SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1935 NEW MILITANT PAGE DIA INTERNATION November 7th, 1917 Victor Serge Account of the Seizure of Power Kronstadt and the Fleet The Congress of the Soviets On the Eve of Battle odni Dom) thousands filled the au eyes of men, women, adolescents, THE AUTHOR ditorium, the galleries, the corriworkers, soldiers, mujiks.
dors; in the great ball clusters of Trotsky went on. The hands ro Victor Serge (Victor Kibalcbiche) was born in Brussels Decem human beings clung shaklly to the mained raised. Trotsky sald, Let ber 30, 1890. His parents were exiled Russian revolutionists. steel framework of the building. this vote be your oath. You swear Ho was active in the movement at the age of fifteen as an anar John Reed was there; his notes on to give all your strength, not to chist. He was arrested in France in connection with the Bonnet ease this meeting, where Trotsky roused hesitate before any sacrifice, to and was condemned to five years, which he served because he refused the crowd, deserve repetition Support the Soviet which underto denounce his comrades.
takes to win the revolution and The people around me appeared to be in ecstasy. It seemed that Freed in 1917 he went to Spain. As a printer in Barcelona be give you land, bread, peace.
partieipated in an abortive insurrection. When the news of the Octothey were about to burst forth The hands remained raised. The ber Revolution came he tried to reach Russta. He was arrested and spontaneously in religious crowd approved; they took the interned the Sarthe concentration camp in France. He was exhymn. Trotsky read a resolution oath. And the same scene was changed together with some Russians for officers of the French millto the general effect that they repeated all over Petersburg. The were ready to fight for the work.
tary mission in Russia. He travelled in the company of Roussakov, last preparations were made reproduction of the mural made by Diego Rivera for the International Workers School.
whose daughter Liuba, he later married.
ers and peasants to the last drop everywhere; everywhere they of their blood. Who is In faHe joined the Third International and was given the direction of swore the last oath; thousands, tack met only feeble resistance, and sailors had slight desire to see all military operations must be imvor of the resolution? The innum tens of thousands, hundreds of Grenades exploded on the great a massacre The Red Guard kept mediately stopped. How can any.
the French language bureau, and later of the International Corres. erable crowd raised its hand as a thousands of men. It was the lo marble staircases, there was hand them close. Don soll the victory body think in the middle of a canpondence. He took part in the rerolutionary struggle in Russia single man saw the burning surrection.
to hand fighting in the corridors. In of the proletariat with excesses. nonade? To which Trotsky replies. during the defense of Petrograd from the Yudenitch offensive. and the shadows of a great anti cham Kerenski ministers were sent or Who is embarrassed by the sound as a journalist, in the Austrian and German revolutions ber a single file of cadets crossed to Peter and Paul Fortress, the for of cannon? To the contrary, we But he also took part in the faction struggles inside the party.
bayonets before a panelled loor. mer Bastille through which so many shall work all the better.
In the latter part of 1927 he was expelled from the party and spent It was the last rampart of the Russian heroes had passed. There six weeks in prison The cannon glare in the windows On the morning of the 25th the and groaning passage of trucks in. last bourgeois government of Rus they joined the last ministers of the Sailor from the cruiser Aurora Deprived henceforth of political activity, he lived by doing hack work (translations, etc. which he was still able to procure, and derevolutionary forces of Kronstadt terrupted the silence. In the port sia. Antonov Ovseenko, Podvolski, Tsar. That was all.
voted himself to his own literary and historical works: The Year of received orders to prepare to defend the boats were hastily boarded. The and Tchudnovski pushed past the In the neighboring sections of the appears in the hall to reply to the detachments drawn up on the docks motionless bayonets. am with city traffle had not even been inter Revolutionaries who are denounc the Russian Revolution, Men in Prison, Birth of Our Power, Literature the Soviet Congress (for the offen waited patiently for their turn to you, one of the youths whispered. rupted. On the wharts sight seersing this crime against country and and Revolution, The Conquered City, ete.
sive was launched under the formal embark. Is it possible, thought Inside was the Provisional Govern looked on quietly.
