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The following letter from Capt. F.B. Whitmore, of Monrovia, Calif., formerly of
West Union,
written from Siberia, where he went with the American Expeditionary force, is
reprinted from the Monrovia Messenger.
Sept. 10, Vladivostok, Siberia: I am located for the present in the cantonment
hospital, a cement covered
brick building, built by the Russians only a short time ago, so in good shape.
The water supply is poor and electric lights
on a circuit that goes out when it takes a notion, but these things can be
remedied. Viadivostok reminds me so much of seaport
cities in China, a native city becoming modernized, splendid buildings being put
up, roads graded, modern improvements added,
but retaing all the foreign. The Americans are the best men coming in, but so
little effort is being made to curb them that the
usual result will happen, as the Anericans are so full of energy that the usual
result will happen, as yhe Americans are so full
of energy that they simply must do something.
Our organizantions made at home and for which we have been training so long, are
all being broken up so
probably no two who came from Camp Fremont will be together.
Sept. 11 We have just receieved orders to go up the railroad to guard some mines
, or rather to drive out rebels, control, take possession
and have operatered for use of the goverment reailroad. It will be a force made
up of all of us, but under our experience American colonel every officer and
every man is anxious to go as everyone
wants action.
September 14. All villages are largely supported from the large coal mines we
came to take over and manage
after traveling on foot or in coal cars for this long distance. We came to the
mines about 9 p.m. and we were
surprisedto find a tremendous plant, one town of over 4,000 and several village:
substancal buildings everywhere
, electric lights in houses, mines runningnight and day and a big business going
on. It was like suddenly coming
onto Kuling, a mountain resort in China. If yo had come over the back mountains
and didn't expect to find
only a few scattered houses. The people are strongly Bolsheviki, but our force
is strong enough to control
the cituation and I believe most of them will accept the new management. The
country is full of the Chinese bandits
called "hung hu dza", whom the people fear and are glad of our protection. The
country around is beautiful, range after range
of wooded hills, the air is bracing. exhilirating and so far no trouble to speak
of. We all go armed all the time, but
we think ot force is latgr rnough to prevent or put down any outbreak.
Shu Chyan Mines, Siberia, Sept. 13.
This is a most interesting people, really
most than I expected and an American cannot hlp but sympathizw with them
with them in their struggle for freedom and linerty after so many centuries of
oppresion
that the trouble with the Bolsheviki is that they mistook freedom for licsnse in
their efforts to get
individual freedom they neglected the first principalss of government and their
international onligations.
Their are some 5000 minershere in ten mines. They had captured the mines, driven
off or killed
those in charge and were running things themselves when we came. The mountains
around are beautiful, almost
covered with trees just beginning to turn red, very few farmers because of
unsettled conditions and danger of robbers. They have to live in villages,
so but little produce comes to market and foodstuffs are carece. The doolies,
truck gardeners, merchants, etc., as usual throughout
the east, are Chinese, the hard workers everywhere. It is always amusing to them
that a white man can talk , any Chinese, but
they understand, and it mkes friends,
Sept 20. I am the only medical official with the American troops here, so have a
great many things to look after.
The poor Russians are as dirty as the Chinese as far as their homes, closets,
and surroundings are concerned, so, to conform
with our ideas of sanitation, a great amount of cleaning up muct be done. I like
the Russian people and there seems to be a good feeling
for the American troops. The soldierss are always good mixers and it is fun to
see soldiers playing with the children although
neither understands the other. The Japanese troops, as usual, are strictly
business and always ready for action.
Shu Chian, Siberia, Oct. 4. This place is a day and night's ride from
Vladivostok. All houses are built with double windows, thick walls and give
evidence of being built to expect severe weather. But weather so far has been
about like nortthern Minnesota or Wisconsin -- not much like what we
were enjoying last fall in Monrovia. We are very comfortablely situated here, in
fact far better than I had expected
to be. I hold clinics here twice a day. A good many have been sick but not as
many as I had expected. The Japanese
doctor in charge of his troops has been over several times, and we have fun
trying to carry on a conversation
with the aid of a dictionary. I wish he spoke Chinese. All war news we get looks
favorable, but I cannot say that it hastens our mission any yet.
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