SIBERIA'S DICTATOR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 166, 8 April 1919, Page 7

SIBERIA'S DICTATOR

ADMIRAL KOLTCHAK A GREAT PATRIOT (By Comte Gaston de Merindol, in tho ■■'Morning Post"). The man who at the present moment holds the reins in Siberia claims a quite special "interest on the part of those friends of Russia in England who are im. patiently awaiting tho arrival pf him v< ho shall free the stricken Empire of Bolshevism and rebuild it on sure foundations. Admiral Koltchak has, I think, tho stuff in him to become this liberator. The verdict of history may be that lib acted too soon and too precipitately in bringing about the cout d'etat which put an end to tho Socialist Government at Omsk. And if that be so it were thu greater pity for Russia's sake,' since this man, of quite exceptional moral and intellectual worth, and endowed, moreover, with splendid energy, would be voted a "dud," as the saying is, and be lost to sight in the Russian chaos. Others, too, there were—one need only mention Kormloff and Alexeieff—who, like him, acted with too much haste, and they have been drawn into the crowu, withour b.-injj .Tljie to complete the enterprise on which they had started. Let us lione that Koltchak may bo more fortunate, for if ho were to disappear it would be almost impossible to replace him at the present tinie. Vice-Admiral Alexander Vassilievitcn Koltchak was born in 1871, and is thus forty-five years of age. He entered the Naval School in 1888 and came out head of it in 1894. In the same year, as midshipman, he made the voyage from Petrosrad to Vladivostok in the cruiser Hunk. The young officer showed distinct talent. Full of energy and will-power, authoritative and hot-tempered,, he had nevertheless a touch .of fanny and imagination m Ms methodical, well-disciplined mind. Ho is of Tartar origin, and to look at him one might guess that the blood of the famous fighters of Mongolia ran in his veins. For the rest, picture him lean and active, of middle size, with clean-shaven taco, prominont cheek-bones, square, determined jaw, thin, close lips, aquiline nos?, keen, steely eyes, wrinkled brow, close-cropped brown hair turning grey, in manner stern ■ and grave, and affected with a nervous twitching. Such is Admiral Koltchak. At the very first glance one recognises in him a leader of men, and even the boldest drop their eyes before his steady, commanding gaze. In the Great War; At the start of the war.his duties, as head of the operative action of the Staff, .we're 'very important, and it was thanks to him that the Russian Fleet not only escaped defeat but even took the offensive on several occasions, thus keeping a large part of the enemy forces engaged. In 1915 Koltchak directed the defence of tho Gulf of Riga—with what success is well known—and inflicted a severe defeat on the Germans. He was brilliantly supported in/ this affair by the ill-fated Captain Cromie, since murdered in PetTOgrad, and Captain Prince Viasensfcy, who has also given his life for his country. In this "battle cf the Gulf, of Riga Kcltcliak won the Cross of St. George. ■A few months later he was appointed commander of the Black Sea Fleet and promoted Vice-Admiral. Ho arrived at Sevastopol in 3916. At that time there existed a certain rivalry between ' the Baltic and the Black-Sea Fleets. So Koltchak, young and unknown, was at first received with coldness by the officers. - His predecessor, Admiral Eberhardt, had been powerless to prevent the excursions of..the cruisers Goeben and Breslau, but Ko'tol'i ,, - li<ul >n sooner

■'■ived than he. hoisted bis flag on a destroyer and put to sea. Meeting the Breslnu, he forced her to take refuge in tho Bosphorus.

By dint of constant exertion succeeded in a'very short time in bringing the Black Sea Fleet up to concert pitch, so that by the time the Revolution came the fleet had become a fine, live machine, working admirably under the excellent direction of a- reorganised Staff. Thus Koltchak was soon as popular with the officers and men of. the Black Sea Fleet as he had been with those of the Baltic Fleet. And this desnito his vigorous discipline, his inexorable severity. While he commanded flt Sebastopol the ■eiicinv cruisers attempted-no more sorties, 'for they 'came to be impossible owin? to the vigilance of the Chief. Also, Koltchfllc waged bitter war iigninst the submarines, assisted in the military operations on the Turkish and Rumanian coast?, undertook several operations such as the bombardments of Varna, Con--slanzn, and the Bnsphonis, and even landed detachments at C'onsfanza and Ordou. The Revolution, On February 20, 1917, during the first rumblings of the Revolution, Koltchak had nn interview with the Grant Duke Nicolas Nicolaieviteh at Batoum, It was then decided to bring ont the Kest, and so Sebastopol escaped the sanguinary experience of Kronstadt.

