Page:Emile Vandervelde - Three Aspects of the Russian Revolution - tr. Jean Elmslie Henderson Findlay (1918).djvu/158

 town were asked to turn out. The next morning we inspected the place, which had evidently served as a billet for the Russian troops during several months. On all the walls there were photographs of the former owner of the house, an Austrian officer, generally taken in his full regalia and uniform. They had not disturbed the portraits nor any of the other souvenirs that had belonged to the former inhabitants. Can we imagine Belgian or French soldiers living for weeks under the martial gaze of a German officer, even if only in a portrait?

After a very cordial reception from General Belkovitch, commanding the 7th Army, and from his General Staff, and a long conference with the army Soviet, we got into touch for the first time with the troops at the front. The infantry of the 108th Division was in billets at about fifty kilometres from Buczacz, north of Podgaïce. The army commander had given the order to assemble. Two hours' motoring, over the horrible sandy tracks,