BolshevismBourgeoisieCapitalismGerman RevolutionLeninRussian RevolutionSocialismSovietTrotskyWorking Class

2 THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE November 16, 1918 The German Revolution cvlution in Germany is only incidentally a opportunity of other nations; and it is this Imperialism and Soldiers. provisional government was organevolusi avainst the Kaiser. It is a revolution against that is being annihilated in Germany, as it was anni ized, after declaring the monarchy abolished, and Carrilaism ind Imperialism, a revolution against that hilated in Russia.
peace negotiations started.
systein of industrial and financial brigandage of which The simple abdication of the Kaiser would alter Six weeks ago, it was admited generally that the the Kaiser was simply the autocrat symbol and the nothing; his system the unity of autocracy with German army was still intact, could still fight on; tobraggart expression.
imperialistic finanoe would still retain control, still day, Germany is making peace why? Because BolsheThe capitalist press has for four and a half years oppress the proletariat, clash with other Imperialisms, vism and the Revolution decreed the end of the war.
fooled the world into believing that Germany was produce new wars.
Without this revolutionary activity, the troops of the what it was because of the Kaiser and the Junkers. This unity of autocracy and Imperialism in Ger Central Powers could not have maintained a victorious This is an error of the first magnitude. The auto many, of autocrat and capitalist, is proveri bly the offensive, but they could still have maintained a viccracy in Germany was not a Junker autocracy, it fact that the Revolution, once in action, immediately torious defensive for some time to come.
was primarily an autocracy of industry and finance, develops into a revolution against Capitalism. The The ideological impulse of Bolshevism, uniting with capitalist Imperialism. The autocracy persisted in abdication of the Kaiser becomes simply an incident, the terrilbe agony and mass misery, flared up into the Germany because Capitalism and Imperialism found comparatively trivial and unimportant. As in Russia Revolution. The great event that the Bolsheviki, that it profitable to use the autocracy as an instrument for the downfall of the Czar was the signal of the new the Russian workers and Peasants, had struggled and conquest and against Socialism. The industrial and revolutionary struggle against the Czars of industry starved and died for came into being. And as German financial Kaisers united with Kaiser Wilhelm in plots and finance, so in Germany the abdication the Kai Imperialism naturally acted against Soviet Russia, of plunder and agression. Kaiserism would have been ser flares up into the revolutionary struggle against German revolutionary Socialism acts together with overwhelmed if it had not converted itself into an the Kaisers of finance and industry, Soviet Russia.
instrument of Capitalism and Imperialism in Germany, That the German Revolution is a developing pro Some weeks ago, upon the appearance of the crisis letarian revolution is evident in the general organin Germany, the Soviet Government offered and During the war, the magnates of industry and finanoe enthusiastically supported the war and were ization of Councils (Soviets) of Workmen, Soldiers pledged help to the German workers in their revoluand Peasants as instruments of revolutionary action, tion. Lenin, from a sick bed, wrote a letter to the the most aggressive of all in proposing annexations.
The National Liberal Party three years ago presented and the arising demand that all government power Central Executive Committee, saying: The crisis in a memorandum to the government urging the annexashould be vested in these Councils. This development Germany shows either a revolution begun or a revolucharacterized the proletarian revolution in Russia, tion inevitable in the near future. Placing Scheidetion of Belgium and Northern France; and the NaOut of the terror and agony of the war, and out mann Co. in the government will simply hasten ronal Liberal Party is the party of big capital financed by the steel barons. It was the capitalist and the of defeat, is coming the revolution against Imperialism the revolutionary explosion. We had decided to have nancier who formulated plans for the economic subin Germany.
an army of a million men by spring, but we shall now tion of Russia, and the world; it was the capitalist coming of peace Bolshevism that conquered.
It is this revolution that was the chief factor in the need three million.
The situation in Germany, in Euroope, is still fluid. the financier who plunged Germany into disaster; The break came first in Bulgaria, where Bolshevism events rapidly follow each other, still in process of ally it is the capitalist and the financier who must be was rampant, compelling Czar Ferdinand to make a development. The task of the revolution in Germany overthrown, and pay the penalty of their crimes.
counter revolutionary peace in a desperate attempt is to become definitely a proletarian revolution, to Capitalist Imperialism, of which German Imperial to save his throne. But he went into oblivion, then conquer all power for the Socialist proletariat.
ism was the complete and final expression, thrives his son, and now Bulgaria is a republic.
Only definite proletarian revolution in Germany upon aggression, upon conquest, upon increasing its Then Bolshevism flared up in Austria Hungary, de can make a clean sweep of the old reactionary system. wn economic opportunity by limiting the economic moralized the army, organized Councils of Workmen and assure the coming of universal Socialism.
