oe
PAGE TWO
By STEFAN HELLERSPERK
Reveille was always sounded a
half hour before sunrise. On May
Zz, reveille was one hour later. The
day passed without incident. That
evening it was announced during
roll-call that the following morning
the first, second and third cate-
gory brigades were to go into the
forest to work. We were told that
absolute obedience would be de-
manded of us, both with regard to
the instructions of our foreman and
of the guards who were to watch
over us all the time we were be-
bond the camp. Any disobedience
in carrying out the foreman’s in-
structions would be regarded as sa-
botage, the punishment for which
would be, in accordance with the
Soviet penal code, and additional
sentence of many years in labor
camps. Failure to comply with any
of the guard's commands authorized
him to shoot to kill. Despite these
rather concrete assurances, we were
curious to see what sort. of work
was in store for us.
Early May 2, reveille was sound-
ed. Our Russian brigade leader
hurried us along to get us out to
the exit gate as soon as possible
The brigades scheduled to go out-
side of the camp were given a
breakfast consisting of a bowl of
fodder cabbage, some frightfully
salty mushrooms and rotten pota-
toes. Hungry as we were, we were
not able to eat it, and we hasten-
ed out of the dining hall to escape
the fetid odor generated by the
‘soup. Our soup was supplemented
by about a half-pound of bread.
The Work Day Starts
We presented ourselves at the
exit gate five at a time. The bri-
gade leader counted us and re-
ported the number, thirty —ithis
number consisted a brigade—to the
NKVD officer on duty. We left
camp. No sooner had the gate
closed after us than we were sur-
rounded by six soldiers who were
to be our escort beyond the camp.
_ They ordered us to stand in column
formation. The commander of the
escort stood in front of us and made
this speech:
“Attention brigade!” The soldiers
have orders to shoot to kill for fail-
ure to obey any command of any
‘of the guards, for an attempt at
* flight, or for going beyond the strict-
ly defined areas along which we
' shall march to work and in which
' we shall work.”
Throughout our entire stay in the
Urals, at each departure of the
‘work brigades from the camps, the
commander of the convoy exhorted
‘the brigades in these words. After
‘a while we got to memorize his
words. }
We stopped at a storehouse out-
side the camp to pick up axes and
saws, and after being grouped in
fives again, to the accompaniment
‘of curses, eternally set on by the
dogs and prodded by the butt ends
of guns, we covered the four miles
to our place of work almost on the
run. It was a difficult road. The
mud reached to our knees and the
snow was thawing rapidly. The
guards would not permit us to walk
around the puddles that often reach-
ed above our knees. We had to
keep moving five abreast, in even
rows as if during a dress parade.
We finally arrived at our place
of work. Our first assignment was
to cut a swath ten yards wide
around the area in which we were
to fell trees and prepare them for
shipment. The swath was to de-
limit a forest area of approximately
60 acres. At the corners of the
square we were to build sentry
towers for the guards. Each wall
Main Office
of the square was to be about 300
yards long. The guards set poles
in the earth among the bushes
marking off the space beyond which
we were forbidden to emerge under
pain of being shot. We went to
work. They assigned us a space
50 yards by 10 to clear. Not only
did we have to chop down the trees
and level the bushes, but we had
to cut up the trunks, split them
and pile up the pieces. We were
supposed to burn the branches and
bushes on the spot. It was strenu-
ous work. Every three hours the
guards decreed a five-minute pause.
Those who had tobacco, rolled them-
selves a cigarette. The others simp-
ly rested. Though we were all com-
pletely worn out by the furious pace
we were continuously prodded along
to work faster and more produc-
tively.* The guards, one foreman
and the brigade leader outdid them-
selves in swearing at us to increase
our tempo.
We were in the midst of an utter
wildnerness. One might think we
were the first human beings ever
to have entered it. The trees were
almost exclusively evergreens —
Pines, spruces, cedars, a few alders
and birches. In spite of the brief
period of vegetation from June to
August at this latitude, the flora
was very luxuriant. Some parts of
the forest were truly unusual. The
earth was covered with heavy moss
and the mouldering remains of
trees felled by storms or age. The
moss-covered blackened roots of
these fallen forest giants jutted up-
ward everywhere as high as nine
feet. They were like strange thea-
tre decorations. Before we grew
accustomed to the eerie sight, we
involuntarily avoided the gigantic
arms of these polyps of the taiga.
