Russian RevolutionSovietViolence

The Revolutionary Age Chronicle and Interpretation of Events in Europe Vol. I, No. 10 Saturday, December 21, 1918 Price, Cents The Russian Soviet Republic Speaks to President Wilson with Note of Soviet Commissaire of Foreign Affairs, transmitted October 24, 1918. Ir President: Governme and with your Allies your prom torics. We allow ourselves, therefore, to draw the your message of January 4th to the Congress of ises at the beginning of the year. And then came conclusion that you and your Allies will order the the United States of North America, in the sixth another experience; an attack on North Russia by Czecho Slovaks return the part of our gold reserve point, you spoke of your profound sympathy for Allicd troops, including American troops, their in fund which they seized in Kazan, that you will forussia, which was then conducting, single handed, vasion of Russian territory without any cause and bid them to continue as heretofore their acts of pilegotiations with the mighty German Imperialism witirout a declaration of war, the occupation of Ruslaging and outrages against the workers and peasants our program, you declared, demands evacuation all Russian territory and such a settlement of all and other acts of violence aganst the peaceful popu age their speedy departure, without waiting for your estions affecting Russia as will secure the best and lation of Russia.
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est co operation of the other nations of the world You have promised, Mr. President, to co operate With regard to other peace terms, namely, that obtaining for her unhampered and unembarrassed with Russia in order to obtain for her an unhampered the Governments which would conclude peace must portunity for the independent determination of her and unembarrassed opportunity for the independent express the will of their people, you are aware that litical development and national policy, and assure a sincere welcome into the society determination of her political development and her our Government fully satisfies this condition. Our free nations det institutions of her own choosing; and, more national policy. Actually this co operation took the Government expresses the will of the Councils of form of an attempt of the Czecho Slovak troops and Workmen s, Peasants and Red Army Deputies, repre na welcome, assistance of every kind that she y need and may herself desire. And you added your own and your Allies troops, to force the Russenting at least eighty per cent of the Russian peoions in the months to come will be the acid test of exploiting classes, whose dominion was overthrown sian people to submit to the rule of the oppressing and Government. But for the sake of humanity an:1 ir good will, of their comprehension of her needs by the workers and peasants of Russia in November, peace negotiations, that all nations participating in the peace we do not demand, as a prerequisite of general distinguished from their own interests, and of their elligent and unselfish sympathy.
1917. The revival of the Russian counter revolu tion, which had already become a corpse, attempts to ple: Commissaries elected at a Congress of Councils The desperate struggle which we were waging at restore by force its bloody domination over the Rus of Workmen s, Peasants and Soldiers Delegates. We rest Litovsk against German Imperialism apparsian people such was the experience of the Russian know that this form of Government will soon be the tly only intensified your sympathy for Soviet Rus people, instead of co operation for the unembarrassed general form, and that precisely a general peace, when for you sent greetings to the Congress of the expression of their will which you promised them, nations will no more be threatened with defeat, will viets (March, 1918. which under the threat of a Mr. President, in your declarations.
leave them free to put an end to the system and the rman offensive ratified the Brest peace of vio You have also, Mr. President, promised to the Rus cliques that forced upon mankind this universal ice greetings and assurances that Soviet Russia sian people to assist them in their struggle for inde slaughter, and which will, in spite of themselves, ht count upon American help.
create Soviet GoySix months have passed since then, and the Russian the Russian people were fighting on the Southern ernments, which give exact expression to their will.
ople have had sufficient time to get actual tests of front against the counter revolution, which betrayed Agreeing to participate at present in negotiations ur Government and your Allies good will, of their them to German Imperialism and was threatening their even such Governments as do not yet express omprehension of the needs of the Russian people, of indepedence, while they were using all the inner er find out from you, Mr. President, in detail what is the will of the people, we should like on our part to eir intelligent unselfish sympathy: This attitude of our Government and of your allies was shown first many on their Western frontiers, they were forced to your conception of the League of Nations, which you all in the conspiracy, which was organized on Rus move their troops to the East to oppose the Czecho propose as the crowning work of peace. You de ian territory with the financial assistance of your Slovaks who were bringing them slavery and oppres mand the independence of Poland, Serbia. Belgium rench Allies and with the diplomatic co operation of sion, and to the North against your Aílies and your and freedom for the peoples of Austria Hungary. You own troops which had invaded their territory, and probably mean by this that the masses of the people Czecho Slovaks to whom your Government is fur against the counter revolution by these troops. everywhere first become the masters of their shing every kind of assistance.