Revolution. bronzed figure he At the same time he tried to get permission to leave Russia. He cover of defense. Let us pause for in spite of myself, that these can ment; thirteen pitiful, shaking received to answer, or at best equivocal answers for years, and finally a blank refusal. His friends in France made efforts in the same a moment on the preparations at be the last moments before the ministers, thirteen fear strained that momentary successes of the wires were cure. This words est As enemy might not interfere with through the air like a knife. Stocky direction (letters to soviet authorities, visits to the ambassadors; only Kronstadt, of which one of the par. or with such simplicity and order they went out of the Palace sur their work the military leaders of and strong, he mounted the platin the last few weeks (1933) did they have recourse to the press as ticipants (I. Flerovski) has left an neath the high collared shirt that up his cause includes such artists and writers as Paul Signac, Leonment, the element of coordination, more was at stake than some every their death went up. The soldiers reserve headquarters.
Werth, Georges Duhamel, Firmin Gemier, Victor Margueritte, Magdesurrection as a military operation scenes that one remembers from perfect organization of the inday military maneuver. How little curved gracefully about his shaggy head. The hall crackled with exleine Paz, Lue Durtain Henry Poulnille, Charles Wildrae, ete. It has offered to stand all the expenses of repatriating Sorge asd his family.
citement. The Winter Palace is according to the rules of war, there history. This revolution my On March 8, 1932, serge was arrested and imprisoned once more.
appears most clearly, and the con companion said, is going or swell While the reds surround the Win ist Social Democrats, twenty one finished, he said, the Aurora is At the end of June he was exiled to Orenbarg by executive order trast with the spontaneous, badly renewable at will, and the same measure to be cancelled at will from Organized movements so numerous This revolution went off in swell ter Palace the Petrograd Soviet Menshevik partisans of national de Aring at point blank range. Ohthe striking. Preparations for the tion. That is why it conquered in Lenin and Trotsky announce the various national organizations, five his hands, Oh! The man from in the history of the proletariat is proletarian style. with organiza meets. Lenin comes out of hiding fense, seven Social Democrats from groans the Mensbevik Abramovitch, He is still in exile.
The article printed here is a chapter translated from his best march on Petrograd were carried Petrograd, so easily and completely. seizure of power. The Soviets are work: The Year One of the Russian Revolution.
and feverish. The Menshevik Dan the Aurora responds to this cry with on during the night. The Navy Club was Jammed with soldiers, scene from these memoires. On to all belligerent powers; secret opens the congress in the name of graceful gesture of magnanimity that trembles sailors, and workers, all under board one of the boats headed for treaties will be publishers Limes the former Al Rusian Executives and consoles him in a loud whisper with suppressed arms, all ready for action. the the insurrection; the delegate of first words emphasize the Impor cannon thunder on the Neva as the laughter, They are shooting blank officers are elected. The resistance the plan of operations exactly, de ters the officers mese. Here the ants and the workers, which is yet Kamenev, dressed in his best and aliton. turmoll ensues. The na revolutionary general staff followed the revolutionary general staff en tance of the bond between the pensof the Winter Palace drags on. cartridges. No harm must come to. The conflict between the two the tendency to Gloss over or for tions, made inventory of supplies worried, careworn, puzzled. As In Russia the immense majorsignated the various units and see atmosphere is different.
powers. the Provisional Govern set the insurrection in considering and ammunition, assigned the dif enter and salute the officers rise. ity of the peasantry has said: as president. He proposes a three tional de ensist Mensheviks and the ment headed by Kerenski, and the the organization of revolutionary ferent leaders. The night passed They listen to my short explanation point agenda. Organization of right Social Revolutionaries, sixty Enough of this game with the capitalists, we shall march with The following while standing, give the order: Power; War and Peace; The con delegates altogether, go out, To dle Soviet entered sharper phase in might be expressed thus: Conquer boats were ordered to support the We are going to overthrow the the workers. single decree stituent Assembly. The Menshe with the Provisional Government.
Petersburg after October 16, when first. Lenin wished the insurrec operation: the torpedo boat mine Provisional Government by force viks and the Social Revolutionaries They don get far; their straggling the Military Revolutionary Commit tion to forestall the congress: faced as per Amour, the old cruiser Dawa Power will pass to the Soviets.
abolishing the landowners estates take the floor first. For the former cortere found the streets barred by will gain to the confidence of the tee was formed. The committee with a fait accompli the congress lave Liberey(formeris Alexander We do not count on your symMartov, their most gifted and in the Red Cuard and they dispersed.
