Springfield weekly Republican. [volume], September 12, 1918, Page 4, Image 4

About Springfield weekly Republican. [volume] (Springfield, Mass.) 1851-1946

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4
TOWARD RHINE
THE WAR BULLETINS
ALLIES PUSH AND BORE
GERMAN MORALE WEAKENS
But Stiff Resistance Is Being
Offered to Prevent Flanking
of Hindenburg Line
THURSDAY
Whole Enemy Line is Giving: Away
[By the Associated Press]
The Germans are now giving:
ground over the entire 150-mile bat
tlefront from Ypres to Rheims. Seem
ingly the question whether the Ger
mans will be able to hold even rela
tively their present line from Flan
ders to Champagne is being answered.
And the answer apparently is in the
negative. The strategy of Gen Foch,
which imposed upon the Germans the
necessity of falling back in Flanders,
Artois and Picardy, now likewise is
compelling the enemy to withdraw
trom the Vesle river between Soissons
and Rheims, northward toward the
Aisne, in order to avert disaster.
Outflanked on all defensive works
along the western part of the battle
line and in g.eat danger of a turning
movement eastward from the regions
of Noyon and Soissons. yie German
high command at last has been forced
to begin the retrograde movement in
the Soissons-Rheims sector which the
military’ experts long had predicted
would be necessitated through the
successes of the British, French and
American armies.
The climax to the German maneu
vers along the Vesle culminated when
the French virtually swept away the
last rema.ning portion of the old sa
lient in the region of Noyon and the
French and Americans north of Sois
sons and along the Vesle reached po
sitions dominating the Aisne and the
Chemin des Dames and crossed to the
north side of the Vesle on a front of
nearly 20 miles.
As Fast as Possible Northward
All behind the front toward the
Aisne huge fires are to be seen where
the enemy is making n:s way as fast
as possible northward, in all probabili
ty harassed by outposts of French
and American troops and by artillery
fire and the machine guns and bombs
•f the allied aviators.
While the debacle in the south seems
complete, in the north the Germans
also are facing a crisis. Everywhere
from Peronne to Ypres Field Marshal
Haigs men are keeping hard after the
enemy, whose line daily’ is being bent
back further eastward, giving the Brit
ish better points of vantage from
which to work in their ’ask of regain
ing as their first objectives St Quen
tin, Cambrai. Lille and .Armentieres.
From Ypres to Lens additional towns
have been recaptured and the old
■alient more nearly reclaimed.
Lens, the famous coal city. Is said
to have been entirely evacuated by
the Germans, and the British are only
•waiting the dissipation of the numer
ous gases and rendering of the city
ease from the possibility of the detona
tion of mines in the subterrannean
coal chambers to enter it.
From Arras southward to Peronne
English. Scotch, Welsh. Canadian and
Australian troops everywhere are
harassing the enemy, meeting his vio
lent machine gun fire with such ir
resistible pressure that the enemy has
been virtually nonplussed and has re
tired. at some points almost pre
cipitately.
Eastward of the old Drocourt-
Qusant line the enemy has been
pushed across to the east bank of the
canal du Nord, where at last accounts
he was trying to prevent by the use
of innumerable machine guns a Brit
ish advance over the ditch.
To the north of Peronne, over an
oight-mile front between Moislains and
Damicourt, the British at several
points have beaten their way across
the canal and last night were press
ing the enemy well to the eastward.
if FRIDAY
1 Eastward Procession Continues
(By the Associated Press]
The French and Americans are fast
driving the Germans out of their posi
tions in southern Picardy and in the
•ector betw'een the Vesle and Aisne
rivers. So rapid has been the prog
ress of the allies —the French in Pic
ardy and the Americans and French
from Soissons eastward toward
Pheims —that the retirement of the
enemy has almost the appearance at
present of the beginning of a rout.
Meanwhile Field Marshal Haig in
the north, from Peronne to Ypres, has
been almost as busily engaged with
his troops in carrying out successful
maneuvers which are only in a
slightly less degree of rapidity forcing
the Germans everywhere to give
ground. Haig's men again have made
the Germans taste bitter defeat on
numerous sectors, and the end of the
punishment for them seems not yet in
Might.
French Reclaim Mnch Ground
Tn the latest fighting in the region
extending from the old Noyon sector
to Soissons, the French have re
claimed 30 villages from the Germans,
have crossed the Somme canal at
several points and are standing only a
short distance from the important
junction of Ham, with its roads lead
ing to St Quentin and Le Fere.
On the south they have made fur
ther crossings of the Ailette river and
are fast skirting the great wooded re
gion which acts as a barrier to direct
attack on Laon, the Chemin des
Dames and the western Aisne defenses
of the enemy. Seemingly, at the pres
ent rate of progress, this barrier soon
will be overcome and, indeed, the en
tire salient northwest of Soissons ob
literated- Already the French south
of Fresnes, on the fringe of the high
forest of Coucy, have penetrated the
old Hindenburg Une.
AH behind the lines northeast of
Noyon great conflagrations are to be
ween, particularly around Jusey and
Lq Fere, which apparently is an indi
cation that it is the Intention of the
Germans to fall back as fast as they
can to the old German lines running
southeastward from St Quentin.
French and Americans Pursue
The French and Americans are hard
after the Germans between the Vesle
river and the Aisne, and for more than
eight milee. extending from Conde to
Vlofl-Arcy. they have driven the en
emy across the Aisne and are standing
on' the southern bank of the river.
Eastward toward Rheims, almost up
to the gates of the cathedra! city, the
German line Is falling back northward.
At the anchor point of the Une in the
vicinity of Rheims, however, the Ger
mans seem to be holding, evidently re
alizing that a retrograde movement
here would necessitate a straighten
ing of their line, perhaps as far east
ward as Verdun.
