racteristic. From their
arrival, they attracted the attention and admiration of the people, many
of whom were planning an anti-Bolshevik demonstration. Every ship
commander in the harbor had his men ready for landing parties in case of
trouble. But there was no disorder on the day of the demonstration and
not till a month later did a Bolshevik disturbance give the Czechs a
chance to free an anti-Bolshevik city from its oppressors. Japanese,
Chinese, English or Americans from the war-ships could have done it. But
when the Czechs did it, a Slavic, Russian-speaking people gained
control of a city that gladly welcomed their intervention. The same idea
explains their marvelous success in Russia. Having braved death rather
than fight Russians, the Czechs can now fight oppressive Russian
elements without having their motives misunderstood or their plans
opposed.

[Sidenote: Marriages of war prisoners and peasant women.]

Siberia has afforded an interesting race study ever since the Teuton
prisoners began to arrive. From the very first, German and Austrian
prisoners mated with the sturdy peasant women of Siberia and settled to
a happy and unhampered life in the undeveloped lands of the great
plains. Some of the women had husbands at the front, but _nichevo_ never
means "never mind" to a greater extent than it does in Russian marital
affairs. A man's a man for a' that, and there was little trouble until
the two parents of different nationality and language discussed which
language the children should be taught. German and Russian produce the
same tow-headed stock. With the downfall of the Russian army the Russian
husband sometimes returned and though quite willing to assume
responsibility for the new offspring, insisted on asking the Austrian
substitute at his bed and board to leave. As often as not the Austrian
left. There were always a better farm and frau to be had elsewhere, and
some Russian women are tiresome anyway.

[Sidenote: Many Austrians do not go home.]

When conditions are like this in Siberia, why should an Austrian return
to a hungry country to fight a heroic enemy? A happy home in Siberia,
which some other man has founded, or starvation in Austria? No wonder
the Austrians in Siberia are a mercenary and unpatriotic lot. I saw many
in the Bolshevik army. Most of those I talked with were under arms for
the sake of the 200 rubles per month, equipment and food they were paid
by the Bolsheviks, without, as they tol