peasaptry. They will understand telligent leader, whose physical sickLate in the night the Left Social But we that their salvation is with the Podvolski, and Chudnovskl. The his point of view in a personal con Amour and Vautour were to disem urge you to remain at your posts, ness seems, in spite of his great per Revolutionaries decided to follow Petersburg garrison had come over erence with the organizers of the Dark troops in Petrograd. The crul filling your workers. We shall set up workers sonal courage, to be sickness of the the Bolsheviks and remain in the to the Bolsheviks. The government, insurrection. He was passionately ser was to take up station at the and obeying our orders. We shall duties punctually control of industry.
idea he serves, Martov, planted as Congress citing the danger of German of concerned with the details of the entrance of the maritime canal, spare you superfluous trials. That viets does not open until evening in pale, trembling and queerly twisted, until the following dny when the The All Russian Congress of Sousual with his hand on his hip, Lenin did not mount the rostrum fensive tried to send the revolu: preparation, and would not consent commanding the coastal railroad SalWe understand the cap the great white ball room at Smolhaking his ruled hair, urges, decrees onlandpetice, andre overal tionary regiments off to the front, to deter the offensive at any price with its cannon. feverish buttoin replies son, information, and armaments to convince him that a few extra Army and Navy The was equipped with His Nevski and Podvolski trled vainly silent activity went on in the streets to their posts; the captain any, illuminated by enormous chan peneeful solution of the conflict, control of production were voted.
mounts ellers. Five hundred and sixty two little late! Mistislavski takes His appearance was the signal for departments. It began by appoint ays of preparation would only in marched toward the port. Only the detachments the bridge.
delegates are present; three hun he floor for the left Social Revolu a tremendous acclamation. He numerous fleet came to the aid red and eighty two ing the the Bolsheviks, tionaries. His mirty mistrusted the waited calmly for it to end, looking arming but the appointment of replied obstinately. Antonov Ovseen light of torches. Neither laughter Zablika, Samson, two torpedo boats Social Revolutionaries, thirty six by the Soviets, but had refused to gesture, his two hands resting on the troost the appointisert was enemy will also profit delay, he first ranks were to be seen by the The cruisers Aurora, Oleg. Novik, with the Bolsheviks, seventy Lett favorable to the selzure of power he said quite simply, without any commissaries at the armortes put a ko has left a striking account of an nor talk; only the martial tread of and several other vessels steamed center Social Revolutionaries, six join in the insurrection. He speaks the pulpit, his shoulders slightly in stop to that. The delegates of the interview with Lenin, which o marching men, sharp commands, up the Neva. were welcomed by the troops curred a few days before the battle, teen risht Social Revolutionaries, in nuances. All power to the Sovi clined forward toward the crowd: who knew the Committee was op in a house in the workers quarter three nationalist Social Revolution e s, certainly! All the more so since Now we shall construct the soaries, fi teen United International they have already seized power. But elallst society.
the front. The simply re enski police, Lenin, who in case e fused to countersign the order.
of capture would probably have refusal they were artful enough to been killed by a stray bullet. tonov Ovseenko, Lashevitch, Three comrades, Podvolski, Ana former school for daughters of explain as giving the Committee came in in disguise.
had the nobllity. Still hunted by the time to examine the question. ourselves in the presence of a little capture of the Winter Palace to become the leader of the first We found been entrusted with organizing the police a few hours before he was (Continued from Page 1)
The assumed general power old graybeard wearing a pince nex, Schudnovski, a Bolshevik from the workers state, still in disguise, do McNutt, national chairman of lic statements of its overzealous Worker we cannot say. We can only over the troops, and ended by or wearing it well enough, rather de earliest days, who was soon to die Lenin strode up and down a small the American Youth Congress, rep national chairman who deals out guess how fifteen became fifty thoudering them not to pay any atten. bonaire in fact; a musician, a in the Ukraine, worked with them. room in the building of each new resenting more than 2, 000, 000 or their 2, 000, 000 organized youth sand.
thout there are general state, teacher, or a librarian one would The former imperial residence is arrival he asked, The Palace? Not Enized youth, called upon the youth with such a free hand.
From then on the insurrection was, have thought. He took off bis wig ituated in the center of the city on yet taken? His anger against of America to prepare for war by The parade came off under the 80 to speak, latent. Two powers and revealed his usual humorous the banks of the Neva.
Knitgoods Union Protests appropriate slogan of Waldo Me measured each other and two mis expression; What newa? He was Peter and Paul fortress which 1105 threatened Podvolski We must It faces temporizers mounted hourly. He marching for peace.