The most difficult part of our
labor was the carting of heavy logs
over the mud and snow, which in
spots still came to our waist. And
still our overseers insisted we work
faster and faster. It was like a
ghastly nightmare, except that
nightmares come to an end when
one awakes. There was no awaken-
ig from this dream.
The sun had long gone down
when we had finished the work
marked out for us on that first day;
The prospect of return to the camp
was a most welcome one. We would
at last be able to stretch out on
our bunks: But camp was a long
distance away. Again the guards
ranged us in fives and counted us.
Our column moved forward. The
guards ordered us to quicken our
steps 'to a near-run while maintain-
ing our formation. Before us was
a tremedous puddle taking up al-
most the entire width of the road.
We wanted to walk around it. This
sufficed to enrage our guards, who
made us all stand in perfect rows,
in the center of the puddle, up to
our knees in the icy water and
mud.
This behavior of the guards toward
us was incomprehensible. We had
worked all day beyond the limits
of our endurance, we had done
everything expected of us. Why
this punishment now? We had been
overheated and perspiring after a
full day's work and the forced
march. Now after five minutes in
the icy mire we were shivering with
cold. Our tormentors kept us stand-
ing there for a full 15 minutes,
which to us seemed an eternity.
One of our comrades moved. The
commander of the guard told the
offender to step out of formation
and sit down in the water as punish-
ment. He kept the poor man sitting
in his icy bath for several minutes.
We breathed easier when the
command to continue our march
was sounded, but we could not
move fast, for our legs felt para-
lyzed. The soldiers urged us on,
but we had exhausted our reserve
of strength. But the soldiers were
relentless. They forced the weak-
est of those, who fell behind, to
place big pieces of wood on their
backs, stand in the first row and
walk rapidly. Then they let their
dogs loose, who bounded toward
the laggards. These animals were
perfectly trained. When a snarl
failed to have the desired effect
upon the exhausted victims, they
brought their teeth into play. That
first day many of us returned from
work with our clothes and bodies
ripped by these four-legged guards.
More dead than alive, we finally
arrived at the camp. At the gate
they took away our tools and told
us to head directly for the dining
hall to consume combined dinner
and supper (two portions of soup).
Easier said than done. A Russian
ridor of the dining hall and told
us to unbutton our shirts and
lower our trousers for lice inspec-
tion. We lived in such filth it was
small wonder that she found lice
on a few members of the brigade.
She would not let us go into the
dining hall until all of the brigade
had bathed and been deloused. This
delayed our meal two additional
hours. At about ten in the even-
ing we finally finished this hori-
ble first day of work. We had had
a foretaste of the life of penance
for uncommitted sins that awaited
us.
However, the NKVD regulations
defining the relationship of the au-
thorities toward prisoners had not
been violated. Except for a few
blows with the buttend of their
guns ,it can safely be said that not
a single guard struck us. That they
made us work beyond our endur-
ance, that they kept us in ice-cold
water, that the dogs tore their
fangs into our flesh, that we were
subjected to a hundred other an-
noyances—eto nichevo.* Nobody
had beaten us. Hence we had no
right to complain.
The days passed. Slowly we
grew accustomed to our new ex-
istence. Our daily food rations
could not possibly make up for the
energy we used up in our hard phy-
sical labor. This soup in the morn-
ing and at night plus a little over
a pound of bread (500 grams) daily
left us hungry and weak, but in ac-
cordance with the slogan “Who
does not work, does not eat,” we
had to work.
(Continued Next Week)
YMCA Bake Sale
‘Women’s Auxiliary, Back Moun-
tain Town and (Country YMICA, will
hold a bake sale at Gosart’s Store
August 14, 10 a. m.
Chicken Supper Saturday
Don’t miss the Loyalville Church
chicken dinner tomorrow night.
Home-made pie is on the menu.
Serving starts at 5:30.
Broadway Stars Draw
Big Crowds At Nuangola
With the weekly appearance of
Broadway stars on its theatre pro-
is this year playing to capacity
audienecs. John Dall stars in “The
Hasty Heart,” for the balance of
this week. Next week Kay Francis
will appear in “Theatre.”
