The Revolutionary Age Chronicle and Interpretation of Events in Europe Vol. I, No. Saturday, November 23, 1918 Price, Cents Withdraw From Russia!
Th THE world is preparing for peace, and the world is happy. The terrible agony of death, of a world devoting its energy and its finest instincts to the tasks of death, is at an end.
Peace and the problems of making a new world.
Peacc and the joy of devoting one self to life, and not death. Peace and the opportunity of securing out of the horror that is ended the impulse and the will to make peace splendidi and everlasting.
Put this peace is not, as yet. universal. The nations that granted armistice and peace to Germany, Austria and Bulgaria refuse to grant armistice and peace to Russia. The Russian people, 5, 000, 000 of whom died in the war, who have suffered more than any other people, are refused an armistice, are refused peace, are still in the clutch of war.
French and British, American and Japanese troops, are still in Archangel, still in Vladivostok. Fighting is reported as proceeding between Soviet troops and the Anglo French troops.
Russia was formerly associated with the Allies; yet the Allies grant peace to their former enemy, and refuse it to their former associate.
Why this discrimination? If blood is the price of peace, the Russian people have paid the price in full, an infinitely heavier price than that of any other nation at war.
Our people are happy at the coming of peace, but the Russian people are threatened with a new war, they cannot devote themselves fully and confidently to the tasks of peace and life. Alien troops apparently still threaten the Russian people, in whom is an overwhelming love of peace and the simple joys of life.
Is this Soviet Russia fault? The facts are the most convincing answer: The Soviet Government recently, through Commissaire of Foreign Affairs Tchicherin, proposed an armistice to the Allies. Absolutely no answer was given to this proposal and alien troops are still in Archangel and Vladivostok.
According to declarations of President Wilson and the State Department, the purpose of the Allies was to get the Czecho Slovaks out of Russia, not to re establish an eastern front or to interfere in the internal affairs of the Russian people. The Soviet Government has declared iind emphasized its readiness to negotiate with the allies concerning the Czecho Slovaks and to facilitate their departure from Russia. These ollicial proposals to tlie: Allies have produceri absolutely no response. Alien troops are still in Archangeland Vlaulivostok.
To negotiate with the Soviet Government, it is said, means to recognize the Soviet Government; therefore, there can be no negotiations, because the Soviet Government is an autocracy. But the Allies recognized the bloody autocracy of the Czar, they recognized the murderous autocracy of Turkey, they even recognized the autocracy of the Kaiser! Why discriminate against the Soviet Government. Alien troops are still in Archangel and Vladivostok.
It is not because the Soviet Government is an autocracy. The Soviet Government is a democracy, representing the majority of the people, the workers and peasants. It has existed for more than one year, and is becoming stronger in spite of attacks and counterrevolutionary plots, in spite of starvation. The Russian people, who had the revolutionary energy to overthrow (zarism, to overthrow the government of Lvov, Guchkov Co. to overthrow Kerensky, would and could octhrow the Sovici Government if they wished to. But they con t, the Suviet Government is their government, the Russian people are the Government. To ask the Russian people to overthrow their government is equivalent to asking a man to cut his own throat.
Thic Russian people have contributed enormously to the coming of peace; it was their revolutionary ideas and propaganda that produced revolution in Bulgaria Austria and Germany, and without this revolution the war would still be on. The Russian people have died and starved for one year to bring revolution in Germany, and peace but there is no peace for them. Alien troops are still in Archangel and Vladivostok Men and women of the United States, our slogan should be: The Russian people shall have peace. Withdraw from Russia!
They said that the Soviet Government was an ally of the Kaiser, was prolonging the war, was aiding Germany to win the war. These were lies, and events have proven them lies; but now even this lying pretext no longer exists withdraw from Russia!
What government Russia should have is the business of the Russian people. The Allies have officially assented to that; but in practice they have encouraged governments in Russia which represent no one but counterrevolutionary conspirators. They have violated the principle of self determination of nations. They have morally and physically waged war upon the Soviet Gov.
ernment and the Russian people.
And men still die. Men and women in Russia are still being starved. Is it all to crush the eat Socialist Republic in Russia, the magnificent pledge of a finer and more human world?
The intentions of the American Government are in doubt, although it has officially declared against intervention. Secret diplomacy is in action. But the newspapers are openly mobilizing public opinion for war against the Soviet Republic, against the Russian people, who have had more Soldiers killed in the will than perhaps all the other nations put together. Is their parymenti new war?
And in this murderous press campaign, the mask is off. War against the Soviet Government is urged, not because it is pro German, but because it is revolutionary and Socialist!
The Russian people have paid the price of peace in blood. Out of the agony and the ruins they are building a new and finer society: let them build in peace!
Alien troops are still in Archangel and Vladivostok: Withdraw from Russia! Withdraw immedi Iv!