BolshevismCommunismLeninRosa LuxemburgRussian RevolutionSocialismSovietTrotskyWorkers MovementWorking Class

THE REVOLUTIONARY AGL Saturday, January 4, 1919 Tschitcherin Report to the Fifth Soviet Congress, July, 1918 Translated from the De Nieuwe Tijd, the Dutch left wing Socialist magasine, by Auerhaan. cialist Revolution of October, 1917, to a successful States of America adopt a decidedly friendly atticonclusion.
tude.
URING the period that followed the signing of The time which now followed was indeed critical the Brest Litovsk peace, we find that our for The period following the signing of the Bresteign policy developed along different lines litovsk peace is characteristic because the German with regard to Germany. The German Finnish and than those followed during the first few months after offensive was not marked on the whole Eastern Front the German Austrian armies after having occupied the whole of Finland and the Ukraine, invaded the the October Revolution. October Revolution ac by a distinct line. Finland and the Ukraine were free cording to the Russian calendar, is known as the No of Soviet troops, but the masses of these parts conterritory of the Soviet government and came face to vember Revolution, the proletarian revolution of No tinued the struggle. The Entene Powers withdrew face with Soviet troops, so that there were conrember and 7, 1917. The basis of our foreight during this time their entire military support, at the tinuous skirmishes along the whole line of debarkasame time remaining as rulers in places from which policy since the end of 1917 and the beginning of tion and Petrograd was directly menaced. The 1918 has been a revolutionary offensive.
they should have withdrawn. As a momentary proof White Guards (Finnish counter revolutionists) led that the relations between Russia and the Central by Germans drove into the Murman territory and This policy kept step with an immediately expected Powers was changed to ordinary peaceful relations, Port Ino, the key to Petrograd, was in grave danger.
World Revolution for which the Russian October we must point to the arrival of Count von Mirbach At the same time the German army continued its Revolution would have been the signal. It was espe (who was afterwards assassinated by Russian counmarch on the Ukraine front into the governments of cially meant to reach the revolutionary proletariat of ter revolutionists) in Moscow on April 23, 1918, and Kursk and Woronesj, into the Domnetz basin and on all countries and to arouse them to combat imperial the arrival of our Russian comrade, Joffe, in Berlin to the River Don. In the south the Germans occuism and the present capitalist system of society. We on April 20, 1918.
pied the Crimea and, continuing their march beyond remind our readers that at this time until the peace of the Don, attacked Batoisk (opposite Rosto in the Don Brest Litovsk, not Tschitcherin, but Trotzky, was Concerning the former allies of Russia, we must valley, near Azof. Counter revolutionary bands People Commissaire for Foreign Affairs. look upon the landing of Japanese troops in Vladivoforced their way into the Don and Kurban districts stok on April 5, which landing was, nevertheless, acAfter the proletariat of other countries refused (the western part of the north Caucasus) under the compnied by assurances from Japan allies that this protection of the Germans.
their direct support for the destruction of revolution fact was not meant as an attempt to interfere in the ary Russia, our foreign policy was radically changed internal affairs of Russia. In the meantime a great At last the German troops landed in the vicinity of through the occupation of Finland, the Ukrtine, the section of the English and French press was carrying Porte (harbor in the South Caucasus on the Blacky Baltic Provinces, Poland, Lithuania and White Ruson propaganda for the occupation of Russia under the Sea) while the Finnish troops on the other side began sia by the armies of German Austrian Imperialism. slogan that such intervention was meant for the sav.
their march in the Caucasus in the direction of Baku In the last four months (March to June, 1918) We ing of Russia. But the government of the Entente (on the Caspian Sea. This critical period was setwere compelled to make it our object to avoid all the Powers adhered to a very careful policy regarding tled on the Finnish frontier by an agreement between dangers which menaced us from all sides and to gain Russia, especially did the government of the United the German and the Russian governments concerning as much time as possible: in the first place, to assist a basis for a treaty between Russia and Finland. the growth of the proletarian movements in other coungradual relaxing of military skirmishes on the Ukraine tries, and in the second place, to establish more firmly The Socialism of the Left front was directly noticeable, caused by the beginning the political and social ideals of the Soviet governof peace negotiations in Kiev between Russia and the nient amongst the broad masses of the people of Rus. Socialist Reconstruction. By Louis Fraina. The REVOLUTIONARY SOCIALISM. study in Hetman government.
sia and to bring about their united support for the Communist Press, New York. Price 75c, PP. 246.