Kingston Office
Wyoming at Union
frigerator, range or TV set.
. pay insur-
a new re-
. no delay . .
ORPORATIO!
THE DALLAS POST
“More than a newspaper
a community institution”
ESTABLISHED 1889
Member Pennsylvania Newspaper
Publishers’ Association
A ' mon - partisan liberal
progressive newspaper pub-
lished every Friday morning
at the Dallas Post plant,
Lehman Avenue, Dallas,
Pennsylvania.
Entered as second-class matter at
the post office at Dallas, Pa., under
the Act of March 8, 1879. Subscrip-
tion rates: $3.00 a year; $2.00 six
months. No subscriptions accepted
for less than six months. Out-of
state subscriptions: $3.50 a year;
$2.50 six months or less. Back
issues, more than one week old, 10c.
Single copies, at a rate of 8c
each, can be obtained every Fri-
day morning at the following news-
stands: Dallas—Berts Drug Store
Dixon’s Restaurant, Evans Res-
taurant, Smith’s Economy Store;
Shavertown—Evans Drug Store,
Hall's Drug Store; Trucksville—
Gregory's Store; Idetown— Cave's
Store; Harveys L a k e — Deeter’s
Store; Fernbrook — Reeses Store;
Sweet Valley—Britt’s Store; -
man—Moore’s Store.
When requesting a change of address
subscribers are asked to give their old
as well as new address.
Allow two weeks for changes of ad-
dress or new subscription to be placed
on mailing list.
We will not be responsible for the
return of unsolicited manuscripts, pho-
tographs and editorial matter unless
self-addressed, stamped envelope is en-
closed, and in no case will this material
be held for more than 80 days.
National display advertising rates 84c
per column inch.
Transient rates 75c.
Local display advertising
rate, 60c per column inch.
Political advertising $1.10 per inch.
Advertising copy received on Thuraday
will be charged at 76c per column inch.
(Classified rates 4c per word. Minimum
charge 75e. All charged ads 10c addi-
tional.
Unless paid for at advertising rates,
we can give no assurance that an-
nouncements of plays, parties, rummage
sales or any affair for raising money
will appear in a specific issue.
Preference will in all instances be
given to editorial matter which has not
previously appeared in publication.
Editor and Publisher
HOWARD W. RISLEY
Associate Editors
MYRA ZEISER RISLEY
MRS. T. M. B. HICKS
Advertising Manager
ROBERT F. BACHMAN
Photographer
JAMES KOZEMCHAK
eontract
ONLY
YESTERDAY
Ten and Twenty Years Ago
In The Dallas Post
From The Issue Of August 4, 1944
Paul Nulton, Jr., is missing in ac-
tion after a bombing raid over Ger-
many.
William Glen Knecht, Dallas, ser-
iously wounded in France, returns
to this country as a litter patient
aboard a flying ambulance.
Trucksville congregation resents
presence of a girl of Japanese des-
cent in the pulpit.
Lawrence Moss, Shavertown, is
wounded in the paratroopers dur-
ing invasion of France.
Borough Council ponders pur-
chase of a dumping ground on
Machell Awenue.
Installation of six fire plugs in
Dallas Borough lowers insurance
rates fifty percent.
Raymond Loveland, Trucksville,
has his leg amputated at Fort Law-
son.
Sgt. David S. Costine, Carverton,
takes past in bombing of Mukden.
Heard from in the Outpost: Theo-
dore Davis, Oahu; Howard Rice,
France; Bob Roberts, San Francisco
APO; Joe Wallo, Rome; Johnnie
Garbutt, Texas; Al Pritchard, New
York APO; Howard Dieter, South
Pacific; Theodore Laskowski, New
Guinea; Joe Anthony, at an advance
Naval Air Station; E. W. Miller, Pa-
cific Fleet; Bob Ray, San Francisco
APO; Larry Drabicn, Fort Mon-
mouth; Harry Boehme, Texarkana;
Arvilla Swan, Fresno; Charles Metz-
ger, Frederick, Md.