If the wants to avoid We have received another letter, Nutt: Prepare for war by marcha press release from the Knitgoods ing for peace. How true, how tional, deliberately cancelled each possibility of calling the fleet to hundred yards.
tary authorities, the one insurrec full of assurance. He inquired the across the river at a distance of six shoot him, we must shoot him. The such misleading appearance we Joint Council true. The prodigal son of the Amother orders.
To the south the soldiers grouped around bonfires in would suggest that it curb the pubs For immediate release. The folerican Youth Congress speaks truer Petersburg. In reply to the objeepalace looks out on vast pe ved the streets near the palace were lowing letter was sent by the Joint than he knows. The Second All Russian Congress tion that this would leave the coast square which contains the Column equally impatient. The Bolsheviks of Soviets was to meet in Peters unprotected he said curtly: The of Alexander Across this square are turning diplomat too, they France Faces Civil War Council of Koltsoods Unions to the burg on October 15. The Menshe sailors must know that the revolu in a semi circle are the former army muttered. Once more Lenin vien viks managed to postpone the meet tion is in greater danger in Peters and foreign affairs buildings. In in a minor detail, was that of the tee protesting the unauthorized me The Art of Insurrection (Continued from Page 1) of the names of their affiliated ing until the 20th (Nov. 7, Newburg than on the Baltic 1879 the revolver shots of the stu tie masses. Podvoiski, sure of vic any organization acting contrary to locals, 155 and 2085 United Textile (Continued from Page 4)
Style. thus obtaining ten days grace Situated in the center of the city dent Soloviev, from whom the auto tory, deferred the attack. Agitator public order or the republican form Workers of America, as endorsers and the garrison was that they were for the bourgeois provisional govern on the little island in the Neva erat Alexander II fled, doubled over, demoralized the already doomed en ot government.
ment. No one doubted but that the River, the fortress of Peter and Paul nale with fright, echoed among emy. Every drop of revolutionary of the People March for Peace Isolated from those classes from congress, where the Bolsheviks were was a source of worry to the these baldines. In 1871 the explo blood, now easily spared, was pree with the satisfaction of the gentle These decrees will no doubt meet Committee. Mr. Solomoniek, Trade whom they intended to take the Union Organizer power!
for the selzure of power. You are Palace; there were 100. 000 rities to the carpenter Stephen Kaltourine The first summons to surrender men of the Front Populaire whose But was it really possible to rely setting the date of the revolution. Its armory. Its garrison appeared under the imperial Apartments, was sent in to the monsters en die light against fascism has consisted People March for Peace upon the sympathy and support of said the Mensheviks to the Rolshe to be faithful to the Provisional blasted through the square Here o clock; at eight o clock another ul mainly in demands that Lavaldis Dear Sir: the dark masses viks. In order that the foregone Government.
the provinces Trotsky proposed to on January 22, 1905, troops opened timatum; Bolshevik orators har. solve the Fascist leagues. The We are in receipt of your com and at the front? Their Bolshedecision of the congress might be capture this citadel from the Inter fire on the crowd of the hymn sing angued the defenders. crack Front Populaire, after all, regards munication with reference to the vism, Sukhanov scornfully. was ou but hatred for the People March for Peace Parade pression of opinion it was necessary (with Lashevitch. Little Father Tsar. There were viks; welcomed by a tremendous republican form of government, of to be held next Saturday, October to support it by force of arms. As October 22 was the day of the fifty deaths and more than a thou hurrah as they crossed the democracy in France 26, and note that two of our af peace. As though that were little!
Such decrees, surely. can be filiated locals, 155 and 2085, Unit Hatred for the coalition meant a points of view were manifest; Trot or the plebiscite, so to speak, of the fatally of all, by its own bullets. a few moments later. The terrified pointing their finger at Monsieur ed Textile Workers, are listed as desire to take the power from the sky wanted to tie up with the con insurrection. It often happens that on the morning of the 25th of ministers, left alone in the vast Cachin who promised that the endorsers of your organization.
gress, believing that an independent events of great importance rise from October Bolshevik regiments acting palace without lights, guarded by Bolsheviks of France who love bourgeoisie. Longing for land and While our organization is op peace was the colossal program insurrection of the party would apparently unimportant immediate in concert with the Red Guard, be a handful of military cadets, still their country, must always do posed to war and is at all times have less chance of carrying along canges; for the latter is in reality gan to encircle the Palace, now the hesitated to surrender. Kerenskt their best for our people for the ready to take action in support of which the pensant and soldier intended to carry out under the lead.