In the initial maneuver to the re
treat along the Vesle front the Amer
icans and French captured both Ba
zoches and Fismette. From Bazoches
they moved six miles northward to
Vleil-Arcy. while from Fismette they
have penetrated more than three
miles northward to Barbonval. which
is only a little more than a mile south
of the Aisne.
In Flanders the British have taken
the town of Ploegsteert and positions
southwest of Messlnes and northeast
of Wulverghem and repulsed strong
counter-attacks launched against
them.
Southeast of Arras al! the way
down the Une to south of the Somme
below Peronne the British have dug
more deeply into the enemy's front
on various sectors, especially toward
Cambrai and immediately north and
south of Peronne, in the latter re
gion having driven in the enemy's
rearguards for considerable distances.
The Germans have been violently
bombarding the Americans at Fra
pelle. on the eastern end of the bat
tle front in Lorraine, but have at
tempted no infantry attacks. More
than 3000 shells, many of them gas
projectiles, have been sent into the
American line by the enemy.
SATURDAY
Line of Battle Still Progressing
[By the Associated Press]
The Germans continue to give
ground before the allied armies over
the 150-mile battle front from Ypres
to Rheims. Particularly heavy de
feats have been inflicted on them by
the French in the old Noyon salient
and by the French and Americans in
the region between the Vesle and
Aisne rivers east of Soissons.
To the north. Field Marshal Haig’s
men have pushed their lines eastward
at numerous points into enemy-held
territory for important gains, and
daily are increasing the menace
against the entire German line facing
them.
Go Far Beyond Canal du Nord
In the old Noyon salient the French
have captured the important junction
towns of Ham and Chauny, with their
railroads and high roads leading re
spectively into St Quentin and La
Fere. Across the canal du Nord they
have penetrated at various points to a
depth exceeding six miles. The little
forest of Coucy, the western portion
of the great wooded sector east of
Laon that has stood the barrier to a
direct advance eastward, has been en
tirely taken, and across the Allette
river Gen Mangin's forces have re
occupied additional positions, which
have brought them abreast the old
German defense line, outflanking the
present German line in this region,
and that north of the Aisne, which is
now pressing backward toward tho
Chemin des Dames.
The latest French official commu
nication records the fact that the
French troops north of the Aisne have
reoccupied all their old trenches and
says also that eastward the Ameri
cans have made further progress In
the region of Villers-en-Prayeres and
Revillon, which brings their front ap
preciably nearer the Aisne and also
gives them a position which domi
nates the territory southeastward to
ward Rheims. Much probably will
depend on this dominating position,
together with the pressure that the
French to the east may bring, in
starting a retrograde movement by the
Germans from the Rheims sector.
All in ali, with the old Noyon salient
now virtually blotted out —with all its
roads and strategic points In the hands
of the French—and with St Quentin
to the north seriously menaced by the
British and the Germans- in retreat
from the Vesle to the Aisne, it seems
apparent that the Germans soon must
hurriedly re-establish their entire
battle front in the west.
East of Peronne the British are ad
vancing over a front of approximately
seven miles toward St Quentin, having
captured numerous additional towns,
Where the enemy has attempted re
sistance it has quickly been overcome.
Tn the north further gains have
been made in the direction of Cam
brai, and on the Lys salient Field
Marshal Haig's men are etill engaged
in successfully narrowing down what
remains of the old salient.
SUNDAY
Picardy Salient Almost Gone
(By the Associated Press]
Marshal Foch's succession of ham
mer blows along the German lines
from Rheims to Arras since July 18
have now well-nigh completely flat
tened out the great bulges created by
the German offensives of the spring
and early summer.
Further still, the well co-ordinated
progress of his attack has brought
him to a point where he may well be
able to strike a still more disastrous
blow to the German defensive sys
tem in the west. From Laon to Cam
brai. the Hindenburg line stood all
last year In the way of the allied ar
mies seekqlng to drive back the ene
my from northedn France and Flan
ders.
Little impression was made in that
line, except temporarily in Gen Byng's
drive below Cambrai last fall Al
ready in this summer’s campaign,
however, the line has been pierced on
a wide front along its northerly
stretches by the British, and within
the past few hours it has been pen t
trated in its southerly reaches by tha
French.
On Both Flanks of Hindenburg Une
It appears that Marshal Foch's plan
may prove to involve the turning of
the line on both its flanks—at Cam
brai and Laon. In the north the
British have been for several days in
a position to deliver what might easily
prove a vital stroke to the west of
Cambrai, where they have halted at
the canal du Nord and made never
a move toward driving home the blow
which the logic of the situation points
to as inevitable.
In the south the armies of Gen Pe
tain have now fought their way to
positions where the left flank of the
line Is under their guns and the edges
of the defensive positions are be
ginning to feel the effect of the pound
ing.
On the western outskirts of the
bastion of St Cobain, defending Laon,
the French already at Barisis are tn
advance of the Une they occupied In
1917. and further south below the
main bastion are standing on ground
which had not been In allied hands
since 1914. Further north they are
before La Fere, whence an eastward
drive would carry them north of the
St Gobain massif.
The French drive seems clearly
aimed at this massif, which, ap
parently safe from capture by a
frontal attack, seems not unlikely to
prove the objective of an encircling
movement. This, however, may have
to await the further retirement of the
Germans northward from the Aisne,
to the east. Such • retirement is re
garded as inevitable because of th*
allied position on the German left
flank, from the Aisne at Conde to
THE SPRINGFIELD WEEKLY REPUBLICAN: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1918
Vauxaillon. and there are not wanting
military critics who argue that the
Germans here will not be permitted to
halt even at the Chemin des Dames
positions but that the enemy will be
forced to retreat still further north,
thus additionally exposing Laon on
the east.