Deaths: Amy Stevens, Broadway,
aged 84. Sterling Koons, Hunlocks
Creek, at 65. E. R. Miller, Trucks-
ville, World War I veteran.
Trucksville surgical dressing unit
opens Wednesday, Mrs. E. J. Hess-
ler in charge.
Harold Payne, Harveys Lake, is
promoted to assistant general man-
ager of the Commounwealth Tele-
phone Company.
Elmer Lamoreaux, home between
stays at army hospitals due to con-
cussions of an aerial bomb, tells
Lehman residents about life in a
fox-hole.
From The Issue Of August 3, 19
American Tragedy grips Back
Mountain. Robert Edwards is im-
prisoned for murdering his fiancee
and hiding the body in Harveys
Lake.
Attorney Peter Jurchak asks State
Commission to investigate the water
situation.
Martin J. Culver,
dies at 45. J
New trial on a charge of arson
for Clarence Derby, Noxen, is turned
down. Olin Terry and Robert Tra-
ver are acquitted.
Tuna fish, two cans 25¢; fancy
crab meat, 25¢ per can; little nek
lams, 10c per doz.; peaches, 4 lbs.
for 29¢c; rib roast 19c per lb.
1
Shaverttown,
+
SAFETY VALVE
Dear Editor:
The challenge from The Post, es-
pecially from “Bob Tales” calls for
a slap with the gauntlet.
Any observant person would note
that the State Highway Department
got familiar and posted “Alex” J.
Dallas on the entrance signs to the
lovely town of Dallas.
The gentleman for whom your
borough was named was The Hon-
orable Alexander James Dallas,
175941817. Born in Jamacia, West
Indies, he came to the U. S. in
1783, settled in Philadelphia; be-
came a naturalized citizen. He was
far in advance of some of your last
“editorial politicians, for he was U.
S. Secretary of Treasury, 1814-16.
He furthered the nationol banking
institution, restored public credit
and must have been a Republican
for he urged a protective tariff.
He served as Secretary of War
(1815-acting) and has an eminent
son, George Mifflin Dallas, 1792-
1864, who became U. S. Senator
1831433; U. S. Minister to Russia,
1837-39; vice-president of ‘the U.
S., from 1845-1849 under what
President? A good question for
Bob Tales next week.
Can't you as Editor of The Dal-
las Post stir up an essay contest
on the subject of Alexander James
Dallas—Dallas the metropolis of the
Back Mountain.
[Sincerely yours,
Joseph E. Pooley,
Harveys Lake.
P. S. Among all the Rotarians,
Lions, etc., at least a $10 prize
would be readily forthcoming. J.E.P.
DISMISS THE CASE
Dear Editor:
The writer was very pleased to
read your Editorial “Enemy of the
People” in this week’s Post.
While I do not know personally
all the people who administer the
affairs of Dallas, I am sure the ones
I am acquainted with are the type
of men that any community could
be proud of and the same is probab-
ly true with the others that are
connected with them. I cannot un-
derstand why anyone in this com-
munity should be so small minded
as to cause trouble and possibly
inconvenience and expense to peo-
ple who have given their services
to the community, for which they
receive’ practically no financial re-
muneration. In my judgment, their
efforts on behalf of the community
deserve praise. Can’t we get up a
petition for the Court to dismiss
the case?
Yours very truly,
F. C. Weber
Fernbrook Park Mill.
MORE POWER
Dear Editor:
More power to you and your edi-
torials like “Enemy of The People.”
What kind of community is this any-
way where the people who do the
most for it come in for the most
abuse ?
F.C.
A CAUSE OF ACCIDENT
Dear Editor:
There is a very dangerous condi-
tion on Pioneer Avenue, probably
directly responsible for Saturday's
accident at the intersection of lower
and upper roads. Whether the bor-
ough or the State Highway Depart-
ment is responsible for signs guid-
ing traffic, signs should be, cor-
rected.
Cars driving on Pioneer Avenue
toward Dallas, and cars driving
south on Main Street, both of them
making for that intersection, be-
lieve that they have the right-of-
way. Cars coming up from the
main highway stop at the sign, but
nothing helps the two other motor
ists. It is remarkable that there
has been no head-on collision at
this point before.
