
command. Without exception these
men bore the stamp of leaders-of
leaders in the civil and political as
we'll as the military sense. Among
these younger commissars you find
a keenness and a grasp OF the full
scope of the world conflict which
is nothing short of notable. For
intelligence they probably surpass
In average the intelligence of any
men of similar age and authority in
any army in the world.
For the 16 months of the Russo
German war, the commissarS, as
fighting teachers-p -preachers-propa-
gandists and efficiency experts, have
admittedly achieved wonders at
building and maintaining the Red
Army soldiers morale. When you
talk with them you understand how
they have done it. By an acute,
unceasing interest in the common
soldiers welfare, needs and per-
plexities. BY personal courage and
power of personal example. BY
prompt removal of sources of dis
satisfaction and complaint. BY liv-
ing always on terms of utmost de-
mocracy and intimacy with their
men.
Must Be Soul of Regiment.
When Stain said the commissar
must be the soul of the regiment
or of his company" he meant just
that
AS Ilya Ehrenbrg says, "The
commissar occupies himself first OF
all with the heart of the soldier"
For the past two months, Stalin-
grad, in considerable part, has re-
manned standing as monument to
the Red Army commissars' devotion
to and fulfllment of their task. Now
most of the commissars Of the upper
grades will become regular military
commanders in the Red Army-but
they will be officers of the broadest
and most thorough general training
that surely any modern army has
ever had.
With the change in the commits
sars' status, the Red Army will re-
vert to the system of single COM
mand of all military units and at
this stage of the war that may prove
to be a definite advantage. There
will be the temptation abroad to
assume, therefore, that the COM
missar system was failure. On
the basis of much previous inquiry
and on the basis of these days OF
observation in front sector, l am
convinced that such seeming con-
clusion would be entirely erroneous.
Morale Building Function.
Even if a singleness of individual
command has shown itself desirable
the new decree takes great care to
retain the tremendously useful mo-
building functions OF the COM
missars. While Army commanders
have now been given full RESPONSE
bility for military decisions, new
post of assistant commander fol
political work. has been established
This means a great number OF the
younger commissars will continue
their work almost exactly as before
with the one difference that they
will be subordinate to the military
commanders of their units.
The full significance of the re-
vised status of the Red Army's COM
missars will be lost unless full ac'
count is taken of the opening ur
of the regular officers ranks to older
more experienced commissars: Either
Immediately, in few cases, or after
special officers training courses fol
a great many other. In other words
the decree taps a great reservoir
of officer material for the Russian
Army and the major portion o.
their reservoir consists of men al
ready highly trained in Leadership
and closely experienced with front
line warfare.
All Academy Graduates.
1t is not generally realized thai
Red Army commissars with the