In the mouth of May Admiral Koltelwl: went to Petrograd and to the Stavka (Mbhilew). Back in Selrastc-pol again ha got together the officers of the land and sea forces at the club, and there in a few words explained to them the tragic position in which Russia vos placed. With 9»mbre, anxious face the chief told his hearers that the Baltic Fleet no longer existed, that there were three millions of deserters from the Army, that the "dsiVv.itisf propaganda was growing ctrongp and stronger, that the food question and the economic situation were critical. "The Allies," he went on, "cannet >holp us, because they themselves have untlergoine several serious reverses. The Government has. not power enough to do anything. On all side.3 are obstacles and snares, and terrible agrarian troubles are starting. Russia is in danger, in mortal danger, .gentlemen I" he exclaimed in conclusion. "Those last few words, s-poK-en in his hard metallic voice by agnail who never jested, rang in his ears," said'a young officer to me, "like the notes of a funeral bell. Complete silence' came over us, and we had a vision as of a sea of blood and tears. None of us hnd understood the full gravity of Hie situation, and tho chief's words opened our eyes. The splendid dreams we had been weaving hit a few moments before, with the springtide iw'ourtd us and the song of the sea and tlio'ficent'of the llower.s-iill our youthful joie diwivre died out of us Wore this sinister picture." Then comes the (ale. «d but beautiful, _ of which Russia has the right, as it has the duty, to be proud. Jii » burst of patriotism all that was young and fine in the country rushed into the. attacking battalions, the famous "'lrataillons do la mort." Officers, cadets from the military schools; soldiers, sailors, schoolboys, delicate women, even, rose in defence'of Russia, and went into the fight as to a festival. Most of them never came back. Theniovement began at Scbastopol, surged in waves right across Russia, and ended in November with the murder'of General Doulthonine and the massacre of the last of the "Oudarnikis" by the Bolshevist soldiery. Such as escaped the German' bullets met their death, alas! on Russian bayonets! And it was to Admiral Koltchnk that; Jiussia owed this epopee, which brought her, if not victory, at least full measure of glory.

Kerensky. 'Recognising in the Chief of the Black Sea Fleet a formidable enemy, Germans, ocfeatists, and Bolshevists combined to light the Colossus ami overthrow him. Troubles, small at first, began to appear took,upon himself to come to Sebastopol and harangue the seamen and 6o!diei'd. Regarding the Admiral us an anti-revolutionary, he did nothing to supiinrt him. And this fur the reason thai: ono day at Odessa, while the Socialist Minister was scowling at I lie assembled Knights of St. George, tlio Admiral turned to him and said; "Aloneieiir k> Ministre, eo long as there are men in the world so long will there lie war. II is a necessity, jmd there's nothing more to bo said.. Soldierly prowew and valour will always rank among tlio finest qualities, a man can have. You" —to Hie Knights—''are bravest among the brave. I fahite you, Knights of St. George!" At last the bombshell fell. It was at midsummer, 1017, that sinister summer when all Russia became involved in a terrible conflagration. The crew of the torpedo-boat Jarki refused to obey their commander's order, and threatened to throw him overboard. Koltchak wanted to bring the eailors to trial, but the it-evolutionary Committee, as, a first act of usurped authority, de-

eidetl,. to try the commander. Lieutenant do Vaisscau Yossolgo. Tho Admiral sent a telegram to Kerensky, (hen Minister of -War and Minister for Marine (who replied evasively as follows: "I think it; desirable jbit the lorpedo-boat Jarki should end its voyage. However, you are Chief of tin- Vieet." Consequently the Admiral gave orders that the Jarki's crew should leave'the vessel and return to the depot. This order was not carried out. At the same time, on the pretext that there was an aiiti-revoliitionnry plot among the officers, the sailors begun to disarm the latter, while putting some of them under •iiTCSt. This "plot," it limy bu said, had no existence outside the imagination of its inventors. The mutiny was conducted by a comparatively small number of the crew, but thanks to its suddenness and to the passive attitude of the majority of the men it was' completely successful. The Revolutionary Committee put itself at its head, and proceeded to discuss the question of arresting the Admiral himself. On hearing the name of their dethroned deity the sailors stamped their feet and foamed at the mouth, threatening to Uill the treacherous anti-revolutionary. This lime, however, tho more moderate and reasonable group was in tho majority. Giving Up His Sword. As soon as the disturbance began the Jidiniral issued an Order of the Day in which sorrow and dignity were hnely blended. While protesting tigninst the iiisiilt. he ordered all his officers to give uu their arms. On his word of lionuur he' declared that ac no time during the tragic hours through which they were passing had a Russian officer thought of turning his weapon against anyone except the enemy outside Russia. Thanks to this declaration there were no victims save pour Lieutenant Jejel, who. rather than give up his sword, put a bullet through his iiead. It is probable that if Admiral Koltchak could have foreseen what was to happen a few months-later .ho would not have call<sj upon his. officers to make, this sacrifice.' But he was still hoping! A deputation composed of the worst and noisiest characters in the Elect came on board his ship and insolently demanded that the chief should hand over his sword. When this message was delivored to Koltchak he ordered the whole ship's company, headed by the officers, to parade on deck. Coming out of his cabin, with the gold sword of St. George in his hand, and addressing the leader of tlie deputation, who bent his head, trembling,, he said: "This sword I won at Hhe cost of my blood at Port Arthur, fighting against the country's enemies. You are not worthy so much as to lay a finger on it." This was spoken calmly and sadly. Then he flung the sword into the sea, following its flight with his eyes, turned on his heel, and retired into his cabin. Many of the sailors were in tears. No one came to disturb the admiral again. The political delinquent Kerensky, wiho could be ver.r terrible with-those who were "down," ordered Admiral Koltchak to come immediately to Petrograd to explain to the Government how it was that , a mutiny had broken out in the Fleet! The Minister, then all-powerful, heard some time truths from Koltchak's lira. So the admiral was appointed to a mission in-'American and left Russia.

As the reader will linvo perceived, the story of Vice-Admiral Koltchak is that of a great patriot; who, Hke many more, lias sacrificed everything for his Fatherland. And even now, « J hile still carrying on the struggle for (he snnie cause' far away in Siberia, iie dons not know whether his dearly-loved wife and ton are alive or whether they have been slaughtered by the mad mateiots of Sebastopol.