The allied unified command makes it
certain that the expected drives at
the vital points on both the north. In
the Cambrai sector, and in the souh.
around the Laon positions, will be co
ordinated as to insure the maximum
result.
Closing in on Hindenburg Line
The process of closing in toward the
Hindenburg line at the points where
it had not yet been reached was
continued rapidly yesterday by both
the French and British. The British
moved forward at an accelerated pace
below the Cambrai-Peronne front, and
on that front itself [hey already are
close to the line. South of the
Somme the French pressed on beyond
Tergnier and moved up speedily along
all the line opposite the front be
tween La Fere and St Quentin.
On the Aisne, there was little
change toward the western part of the
front, where the Americans and
French are on the river, facing the
Germans entrenched along the canal
which parallels the stream. Further
east the Germans are giving up
grudgingly the angle formed by the
line trending off southeastward toward
Rheims. Offering particularly stiff op
position to the Franco-American
forces near Romain, between Revillon
and Montlgny-sur-Vesle.
In Flanders the British made some
further headway, but found the Ger
man resistance stiffening around La
Bassee. The Germans apparently do
not intend to give up Armentieres, in
this sector, but are reported hurriedly
fortifying the region defending It,
MONDAY
Ground Gaining by Allies Continues
[By the Associated Press]
The British and French armies con
tinue to cut their way into the Ger
man lines on various sections of the
lower part of the battle line in France.
Notwithstanding the bad weather,
which has caused somewhat of a
slackening in the advance of the op
erations, Field Marshal Haig's forces
have materially encroached upon Cam
brai and St Quentin, while farther
south the French armies are pressing
eastward on the old Noyon sector to
ward La Gere and Laon and north
ward from Soissons i ann auxiliary
maneuver with the same objectives in
view
Between the Vesle and the Aisne
rivers, where tho American troops are
fighting with the French, additional
ground has been gained by the allied
forces.
Six Miles Front St Quentin
The British now are standing at
Villeveque six miles from st Quentin,
having carried out an advance over a
10-mile front on the general line at
Epehy-Hesbecourt and Vermand. To
the north the greater part of the
Havrineourt wood, one of the German
strong points barring the way to
Cambrai, also has been captured.
So rapid has been the British ad
vance along this part of the front
that they now are in the positions
they held before the big German drive
of last March. In these positions
the Germans are offering stout resist
ance to further progress by the
British.
Gradually the French are working
their way around the St Gobain for
est north of Soissons In the move
ment that aims at the outflanking of
La Fere and Laon and all the Ger
man positions east of this region.
They have reached the outskirts of
the village of Servais, on the north
ern edge of the forest and 2% miles
from La Fere, while a short distance
to the north they have taken the
village of Mennessis on the St Quen
tin canal. This latter gain brings the
French within little more than eight
miles of St Quentin.
German Resistance Strong
North of the Aisne, near Soissons.
the Germans are fighting hard to
keep the French in check, realizing
that the gain by them of much more
territory in this region, in conjunc
tion with the maneuver that is in
progress around the St Gobain forest,
will place the entire German defense
line eastward toward Rheims in a
critical position. Near Laffeux and
to the north of Celles-sur-Aisne the
Germans have delivered strong coun
ter-attacks, but the. French every
where have maintained their ground.
The Germans also are reacting
somewhat south of Ypres, especially
in the region of Ploegsteert. where the
British are threatening the recapture
of Armentieres. Counter-offensive
maneuvers here and east of Wul
verghem were broken up by the Brit
ish.
During the first week of September
Field Marshal Haig’s forces have
taken more than 19,000 prisoners
and large numbers of machine guns
and quantities of stores.
TUESDAY
German Heavy Artillery Busy
[By the Associated Press]
The Germans have markedly stif
fened their resistance against the al
lied armies from the region of Arras
to Rheims, but their efforts to ward
off further encroachments into the
territory they are holding have tailed.
All along the front, the German big
guns are violently in action, while
machine guns in vast numbers aie
being used in front of strategic points
which the allies are endeavoring to
gain. Nevertheless, the British have
dug more deeply into the sector south
west of Cambrai, capturing impor
tant positions on the four-mile front
between Havrincourt wood and Ple
ziere. regaining their old trench posi
tions dominating Gouzeaucourt and
capturing Gouzeaucourt wood.
Meanwhile to the south the French
ere only a short distance west of St
Quentin and at the gates of La Fere.
On this last named sector, the French
dally are enlarging their turning
movement against the great St Go
bain forest, the conquest of which
would remove the great barrier to an
allied advance in force eastward to
ward Laon in an outflanking move
ment against both the Aisne and
Chemin-des-Dames positions of the
enemy.
Germans Throw in Strong Forces
The Germans here and northeast of
Soissons also are offering most deter
mined resistance against the French,
realizing that should Gen Mangin's
strategy prove successful, the entire
German line eastward to Rheimw
would be compelled to undergo marked
readjustment. Thousands of machine
guns and puns of larger caliber are
roaring away against the French, both
from the St Gobain forest and the
plateau above the Ailette river north
east of Soissons.
Along the Aisne the Gefmane are
still endeavoring to retard ths ad
vance of the French In further cross
ings of the stream, probably in order
to give their main army a chance to
make Us way unimpeded northward In
case of a quick rush by the French
toward Laon, a maneuver which seems
In the making by Marshal Foch’s
forces. Large numbers of reinforce
ments have been rushed up by the
Germans here and also along the Aisne
front, where the Americans are fight
ing alongside the French.
Particular attention is being given
by the Germans to t£e three hinges of
their line—ln Flanders, northwest of
Soissons and around Rheims. A break
through at either point by the allies
would spell disaster to the enemy-
Therefore the German high command
is buttressing them for eventualities.