The maximum speed at this point
is supposed to be 25 miles per hour,
with no-passing lanes clearly
marked.
To an out-of-town motorist, this
is confusing. Coming north on Pio-
neer, he sees a sign at the place
where Dallas and Shavertwn meet.
The sign says, END THIRTYFIVE
MILE SPEED. So he speeds up, in
the face of a blind curve and a bad
intersection. There is no sign warn-
ing him of a crossroads. .
He starts a fifty-mile speed, un
der the impression that this is legal,
rockets around the curve, and con-
fronts a car about to drive down
the road leading to the Memorial
Highway at Fernbrook. At the in-
tersection there is a sign saying 25-
mile speed. But it does not face
him. He has no way of knowing
that the speed should be only 25
miles per hour except his own com-
mon sense.
There should be a definite sign
well in advance of that curve to
indicate a crossroads. The sign say-
ing End Thirty-Five Mile Speed
should read Twenty-Five Mile
Limit. And Pioneer Avenue should
have a stop sign at that intersection,
to permit cars coming from Dallas
to take the lower road in safety.
Many people are injured because
they do not obey signs. Many are
injured because there is no sign to
obey. Most people do not want to
get hurt. Highways should be as
well foolproofed as possible.
Sincerely yours,
Mildred Todd Hicks,
Resident of Pioneer Ave.
r
tral Pennsylvania.
Wyalusing Indian Path.
tO shame.
porcupine.
disturb the mountain stillness.
Bob Tales
By BOB
Read The Post Classified
Just when you think you've put
aside a couple of bucks that you
can call your own, along comes a
guy like Ted Poad, or one of those
other tax collecting fellers, and
sends you one of those little white
cards. This is about the only time
of year I know that Ted isn’t popu-
lar.
That rain this week sure was
wonderful even if I do have to cut
my grass again. Now if it would
only rain enough more to fill our
well so my wife could do all her
washing in one day — everything
would (be hunky-dory.
Tom Gauntlett and I have an
exaggreated opinion of our golfing
ability. Otherwise we wouldn't
have signed up for this weekend's
Best-Ball-Of-Partners Invitational
Tournament at Irem. What chance
have we really got against the best
golfers from all over Pennsylvania,
New York and New Jersey states.
We can dream anyway and you
can bet we'll be in there trying.
‘What happened to the school di-
rectors this summer? Did they
all go on vacation? There was sup-
posed to be a Study Committee,
made up of a representative from
each board in the Back Mountain,
to bring in a report and recom-
mendations for the proposed join-
ture by July 30. From all I can
gather they have never met and
some don’t even know who the
other members of the committee
are. The much needed jointure will
make big strides this way.
Maybe Dallas would do well to
follow Pittston’s example and rid
itself of the many pinball machines
in the various establishments. Most
men have played pinball machines
at one time or another, including
myself, but it seems that today it
is the really young boys who are
becoming addicted to them . .
some of them trying to ‘hit the
jackpot” from early in the morn-
ing on.
From a reliable source we learn
that all that activity in the plot
below the Dallas Outdoor Theatre
is preparation for a big trailer
camp. And if we hear right, it's
the brain child of Conrad “Connie”
Hislop.
ATTENTION BOYS AND GIRLS
OF DALLAS TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS!
While you've been playing ball and
swimming on these beautiful sum-
mer days one of your classmates,
“Cliff Williams” has been in bed
or confined to his home with a
fever he’s doing his best to combat.
It’s pretty rough being an active
boy like [Cliff and having to stay in.
So why not help make him a little
happier by dropping him a card
or calling him on the phone. He
would appreciate it and I know
you would enjoy it, too.
Planned For Late August
Local women who visited At-
lantic City last year on a one-day
bus excursion have beseiged Mrs.
Margaret Roberts for another trip
this summer. Reservations, she
says should be made as soon as pos-
sible, so that tickets can be pur-
chased for the Icecapades and Steel
Pier. The deadline is August 23.
Call Dallas 4-0451. Buses will leave
Shavertown at 6 a. m., August 28,
return late that same night.
Memorial Highway, Dallas
Phone Dallas 4-2447
FUNERAL
Alpred B. - -
SERVICE
- Mildred A.
Va
TE ee