BolshevismCommunismSovietStrike

5 THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE Saturday, August 23, 1919 Soviet Russia and Peace By ARTHUR RANSOME as are HERE was a meeting of the Executive of the packing of the archives at the time when Committee of the Soviet Government on Report of a Meeting of the Central recutive it seemed likely that the Germans would take Committee of the Soviets Petrograd. He told me of a mass of material February 10, to consider the Allied invitation they are publishing about the origin of the war.
to the Prinkipo Conference and Chicherin He said that Finland came out of it best of the foregoing basis the Russian Soviet Govnote in answer.
ernment is ready immediately to begin nego anybody, but that France and Russia showed Before proceeding to an account of that tiations either on Prinkipo island or in any in a very bad light.
meeting, it will be well to make a short sum other place whatsoever with all the powers of Just then, Demian Biedny rolled in, fatter than he used to be (admirers from the country mary of the note in question. Chicherin, after the Entente together or with separate powers referring to the fact that no invitation had been of their number, or with any Russian political send him food) with a round face; shrewd addressed to them and that the absence of a groupings whatsover, according to the wishes laughing eyes, and cynical mouth, a typical reply from them was being considered as the of the powers of the Entente. The Russian peasant, and the poet of the revolution. He was passably shaved, his little yellow mousrejection of a proposal they had never receiv Soviet Government begs the powers of the ed, said that in spite of the more and more Entente immediately to inform it whether to tache was trimmed, he was wearing new leather favorable position, the Russian Soviet Gov send its representatives, and precisely when breeches, and seemed altogether a more prosernment considered a cessation of hostilities and by what route. This note was dated Feb perous poet than the untidy ruffian first met so desirable that it was ready iminediately ruary 4th, and was sent out by wireless.
about a year or more ago before his satirical poems in Pravda and other revolutionary to begin negotiations, and, it had From the moment when the note appeared in more than once declared, to secure agreepapers had reached the heights of popularity the newspapers of February 5th, it had been to which they have since attained. In the old ment even at the cost of serious conthe main subject of conversation. Every point days before the revolution in Petrograd he cessions in so far as these should not in it was criticized and counter criticized, but used to send his poems to the revolutionary threaten the development of the Republic.
even its critics, though anxious to preserve papers. few were published and scandalized Taking into consideration that the enemies their criticism as a basis for political action the more austere and serious minded revoluagainst whom it has to struggle borrow their afterwards, were desperately anxious that it tionaries, who held a meeting to decide strength of resistance exclusively from the should meet with a reply. No one in Moscow at whether any more were to be printed. Since help shown them by the powers of the Entente, that time could have the slightest misgiving the revolution, he has rapidly come into his powers about the warlike tendencies of the revolution.
actual enemy of the Russian Soviet Govown, and is now a sort of licensed jester, The overwhelming mass of the people and of flagellating Communists and non Communists ernment, the latter addresses itself precisely the revolutionary leaders want peace, and only alike. Even in this assembly he had about him to the powers of the Entente, setting out the continued warfare forced upon them could a little of the manner of Robert Burns in Edinpoints on which it considers such concessions possible with a view for the ending of every aggression. Everywhere heard the same turn desire for peace into desperate, resentful burgh society. He told me with expansive glee kind of conflict with the aforesaid powers.
that they had printed two hundred and fifty There follows a list of the concessions they are story: We cannot get things straight while thousand of his last book, that the whole ediwe have to fight the time. They would tion was sold in two weeks, and that prepared to make. The first of these is recoghad nition of their debts, the interest on which, leaders who have now for eighteen months not admit it, am sure, but few of the Soviet had his portrait painted by a real artist. It in view of Russia difficult financial position been wrestling with the difficulties of European works, only two are obtainable today.
is actually true that of his eighteen different and her unsatisfactory credit, they propose Russia have not acquired, as it were in spite All this time the room was filling, as the to guarantee in raw materials. Then, in view of themselves, a national, domestic point of of the interest continually expressed by forparty meeting ended and the members of the eign capital in the question of the exploitation olution than about getting bread in Moscow, places. was asking Litvinov whether he was view. They are thinking less about world rev Executive Committee came in to take their for its advantage of the natural resources of or increasing the output of textiles, or building going to speak, when a little hairy energetic Russia, the Soviet Government is ready to give river power stations to free the northern into subjects of the powers of the Entente rinman came up and with great delight showed us dustrial district from its dependence on the the new matches invented in the Soviet laboeral, timber and other concessions, to be defined distant coal fields. was consequently anxious in detail, on condition that the economic and ratories. Russia is short of matchwood, and to hear what the Executive Committee would without paraffin. Besides which think am social structure of Soviet Russia shall not be have to say, knowing that there should listen touched by the internal arrangements of these right in saying that the bulk of the matches to some expresion of the theoretical standpoint concessions. The last point is that which used in the north came from factories in Finfrom which my hard working friends had been roused most opposition. It expresses a willland. In these new Bolshevik matches neither drawn away by interests nearer home.
ingness to negotiate even concerning such anThe Executive Committee met as usual in wood nor paraffin is used. Waste paper is a nexations, hidden or open, as the Allies may substitute for one, and the grease that is left the big hall of the Hotel Metropole, and it have in mind. The words used are: The Rusmet as usual very late. The sitting was to after cleaning wool is a substitute for the sian Soviet Government has not the intention of excluding at all costs consideration of the begin at seven, and, foolishly thinking that other. The little man, Berg,. secretary of the question of annexations, etc. Then, by Russians might have changed their nature in Præsidium of the Council of Public Economy, the last annexations must be understood the retention months, was punctual and found the hall nearly empty, because a party meeting matches in a folding cover that used to be congave me a packet of his matches. They are the of this or that part of the territory of what was the Russian Empire, not including Poland and of the Communists in the room next door was not finished. The hall, looked just as it used mon in Paris. You break ott a match before Finland, of armed forces of the Entente or of such forces as are maintained by the governto look, with a red banner over the præsidium striking it. They strike and burn better than ments of the Entente or enjoy their financial, and another at the opposite end, both inscribed any matches have ever bought in Russia, military, technical or other support. There The All Russian Executive Committee, Proand do not see why they should not be made letariat of all lands, unite, and so on. As the follows a statement that the extent of the conin England, where we have to import all the room gradually filled, met many acquaintcessions will depend on the military position.
materials of which ordinary matches are made.
Chicherin proceeds to give a rather optimistic ances.
account of the external and internal situation. Old Professor Pokrofsky came in, blinking told Berg should try to patent them and Finally he touches on the question of propa through his spectacles, bent a little, in a very so turn myself into a capitalist. Another Congada. The Russian Soviet Government, while old coat, with a small black fur hat, his hands munist, who was listening, laughed, and said pointing out that it cannot limit the freedom clasped together, just as, so have been told, that most fortunes were founded in just such of the revolutionary press, declares its readi in its inanner to rouse enthusiasm of any kind.
a fraudulent way.
ness, in case of necessity, to include in the he walked unhappily to and fro in the fortress general agreement with the powers of the En at Brest during the second period of the negoThen there was Steklov of the Izvestia, tente the obligation not to interfere in their tiations. did not think he would recognize Madame Kolontai, and a lot of other people internal affairs. The note ends thus: On me, but he came up at once, and reminded me whose names do not remember. Little Bu