In Flanders the German strategy
seems to be the obliteration of points
vulnerable to sharp assaults. Particu
larly is this noticeable along the Lys
river south of Ypres, where the Ger
mans are reported to have removed
all their artillery to the east side of
the river, and a little to the north
around Wytsehaete, where the British
have advanced their line nearly a mile,
apparently with slight opposition.
The concentration of artillery of all
calibers, including machine guns, and
large bodies of men tn the region of
Soissons. where every nook and cranny
of the rolling country contains hordes
of defenders, proves the importance
the enemy places in holding this ter
ritory, while nothing is being left un
done in the region around Rheims to
strengthen in gun and man-power the
German line against the assaults the
Germans apparently realise are soon
to come.
No Sign of Breathing Spell
After virtually two months of hard
fighting in which front Arras to the
Marne the Germans everywhere have
been worsted. Gen Foch has given no
outward indication that he is to per
mit the Germans a breathing spell.
The greater part of the German de
fensive system in the battle zone al
ready has been demolished or is in the
process of demolition or of being made
untenable. Less than 30 miles of the
old Hindenburg line remains intact.
This is from the southwest of Cam
brai to La Fere, and the British and
French are virtually upon it at dis
tances ranging from a half-mile to six
miles at the farthest where the British
and French are standing west of St
Quentin. When the drive began St
Quentin was 38 miles distant from the
allied front.
THROWING OUT GERMAN
American Defense Society Reports
Progress in Its Campaign
Against Enemy Language Study
Fourteen states in the Union have
abolished the teaching of the German
language in the schools and in 16 oth
er states a campaign to eliminate
German is under way. according to
an announcement made Bunday by
the American defense society. Many
cities in the 10 states where the Cam
paign against the study of the Ger
man language is in progress have
thrown German out of their schools,
but the state Itself has not taken de
cisive action, says the announcement
of the society, which has been con
ducting a campaign against the study
of German in the public schools.
The canvars of the states and cities
was conducted by Dr Perry A.
Dickie of New York. The states listed
as having abolished the study of the
German language from their schools
are: Alabama, California, Connecticut,
Delaware. Louisiana. Maine, Mississip.
pi. Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma,
South Dakota, Tennessee. Utah and
West Virginia. The following states,
it is announced, now have under con
sideration the abolition of the teach
ing of German: Arizona, Arkansas,
Florida. Georgia, Idaho, Indiana. Kan
sas, Michigan. Missouri, New jersey,
New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas,
Virginia, Wisconsin,
The society announced that the fol
lowing cities have wholly or partly
"thrown out” the study of German
from their schools: New York citv,
Philadelphia, Pa., Washington, D. C„
Seattle. Wash., Louisville, Ky„ Port
land. Or., Jersey City, N. J., Grand
Rapids. Mich., Des Moines, la., Eliza
beth. N. J.. Passaic. N. J., TaComa,
Wash., Bayonne, N. J„ Wheeling, W.
Va, Mount Vernon, N. Y„ Pawting, N.
Y.. Alton, 111., Champaign, 111., Char
leroi. Pa., Eugene, Or.. St Mary’s, Pa.,
Cliffside Park. N. J., Quakertown Pa.,
and Glen Cove, L. I.
The situation in the 16 states where
the campaign against the German
language is reported as in progress is,
in part, described in Dr Dickie’s re
port as follows: —
Arizona: "German is fast being
eliminated by our local boards.”
Arkansas: "Many of our public
schools have discontinued the teach
ing of German. It has been practical
ly discontinued in all of our high
schools."
Florida: "I think that practically all
of the Germans have been removed
from the schools without making any
public demonstration about it. They
just simply failed of re-election.”
Georgia: "Wo have decided to dis
continue giving examination in Ger
man in order to certify teachers in
this subject. There has been no rule
or law displacing the study from the
schools, though it Is becoming more
unpopular every day.”
Idaho: "Teaching of German is pro
hibited in schools up to and includ
ing the Bth grade. Teaching of Ger
man in the high school is left to the
determination of the local boards."
Indiana: “With the reassembling of
the Legislature ample provision will
he made for the exclusion of German
from our schools.”
Kansas: "There never has been any
German to speak of taught in any of
our elementary schools, and since the
war it has been eliminated from prac
tically halt of our high schools.”
Michigan: "It is my opinion that at
least 50 per cent of the schools of
this state have dropped German from
their courses of study. It has also
been dropped from the courses of study
of many higher institutions.”
Missouri: "So far as reports have
come there will be one or two high
schools outside of the oltles which are
planning to give German next year.
The city high schools are limiting the
teaching to students who are prepar
ing for technical courses. In Kansas
City the teaching has been dlscon
tlnued altogether."
New Jersey: "The state board of
education passed a resolution under
which it will be possible for every lo
cal board to prohibit the study of
German. What will be the result
time will tell.”
New York: “It appears that regis
tration in German classes has fallen
off about 80 per cent in schools where
German Is still optional. Next year
German will be dropped in a majority
of the 1-igh schools In the state, prin
cipally because the students will not
have it.” (No action against German
by the Legislature or state board of
education.)
Ohio: "No measures have been
taken in this state by the department
of public Instruction for the removal
of German from the public schools. It
has not been necessary. They are re
moving it in nearly all the schools in
the state of their own accord.”
Rhode Island: "Fore'gn languages
never have been taught In Rhode
Island’s Elementary schools. Several
towns and cities have recently barrad
German from their high schools."
Texas: "The Legislature has enacted
a law that the English language must
be used exclusively in the conduct of
the work of the schools, except In ths
foreign courses permitted in the high
schools."
Virginia: "German in most of the
high schools of the state is an elec
tive study and the high school pupils
are not electing this subject."