The result of our so sharply conducted political program of the Soviets.
dealing was: the retreat of that part of the Russian This is a very interesting, suggestive and con fleet (the Black Sea fleet) to Sebastopol and from Soviet Russia, with as yet no force sufficient to pro tect its own boundaries, surrounded by enemies wait lutionary Socialism. The book is the present day instructive book on present day international and revo there it sailed to Noworossysk (the harbor of the German menaced Koeban district. The demand for the ing for its downfall, suffering from a period of unbelievable deterioration caused by the war and Czar class, for the Socialist tactics and policies of the Secterpretation of what may call Socialism of the first return of this district was considered as an indispensable condition to territorial, as well as political and ism, and always cognizant of the dangers which threatond International are dead and in their places have ened it at every step, had to be constantly vigilant in arisen those of the Third International the princieconomic relations between Soviet Russia and German Ukraine.
its foreign policy. The policy of delay was possible ples and tactics promulgated and applied in Russia thanks to the diversity of interest, not only of both coUp to this moment (beginning of July, 1918) the alitions (the Cenral Powers and the Allied Powers. by Lenin and Trotzky, with such marked success for most critical question seems to concern the Caucasus over a year Fraina expounds and analyzes the great but also within each of these groups and in the respec. historic Marxian Socialism centered in the Bolshevik and can be attended by grave cnsequences, also the tive imperialisin of all the warring countries. The crisis in the Don, where counter revolutionary activity position on the Western Front (Belgium France) ready spreading like wildfire in Europe and through topol made it possible for the mixed commission in government of the Russian Soviet Republic, and alis not yet settled. But the retreat of the fleet to Sebasbound the powers of both coalitions temporarily to out the world.
such an extent that neither of the two decided to aim Berlin to commence its work. This commission was Socialism expounded in the spirit of fairness and at the direct and entire destruction of Russia.
made up of two parts; one a financial and judicial justice, and interpreting the Russian Bolshevik revo committee whose work consisted in planning a basis section of these imperialistic groups in both coali lution, is of the greatest value just now, for the works for peaceful economic relations between Russia and trons thinks of the future, of after the war, of 900 on Socialism written before the Bolshevik revolution, Germany; the other, a political committee whose task nomic relations with Russia, with this world market and even since then, by those of the right and cen it was to solve the questions arising out of the Brestsc. especially ripe for development. This element in ter are of practically no value as an interpretation of Litovsk treaty.
both coalitions would prefer a compromise instead of the present and future International Socialist move new negative moment in the relation between an annexation policy for the sake of economic ad ment, which is truly Marxian and revolutionary to Russia and her former Allies was the uprising of the vantages. The hope to embroil Russia in the war, the core.
Czecho Slovaks. In this case it developed that the while her army is not built up, plays a part in the cal The book is the more valuable in that it deals with governments of the Entente stood with those elements culations of both coalitions. The military party in that stage of development which is now dominant all who, like the Czecho Slovaks, served to support the each group would prefer an attack for the suppres over the world, namely: Capitalist Imperialism and counter revolution in Russia.
sion of the Soviet government of Russia.
its relation to the world proletariat.
Directly after these events followed the landing of The Soviet government, although it had decided As an interpretation of the present economic, politi English troops on the Murman Coast and in the press tipon a waiting policy because it did not strive for a cal, social and international situation, Revolutionary and the declaration of the diplomats the question of war of revenge, was, nevertheless, compelled, after Socialism is the best book have ever read. Peace intervention becomes more pronounced. But those the peace of Brest Litovsk, to work for armed re has at last come to a stricken world. But it is a elements in the Entente countries whose aim is to sistance ard at the same time to reckon with those ele peace of capitalist governments. The peace of the reach a complete and friendly relation with Soviet ments who were opposing the war parties. These workers of the world is not yet. Wars between Capi Russia continue their struggle, and reveal at the same clements ar: as yet weak and we are not able to talist imperialist groups will continue. time the extraordinary shortsightedness of the policy strengthen them through our own military power. The Our veteran generals have just taken the field of of attacking Russia. Thus we see how complicated ever growing proletarian movement has not as yet battle for the Social Revolution. Liebknecht, Fritz the problems are that the Soviet Commissaires are coone 10 a climax and therefore our report is a grave Adler, Rosa Luxemburg, Lenin, will lead on the called upon to solve; we have been careful in our de and serious one. report about our retreat, about the fight to the successful conclusion of a Socialist prole liberations to avoid all dangers which would lead to great sacrifices which we make in order to give Rus tarian peace. For this battle Fraina book is the irreparable actions from the side of our opponents, sia an opportunity to get on her feet, to organize her best and most valuable guide. hope every true and have taken all possible steps to bring about a forces and to wait for the moment when the prole Socialist will read and circulate it widely.
peaceful solution of our difficulties with both coalitariat of other counties will help us to bring the soSEN KATAYAMA. tions.