the masses; Lenin thought it erlm nothing but the last link in a whole seat of Kerenski ministry. The had run out on them, promising to national unity of our own France peace, we cannot permit the ership of the workers. The insigni.
inal to temporize until the con chain of causes. The Central Ex attack was planned for nine o clock return at the head of a detachment. Humanite, Oct. or at Monsieur names of our affiliated locals to ficance of the democrats, even the gress, fearing that the Provisional ecutive, including the treasury of in the evening, although Lenin, ever of faithful troope. They expected Thorex who declaims again and be used as endorsers of an organ most leftward, resulted from this Government would forestall the in the Soviet, was still in the hands of impatient, urged them to attack to be torn to pieces by an Inforlated again: Safety lles not in Rome or surrection by a vigorous offensive. the pacifist socialists. The Soviet sooner. While a wall of steel grad mob. The cannon of the Aurora in Berlin. repeat, I, whose heart nothing and of a parade in the iration about which we know very distrust the distrust of ed.
Events failed to justify his fear, needed a newspaper.
ucated. scepties. in those dark It was de ually surrounded the Palace, the firing blank cartridges finally debeats in tune with that of Moscow, arrangement of which we have masses who grasp a phenomenon which was nonetheless legitimate. cided to hold a number of large Congress of Soviets met at Smolny, moralized the defenders. The at that safety is in our Paris, in our not even been asked to particl. wholesale not bothering about de The enemy proved to be completely meetings on the 22nd to raise funds France. Humanite, Oct. 13. Or pate.
tails and nuances. This Intellectu.
demoralized. In our opinion two for that purpose. The bourgeois SPARTACUS YOUTH LEAGUE at Vaillant Couturier, for whom We want to protest this unaual, riseudo aristocratic, squeamish perfectly correct conceptions, based press, frightened by the moblliza the interests of France coincide thorized use of the names of our attitude toward the people was foron different considerations came tion, announced that it was an uptoday with the interests of humanlocals. We believe that such eign to Bolshevism, hostile to its into conflict on this point. The one rising. Kerenski gave out fine ity. Humanite, Oct. Or any methods of obtaining endorsers very nature.
of these gentlemen like Monmousseau et against attempts of sincere not lily handed, literary friends of Bolsheviks were strategical, based on the necessity sounding statements, but they were for tying up the action of the party nothing but sound. All Russia is who are for union at any price labor organizations to organize the masses, not pedants. They were with an immediate demand intellig with us, we have nothing to fear. Humanite, Oct. 5) with the bour movements for peace. not afraid of those backward strata ible to the widest masses. All And he reatened the elements, GERMANIA HALL. 144 16th St. Geoiste or its funkeys?
Yours truly, now for the first time lifting thempower to the Soviets. certainly the groups, the parties who dare No, but they are pointing at the Joint Council, Knitgoods selves out of the dregs. The Bol.
a condition for success; the other attack the liberty of the Russian DANCING ENTERTAINMENT PRIZES heart of the French proletariat Workers Union, sheviks took the created them and as precedbased on a general line, to eliminate people, who risk opening the front who, unless they are directed along Morris Lispky, President ing history had. every illusion of the possibility of to Germany, who will end by com SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9th 1935 the firm lines of an Intransigeant, Lewis Nelson, Manager. as they were called to achieve the proletarian power before insur pletely liquidating the revolution.
revolutionary policy class strug How many other organizations revolution. The Bolsheviks saw it rection. Once this possibility is a regular Galifret! But his threats Admission 20 cents Ble, stand to fall victim, however which did not attend the gala at as their mission to stand at the admitted in theory, why not admit were vain; he was too late. The At door: 25e with costume; 30c without costume.
heroic their resistance, to the foul fair last Saturday went to make up head of that people. Those against the possibility of power without in 22nd saw a formidable mobilization attacks of French Fruscism and to the difference between the 15, 000 the insurrection were everybody surrection? That road could lead of the masses. Every hall was Tickets obtainable at 55 East 11th Street the fouler betrayals of the Second reported in the capitalist press and except the Bolsheviks. But the far. Since 1906 Lenin had attacked filled. At the Peoples House (Narand Third Internationals.
the 50, 000 reported in the Daily Bolsheviks were the people.
Feace Parade Bluff in Facts Figures MASQUERADE BALL at