Wisconsin: "The teaching of Ger
man has already been discontinued in
a good many schools of the state
either through official tctlon by the
local board or through the fact that
there are no students asking tor the
subject,- ______
HOPE FOR RUSSIA
CO-OPERATIVE UNION
OF STEADIER PEASANTS
Substantial Elements of Slavic
Rural Communities Band To
gether in “Better Farm
ing” Movement
By Ernest Poole
[From the Committee on Public In
formation, Washington. D. C.]
The most hopoful organization which
I found in Russia in the summer of
1917 wag the co-operative movement
there. I had heard much about it in
Petrograd and Moscow, but the most
vivid impression I received was from
a plain peasant in a village up in the
north, to which I had gone with a
Russian friend, Tarasov, whose small
estate was located close by.
One hot August day we stopped in
for lunch at a "tea house” or restau
rant which occupied one of the four
main cornets on the village street. In
the dining room, which was far from
clean, -we found three or four peasants
at tables making a meai of tea and
bread. The proprietor, a quiet man,
had long been a friend Of Tarasov's.
About 50 years old and of medium
size, he was dressed in gray with a
bright blue shirt. He had a scraggy
blond moustache, high cheek bones, a
strong, steady face and one glass eye
which gave him rather a stony ex
pression. He took u» into his living
room, which was deliciously cool and
clean. The walls and low ceiling were
plastered in gray; at tho windows were
white curtains and a heavily-curtained
bed stood over in one corner. He
spread tho small table with a clean
cloth, and after serving us luncheon
there he sat down and lit a clgaret.
The talk soon turned to the ques
tion of how to get food supplies trom
the peasants and of how to get goods
from the towns. He was one of the
local supply committee. His report of
their work was discouraging.
"The peasants will not give up their
grain,” ho said, "until they can get
real goods in trade, and at? yet we can
get so’few goods from the towns that
we cannot persuade the peasants to
take their grain out of their barns.
And how can you blame them, brother,
with the long winter coming on and
life so uncertain in Russia?
Co-operative Sto*e Serves 6000
"The only hope that I can see is
in our co-operative here. Gur co
operative store has still quite a stock
of goods, and the steadier peasants
all belong. We have 1800 members
now. Each paid five roubles to buy
a share. There were 6000 purchasers
last year; and because we charge
higher prices to outsiders than to
members, so many more peasants wish
to join that we are almost ready to
announce a second issue of stock. Last
year the daily turn-over was 2500 rou
bles.
"Of course, our progress has been
blocked by the war and the revolu
tion. Goods have gone up to ruinous
rates. Already we are.nearly out of
horseshoes, axes, harrows, plows.
Last spring we had not plows
enough to do the needed plowing,
and that is why our crop Is low.
There is not enough rye in the dis
trlct to take us through the Winter, let
alone to feed the towns. And so the
town people will starve for awhile—
and sooner or later, I suppose, they
will finish with their wrangling, start
their mills and factories, and turn out
the plows and tools we need.
"Our eq-operative is even now pre
paring for that time ahead. We arc
not only growing here, but we are
getting in closer touch with other so
cieties like ours. We have already
joined the union of co-operatives. In
every province in Russia there is such
a union; and the unions get big cred
its from the People’s bank in Moscow,
which is like a mother of them all.
The unions have altogether more than
13,000.000 members now. So we are
no small affair. We are a power In
Russia to-day, and even bad as things
may be, our mother bank in Moscow
is already planning to send relief.
Through credits advanced to us from
that bank, our union in this province
Is building some big flour mills, m or
der to keep the whole grain business
in our hands. More and more we
peasants will control the food sup
plies of the country.
"The revolution keeps breaking in,
for there is always danger from the
soldiers from the towns who come out
here looking for trouble. The troops
who come home from the front on
leave are different; they are a steady
crowd—but these fellows who have
been loafing In towns are nothing but
bums and robbers.
A Bolshevik Soldier
"Last week three soldiers cams into
my tea-room. Two of them were older
men, a fairly steady looking pair; but
one was a thin youngster and he had
uneasy eyes. I knew him at once for
a barracks bum. He came into my
place with his cap on. He gave me
no ‘Good morning.’ Just threw his
money on the table.
” Tea,' he said. I took no notice.
A woman came in, and I served her
first. He looked up and scowled at
her. Then I brought tea and bread
and eggg to the two other soldiers.
The youngster scowled again and
asked. 'Don’t you understand what
that means''’ He pointed to his money.
“ 'Of course I don't,' I answered.
He jumped up and his face got red.
"'Now I'll give you a lersont' he
cried. But I said: —
" 'I will do it first. And the lesson
you need js this. When you enter a
tea room, take off the cap from your
empty head, and don’t throw down,
your money as though you owned me
like a slave. You think that you can
make me fee) that you are a brave
soldier and I am only a muzhik, Ruf
I know you are only a loafer, my
friend. All day long in Petrograd you
walk about eating sunflower seeds and
spitting them out. Instead of (Wend
ing your country, you have spit all
over It.’
"The fellow kept glaring at me.
"You don’t mean to give me tea?' he
demanded.
" 'Of course not,' I said. ‘Go back
to Petrograd, my boy, and tell your
young friends how to behave. If
you'll atop attacking s|inflowera and
go and kill a few Germans Instead,
you may grow up to be a man.’
"The lad looked at his older com
rades tor help btR they grinned at
him and chuckled, because they knew
that I was right. So ho had to sneak
out of the teahouse.”
Revolntlonlata Taiki Peasants Aet
Our host's glass eye was solemn
enough, but the ether one twinkled
as he talked. Now ho It a fresh
etgaret and went on in a more serious
tone: "Up till now wo have been sup
ported hr all the more sensible
peasants here. Quietly we are planning
Ota. Ke we mH® «» W
minds we must get more land and
also better farm machines. But in
Petrograd they only talk, and God
knows what the result will be. For
the peasants are getting so sick of it
all. It is hard to hold the young ones
In. Soon they may join the hooligans
and the barracks soldiers in the towns,
and then with the bolshevik! they may
smash the government. And all be
cause this government will not stop
Its empty talk and give us what th
peasants need! This fellow, Kerensky,
they tell me. is a well-meaning honest
man, and a wonderful speaker, too.