own fate in order to unite afterward in a league of Mr. President, the acid test of the relations beFor some time attempts had been made to create free nations. But strangely enough, we do not find tween the United States and Russia gave quite differ2 pretext for a war between Russia and the United ent results from those that might have been expected among your demands the liberation of Ireland. Egypt States of North America by spreading false stories to or India, nor even the liberation of the Philippines, from your message to the Congress. But we have and we would be very sorry if these peoples should he effect that German war prisoners had seized the reason not to be altogether dissatisfied with even these be denied the opportunity to participate together with Colonel Robbins, head of your Red railway, but your own officers and after in the East and North have shown the workers and the organization of the League of Nations.
Cross Misution us, through ther freely elected representatives, in had been convinced that these allegations were lutely false. The Czecho Slovak conspiracy was revolution, and of its foreign supporters, thereby We would also, Mr. President. very much like to inized under the slogan that unless these misled, creating among the Russian people an iron will to de know, before the negotiations, with regard to the ortunate people be protected, they would be sur fend their liberty and the conquests of the revoluformation of a League of Nations, have begun, what dered to Germany and Austria. but you may find tion, to defend the land that it has given the peasis your conception of the solution of many economic. among other sources, from the open letter of ants and the factories that it has given to the work questions which are essential for the cause of future ptain Sadoul, of the French Military Mission, howers. The fall of Kazan, Symbrsk, Syzran and Samara peace. You do not mention the war expenditures, founded this charge is. The Czecho Slovaks would should make clear to you, Mr. President, what were this unbearable burden, which the masses would have ve left Russia in the beginning of the year, had the the consequences for us of the actions which followed to carry, unless the League of Nations should rench Government provided ships for them. For your promises of January Our trials helped us to nounce payments on the loans to the capitalists of all oral months we waited in vain that your Allies create a strongly united and disciplined Red Army, You know as well as we. Mr. President, ild provide the opportunity for the Czecho Slo which is daily growing stronger and more powerful that this war is the outcome of the policies of all cap to leave. Evidently, these Governments have and which is learning to defend the Revolution. The italistic nations, that the governments of all countries much preferred the presence of the Czecho attitude toward us, which was actually displayed by were continually niling tip armaments. that the ruling raks in Russia the results show for what ohject your Government and by your Allies, could not de groups of all civilized nations pursued a policy of antheir departure for France and their participa stroy us; on the contrary, we are now stronger than nexations, and that it would, therefore he extremely in the fighting on the French frontier. The best we were a few months ago, and your present proposal uniust if the masses, having naid for these policies of the real object of the Czecho Slovak rebell of international negotiations for a general peace finds with millions of lives and with economic ruin, should the fact that although control of the Siberian is alive and strong and in a position to give in the yet pay to those who are really responsible for the ray, the Czecho Slovaks have not taken advan name of Russia our consent to join the negotiations. war a tribute for their policies which resulted in all of this to leave Russia, but by the order of the In your note to Germany you demand the evacuation these countless miseries. We propose, therefore, Mr.
inte Goven lents, whose directions they follow, of Ürcurid territories as a condition which must preremained Russia to become the mainstay of cede the armistice during which peace negotations basis of the League of Nations. As to the restoraRussian unter revolution. Their counter revo shall begin. We are ready. Mr. President, to contion of the countries that were laid waste by the war.
iry mut. ny which made impossible the trans clude an armistice on these conditions, and we ask we believe it is only just that all nations should aid on of grain and petroleum on the Volea, which you to notify us when you, Mr. President. and your for this minose unfortunate Belcium. Poland and the Russian workers and peasants from the Allies intend to remove troops from Murmansk, Serbia, and however poor and ruined Russia seems in stores of grain and other materials and con Archangel and Siberia. You refuse to conclude an to be, she is ready on her part to do everything she can them to starvation, this was the first experi armistice, unless Germany will stop outrages, pil to help these victims of the war, and she expects that the workers and peasants of Russia with your laging, etc. during the evacuation of occupied terri(Continued on Page 4)
inust cerian countries.