Against Intervention in Russia To Citisen Romain Rolland: ory. send you enclosed a copy of the notes which which they rightly expect the restoration of the old At the hour when Republicans of the whole world, could find, that is nearly all those which have regime. The parties of the extreme Left, with a heavy celebrating the anniversary of the fall of the Bastille, sent to France.
heart, have to consent to this provisional reconciliapay homage to the French Revolution and declare am not a Bolshevik.
tion which necessarily must bring about their destructheir indestruetible faith in an early realization of a tion, but which prolonging their agony, maintains life of brotherhood, the Telegraphs informs us that know the great mistakes that have been committed their hope for existence.
the governments of the Entente Allies have resolved by the Maximalists.
In spite of the modifications imposed by the censor in crush the Russian Revolution.
But also know that before signing the treaty of you will find in the pages which send you, abundant nakened through the fight against the dispossesBrest, the Commissaries of the people did not cease proof of what say here.
sed claksts, a hostile aristocracy, against a bourgeoisie to solicit the Allies for military help which would These notes have been sent from Petrograd and anxions above all to reconquer their privileges and have permitted the Bolsheviki to resist the abominable from Moscow. Given to the care of the official their capital, more than half strangled through Ger demands of the Central Empires, and have saved them Courier who left for France weekly, they have been Imperialisin, the power of the Soviets is in danfrom having to submit to a shameful peace of which addressed regularly to Albert Thomas, Jean Longuet, Her ar njhilation to day through the offensive be they knew the dangers.
Ernest Laffont. Many of them have also been sent gun by the Entente. also know that since Brest, Trotzky and Lenin to other friends, to the Deputy Pressemane, to Pierre Senseless are those who do not see that this armed have multiplied their efforts to induce the powers of Hamp, Henri Barbusse, etc. Some of them must interventil persistently demanded for some time by the Entente to collaborate loyally in the economic lave been intercepted or gone astray. The majority certain Russian circles which have lost all political and military reorganization of Russia.
reached their destination. can see this from their iniluence will have the result of awakening the in Finally, know that these desperate appeals to the answers dated as late as March. Since then commudignation of the invaded nation. Irrespective of what Allies, contrary to their best interests, have been nication by mail with the West has become extremely is Iwing uid, and without showing any partisanship opposed by a non possumus disdainful indifference. precarious.
for the Soviets, the fact is that this intervention is Forgetting the teachings of history, and erring to Among these notes you will not find a single line against the entire Russian people, against their will the point of believing that the dismembered parts of which could form an official reproach as an indiscreivor peace, and their ideal of social justice. The day Russia would continue the war abandoned by Russia, tion against an officer and member of the French will come, when through the uprising of this nation, they have created the Ukraine, to the great benefit Military Mission in Russia. As a mater of fact they which is still capable of great things, the invaders of Austria, and Germany; they have pushed with all contain nothing but the personal observations of a w bare violated it, will be expelled. That day, their might the separatist tendencies of Finland, Pol French citizen interested in observing the facts only liteneu and Germans, Austrians and English, will and, Lithuania and the Caucasus, and with a Rumanian as an impartial, open minded witness. They are exallemally in the object of hatred in Russia. army they have fought the Russian army. These tracts of my conversations with leader of Bolshevisin The termen lungor. Iluse withough the states as soon as created, have fallen into the arms of and of the Opposition, which could not pass by in tanti e conserve their prinies lienestly, in our enemies, as it was easy for me to predict, while silence. 11. 1 value tu the Russian government, although weakened, lost in have a deep conviction that in giving you these Lammat! Miment which is in the conferences of Brest, a great part of its authority documents, am strictly doing my duty as a Socialist mit in the li proletariant, will be and prestige. In the Interior where the Allies have and a Frenchman. In doing this have faith that you Is the. this letestabile injustice played the game of counter revolution, they have will not abuse my confidence.
11. th. Revolutie: What will it aggravated the general disorder and precipitated the Il dotton to day What will il disorganization of this unfortunate country. pray you to run through these notes and to com14 dele telefon? Is it worth Iwing ile Before Brest, their indifference made Russia de municate them to political men, to the philosophers and to the thin of France who in your opinion nell The data which in seruling all will fenceless against the ignoble appetites of the Pancentrinite, ini sure, 10 make kwn the truth. Germans. After Brest, the hostility of the Allies is will be interested in reading them. Men such as Aulard, Gabriel Seailles, Maeterlinck and many others in. tuition nearer than mylly else. bound to push this nation, which does not want to die, who after they know the truth, will be capable of en10. the events which have taken place in Russialuring into the camp of the enemy of yesterday who knows the past nine months. have taken daily, slurt notes admirably well how to take advantage of our numer lightening our dear country. They will know how to of my impressions. They were written in a hurry. ous errors. The Conservatives approached with prevent the sons of the great French Revolution from necessarily incomplete, sketchy, and often contradici enthusias the Austro German governments from (Continued on page four)