When he speaks, he lifts you into
th* clouds. But the clouds are a very
foggy place from which to settle the
question of land.
“In the villages.” he concluded, “we
at least have done our part. I will
take you to our co-operative now and
show you how the peasants have or
ganized to buy machines and all the
other supplied we need, as soon as
the cities can get them. We have
done it quietly. No talk or gentle
man’s plans in books, but a thing
that has grown like a crop of rye.
right out of the needs of the people
themselves. And I tell you this is the
crowd that any free sensible govern
ment in Russia must build on, You
will see.”
He took us up the side street, and
crossing by an old stone bridge a
creek than ran into the river under
the brow of a rocky cliff, we came to
a group of three or four small brick
buildings. High above were the half
ruined walls and turrets of a monas
tery. one of the ancient fortresses
used by the czars of olden times to
repel invaders from the north. Down
here was a modern invader, and one
more certain to supplant the old
autocratic rule —a real community
center, owned and run by the people
themselves, part of a vast and in
tricate system of such centers all over
the land, that was already affecting
the lives of 13,000,000 families. Here
was something that actually worked^
here was real democracy. We en
tered first the low brick building
which was used as the general store.
Five or six peasant women and girls
were gossiping there in a leisurely
way and looking over some calico
prints and ribbons, two small babies’
caps, a blanket, several bottles of
"pain killer” and various kinds of
groceries. Some of these women
looked to me as though they had been
there for hours. It was a kind of a
mothers’ club. Behind the store was
a row of log sheds for the more bulky
articles. Here were sacks of seeds
of all kinds, seeds imported from the
south by agricultural experts em
ployed by the co-operative union of
the province as a part of their cam
paign to promote modern farming
here. There were bags of fertilizer
and some barrels of cement. There
were a few farming implements, too.
a small harrow and two plows.
Farmers’ Loans at 5 Per Cent
Nearby in a larger building was a
little farmers’ bank where, if a
peasant’s assets were good, lie could
get cash at 5 per cent, and three
months’ credit on goods in the store.
A rear room was being used by the
local food supply committee, and also
as headquarters of the new town
council—for the co-operative, com
posed as it was of the more substan
tial elements, had seized the chance
to gather in the revolutionist gov
ernment and so steady its activities.
On the walls of a room adjoining
were charts and pictures showing im
proved agricultural methods and
demonstraltng the rich results, in
crude and vivid chromos were shown
fields of oats and wheat and hay. first
under the old Cultivation with the re
sulting meager crops, and . then with
the new methods producing double or
treble the yield. The same Was shown
of potatoes, peas and beans, tomatoes,
cabbages and apples. The breeding,
housing and feeding of horses, cattle,
pigs and sheep was dealt with on
another wall. There were pictures of
hot houses, too, and of farm machin
ery, including a huge plow in early
spring clearing off the snow from a
field. The largest chromo of them all
displayed a peasant family before and
after joining the co-operative soci
ety, They were shown at first in
squalor and filth in front of a tum
bled-down old hut; the women and
children, the horse, the cow and even
the pig looking puny and half-starved
to death. But then behold a mira
cle' A large ney house, a stabiq and
barn, a new plow and harrow, two
stout horses and two cows, and a tag
fairly beaming with content—while
the. peasant, his wife and children, all
ruddy with health and in brand-new
clotaes. smiled on their new environ
ment. "We have joined the peasants'
co-operative!” over this picture was
draped a red flag.
Promise for the Future
This little group of buildings, one,
of thousands of similar groups all
over Russia, seemed to me to give by
all odds the greatest promise of prac
tical steps toward that great goal of
freedom to which the Slavs have been
groping and for which millions have
shed their blood through the tragic 50
years of the Russian revolution.
Since then a year has passed and
there has been chaos and ruin in Rus
sia. But every report that has come
out has agreed at least on one point—
that the co-operative movement has
steadily held together and is to-day
both friendly toward America and the
allies and is ready for the practical
work of building a great new nation,
a mighty free democracy that shall
stand like a rock against the dreams
stilt dominating in Berlin.
Yesterday brought a rumor that the
famous old revolutionist. Nichola!
Tchaikovsky, had been chosen presi
dent of the new Russian government
in the north. Tchaikovsky, when I
was in Russia, was the leading figure
in the co-operative movement.
A ROTHSCHILD HELD THE CASH
Big Snm Was Paid by George Hl for
Hessians to Fight the Colonies
[From the Columbus Dispatch.]
A correspondent w-ants to know
whether the Hessian soldiers who
fought for Great Britain against, ths
colonies in the revolutionary war were
hired to flght. and, if so. who received
the money for their services. He says
he has heard that the Rothschilds got
the money for their services, but can't
find anything in history concerning it.
William I, elector of Hesse, agreed
with King George of England to send
a number of soldiers to this country
to flght against the colonies, and he
was paid a large amount of specie for
their services. He jealously hoarded
the vast sum and had It on hand
when Napoleon, in 3800. destroyed
one-half of the Prussian army at Jena
and the other half at Auerstadt.
To prevent the money from falling
Into Napoleon's hands. William in
trusted the whole amount to his
steward. Meyer Amschel Rothschild,
who managed to prevent the French
from getting hold of Jt. Whether
Rothschild ever returned it. is not
definitely known, but several his
torians assert that he eventually did
to. It Is certain, however, that
Rothschild used a great deal of the
money In speculations and was gen
erally successful, so he might easily
have returned the money and still
have been the gainer. That is the
only connection any Rothschild had
with tfie employment of Hessian sol
diers against the people of this coun
try. and It was not a dishonorable
connection. Indeed, it showed the.
confidence which William had In the
‘ tp hja credit.
TERROR IN RUSSIA
STORY OF A FUGITIVE
SAW REIGN OF HATRED
WAS CONDEMNED TO DEATH
Revolutionary Trials a Travesty—
Innocence of Victims No
Consideration
By Arno Dosch-Fleurot
[By Cable to the New York World.]
Special Dispatch to I*he Republican
STOCKHOLM, Monday, September 9
Nothing can vizualize better tho
terror existing in Russia than the fol
lowing Simple, unbiased narrative of
Roger Simmons, an American sent to
Russia to study lumbering. Though
thrown into four prisons and ordered
shot and though he barely escaped
death by execution or starvation. Sim
mons feels no bitterness . toward the
bolsheviki, though weighed down by
the tragedy of seeing the Russian rev
olution plunged in terrorism. The
irony, o^ his sufferings lies in his sym
pathy for the revolutionists which Its
expressed to me repeatedly during our
joint travels.
By Roger Simmons, American Trade
Commissioner
[Bureau of Foreign and Domestic
Commerce.]
Finland, just across the Russian
border.—l just escaped from Russia
after three-weeks’ imprisonment where
I was able to see and live arid tell
things which I had read of the French
Revolution and thought never could be
repeated. Though no accusation was
made against me, I arrived, safe in
Finland only because I bribed the
guard, an offense itself punishable by
death, tut I was already condemned
and was also dying by. starvation, it
was a choice between deaths, I es
caped immediate execution only on ac
count of the devotion of my secretary,
who was a Lettish socialist and a for
mer Siberian exile and who knew that
I believed in giving the bolsheviki a
chance. For his devotion he also was
thrown into jail and starved until we
both were released through the efforts
of the Swedish consul-general. Wied
estrom. and the American consul-gen
eral. Poole.
While In prison I talked with doz
ens of men condemned to death, many
not knowing why. I learned from
men past hope of the travesty of trials
before the revolutionary tribunals and
also saw men ordered shot for merely
criticizing commissaires. During the
year I spent studying the forests 1
lived among simple people and saw
the injustice of the old regime and
learned to have much sympathy for
the bolshevik movement, but in prison
I saw it turned to hate and ven
geance without caring how innocent
the victims.
Alfred Nagel informed me that Ki
droff. the bolshevik commissaire of
Vologda, had ordered all the allied
citizens-to leave the Vologda govern
ment on account of the allied expedi
tion. Special permission was granted
me to remain on my doctor’s certifi
cate.
A week later, when I was convales
cing, I reported my presence personal
ly. I was obviously weak and agreed
not to leave without permission. En
countering the director of the Volog
da forests, he induced me to finish m.v
work in districts unaffected by the al
lied forces in the north, so he pre
sented me with letters and credentials
to Kidroff. He seemed agreeable and
told me to return in tw’O days.
Ordered to Kill Americans
Meanwhile allied operations along
the White sea were developing and
the following day Kedoff issued an
order, publishing it broadcast, order
ing workmen and peasants to kill
every American. Englishman and
Frenchman found in the three north
ern governments of Russia. I realized
that this ended the possibility of work,
but returned to see Kedroff as I had
promised. His secretary coldly sent
me to see the local commisar. Eiduk.
a Lettish Jew. who seeing me broke
into a tirade in New York slang and
said that two American sailors had
just been found dead on the battle
field at Onega which proved that
America was against the bolshevik!
He scornfully threw aside .my
diplomatic passport and the embassa
dor's letter of recommendation and
said he doubted the authenticity of let
ters from the bolshevik authorities. Hr
insulted me and my government and I
ended by disdainfully ordering me into
prison. I learned in the prison car
at the railroad station the cause of
Elduk’s rage, which fell on my in
nocent head. Four hundred Kronstadt
sailors sent to the northern front be
cause the Letts refused to fight
against the allies, mutinied for bread
when offered only a quarter of a
pound daily. Two leaders of the
mutiny. Eiduk said, had better go to
Kronstadt and learn their system.
Eiduk promptly ordered a squad of
Letts to take the two Kronstadters
and “put them under ground in 30
minutes.” They were shot immediate
ly.
DUrmg the day an English subject
was brought in, who, coming from the
interior and not knowing of the White
sea operations, happened to reach
Vologda and was arrested on account
of his appearance and for speaking
English. As he was Innocent and un
frightened when summoned to Eiduk's
car he left his hat and coat with me.
■ He never returned. The Letts reported
that he had been shot.
I learned in tho evening that I had
nearly been ordered shot a second
time on account of the finding of
copies of telegrams of Renwick, the
Associated Press correspondent, whose
room I occupied. On my account they
arrested the owner of the house, who
was a city judge. Nagel was now
also arrested and both of us taken to
Moscow In a railroad compartment un
der guard for trial.
Thrown Into n Prison Pen
Wc arrived nt Moscow and our lug
gage was taken from us and we were
thrown into a prison pen with 84 oth
er men. There were no beds and the
.vermin, the fifth and the atmosphere
were horrible with the mixture of
chance prisoners and condemned coun
ter-revolutionists. Our condition was
rendered almost unsupportable by
ravenous hunger, aggravated by occa
alonal dishes of watery soup with
which each man was given a spoon.
Men were constantly led out before
tribunals and returned condemned un
nerved. They were later led away by
Letts, who shot them immediately. A
young Lett guard told me he was
nauseated with the task, but knew he
would he shot if he refused. He said
ho would do anything to get out of the
country.
Nobody was allowed'to communicate
Vlth irlwfla, JrUJa
permitting the defense of innocent
men, who were condemned to die, re
turning in tho midst of others as yet
uncondenmed. People in America can
not conceive of such a place.
[Copyright. 1918, by the Press-pub
lishing company.]
“WAR FOR DEFENSE”
CROWN PRINCE EXPLAINS
Americans Are Sending Over “Very
Much Human Material’’—One
Couldn’t Locate Alsace
The German ideal of victory as de
fined by the German crown prince, ’n
an interview puhyeh&a in the Buda
pest A 7 Esti, says a dispatch from
Amsterdam, is an intention “to. hold
our own and not let ourselves be van
quished.” He is quoted as saying
that this was clear to him the mo
ment England entered the war. The
crown prince denied that he was a
“fire-eater” and continued:—
“If Germany had wanted war we
should not have chosen this irioment.
No moment could have been more
unfavorable for Germany.” , ,
In reply to the question as to how
he thought the end of the war would
come, he replied: “Through the ene
my perceiving that they are not equal
to the winning of their colossal stake
and that they cannot win as mucn
as they are bound to lose.”
In discussing the present opera
tions on the western front he said: —
“The enemy attacks and the with
drawal on our front at several ‘ places
arc often wrongly interpreted in some
circles. Some of our people are too
accustomed to a continuous advance
and when a battle occurs wherein the
enemy attacks and we defend our
selves. the situation is not always
correctly understood. In judging the
situation, both military and political,
we must never forget one thing—
that we are waging a war of defense.
The war is one of annihiliation only
for the enemy, not for us. We want
to annihilate none of our enemies.
We mean, however, to bold our own.”
Regarding the American forces in
France the crown prince said:—r
“I’ve found that the majority don’t
’.now what they are fighting for. but
we feel of course thq effect of the
entry of the Americans. They have
sent over very much material and
arc now sending very much human
material.
“We speak openly of victory,” he
continued. "The word victory must
not be understood to mean that we
want to annihi ate tho enemy but only
that we mean to hold our own and not
let ourselves be vanquished, The
moment England entered the war
that was clear to me and I always
emphasized it,”
When the interviewer remarked
that the crown prince was consid
ered abroad as a “fire-eater” he ans
wered:—
“I am aware of these, accusations.
Do. I need to say that not a word of
them is true.”
Reverting to the question of'-which
' nation want? I the war. he declared
J that “it was clear that England “would
take advantage of the opportunity.”
I “Belgium after all was only a pre
text.” he continued. “England inter
vened because German competition
was unbearable.
: "We are fighting for our existence.
■ I repeat our alm therefore cun only
he to safeguard ourselves.
"Thq enemy assault doubtle^ will
continue for .some time,.’ 1 ho said with
reference to t,he fighting on the' west
ern front. "But bur enemies must
themselves see that they will, not be
able to attain their aim. Our troops
are fighting splendidly and I attribute
to their courage that such, colossal
superiority in strength does nbt crush
us.”
Discussing the fighting qualifies of
Germany’s enemies, he said:' “The
French fight brilliantly and are’bleed
ing to death. They do not bositUte at
any sacrifice. Witii the Enghsh, the
individual man is very good and
tenacious but the leadership is defi
cient. Among the Americans I’ve
fohnd that the majority do not know
what they arc lighting for. I asked
on American prisoner what they were
fighting for and he answered-: ’For
Alsace/ and to the question:.‘Where
is Alsace?’ he replied, ‘lt’s a big ”
"THESE POISONED SCRAPS”
Von Hindenburg Warns German
People Against Allied Propa
ganda
Field Marshal von Hindenburg, ac
cording to a dispatch from Berlin
received at Copenhagen, has issued a
proclamation to the German people,
declaring that the enemy, in addi
tion to the armed offensive, is con
ducting an offensive by printed mat
ter containing "most insane rumors”
which are distributed in Switzerland,
Holland and Denmark, from which
countries they are spread throughout
tlie whole of Germany.
He warns the people "to be unani
mous against this enemy who fights
with scraps of papers and rumors in
tended to sow dissension and dis
union among ourselves and between
us and our allies.” and exhorts all
Germans to remember "these poisoned
scraps" come from the enemy.
Field Marshal von Hindeqburg,
whose vigor and fresh appearance are
emphasized by the correspent'ents,
said: "The fact that the Austrian of
fensive on the Piave was not can M
out must not be taken. too tragically.
It certainly was not for a lack of
courage, for the troops fought
splendidly. The reason must be sought
in the flooding of the Piave.",
He said he looked with confidence
to Albania and Macedonia, "while in
Palestine the English had not suc
ceeded with numerous bloody attacks
in shaking the resistance of the
Turks.” He also referred to the Brit
ish expeditions in Persia and on the
Murman coast of Russia, and then
said: "The. decisive battle for the
central powers, however, is taking
place on the western front where the
central powers are standing' shoulder
to shoulder In a defensive battle.
"It Is true we are suffering
grievously from the war, but we shall
emerge stronger from It, .We shall re- ,
turn homo after the glorious battle to
assured peaceful labor and then pluck
the fruit of our fight. To this end the
watchword is 'persevere.' We may
look serenely into the future.’’;
That American assistance will be
a decisive factor in the war is a vain
hope on the part of the entente, ac
cording to Gen Ludendorff, the first 1
quartermaster general of the German
army. In a statement to the Vienna
newspapers. Gen Ludendorff, however,
admitted that the Americans were
rendering no inconsiderable assistance
to the allies both in men and material.
“The French have always lived
upon hopes.” said Ludendorff. “First
It was hopes of Russia; now it is
hopes of America. We settled with
the Russian steam roller: shall
settle with the Americans. Our will
to victory remains unbroken'; WeathaH .
break the e tippy's will to-aani^l^tgigl