CapitalismDemocracyGerman RevolutionLeninRussian RevolutionSocialismSovietTrotskyWorking Class

Saturday, January 25, 1919 THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE saw they Yes with artillery.
was full Allied with Was automobile dapper Youth in to meet him.
Arrest and Liberation Continued front page five one had come to see me. The police seemed to have secretly crossed the Rumanian lines and traveled inRussian soldiers conducted by one of my friends, all forgotten me. One of the agents on guard, taking cognito through his own country, spreading revoluwearing red cockades and red armbands. When they pity on nxe, telephoned to headquarters for instruc tionary doctrine, at the risk of his life.
me came in my direction.
tions. took one of the telephone receivers and lis In December, 1917, when the Soviet Government You are Comrade Rakovsky?
tened. The one who answered from headquarters signed an armistice with Germany and Austria, Ruwas this same inspector.
mania refused to participate. The Russian troops on Mr. Comrade, in the name of the Russian Republic, Inspector, what are your instructions about the Rumanian front obeyed orders from Petrograd and entertained at headquarters Dr. Rakovsky? Where shall he sleep?
you are free. Come with us. Where did he sleep last night?
trian The Rumanian Government arrestWe all embraced warmly and without returning to On a chair.
ed this sianon, and upon the protest of the Rue my room followed my liberators toward the door.
fell, let him do the same thing tonight.
Passing the agents and policemen who stood there Finally we arrived at the center of the town, the as motionless and impassable as statues. In the strect on The Russian soldiers before the house were two automobiles, garlanded with great Square of the Union near the tall monument of had to cut their way by force through the Rumanian leaves, flowers and red draperies.
the Prince Ceuza. In a few minutes the whole square Get in Comrade.
The steps and balconies of the Hotel Tra The consequences were swift. Trotzky ordered the immediate arrest of the Rumanian minister at Petro was helped into the second automobile, trembling jan were black with people, as well as the windows emotion. It all seemed to me a dream. did not stration of the Russians, as well as the news of my and roofs of the surrounding houses. The demon. grad. The next neutral ambassadors demanded his liberation. This was granted, but the believe my eyes. Before me stretched an unforgetable pageant. The entire street, very wide and shop together an enormous crowd.
liberation spread already through the city, brought Soviet Government ordered that the Rumanian dip ing gently up, was covered with soldiers ranged by lomatic mission should leave Russia within ten hours.
That afternoon was in the office of Zalkind, AsA second meeting followed, with speeches in Ruscompanies and battalions, with their officers on horseback at the head. Above this immense multitude, a sian, Rumanian and French, prophesying the Rusistant Commissaire of Foreign Affairs. In one corner were five manian Republic and the Republic of the Balkans.
six red guards and sailors drinking ten forest of red flags and revolutionary inscriptions. An were decorated with the red cockade.
There immense enthusiasm. At the end impro around a battered samovar. At the side of the room One of the members of them of the committee began vised choruses of soldiers accompanied by the mili Rakovsky sat at a table, writing furiously.
Entered Aretzar in the old time resplended livery Comrades, we have just accomplished a revolutionary act. We have torn from the claws of the Rus Revolutionaries. Victims they fell in the great strugof the Czar. He had a card. It read Mr.
Afirst All the gle, etc.
a comrade who is connected not only sian government listened bareheaded.
throng secretary of the Rumanian Embassy to Russia.
My with the Socialist movement in the Balkans, but also Show him in, said Zalkind. There abpeared a became the center of a pilgrimage. Known with that of all Europe, and particularly of Russia. and unknown friends, civilians and soldiers, comfrock coat, silk hat, gloves and Until now we have been forced to do business with and men who were simply borne by the curstick. He surveyed the room with yneasiness minthe false delegates of the Rumanian people; now we rent, came to shake my hand.
gled with contempt. Zalkind, wearing peasant boots have liberated their real representative. In the Before leaving the center of the city we saved from and an old uniform without insignia, came forward midst of enthusiastic acclamation rose to speak, and prison Rumaman comrade, Boujor, former editor leaning on the shoulders of two comrades, expressed of Lupta, against whom was a warrant of arrest for a What can do for you, sir? he asked courte to the soldiers my gratitude and greeted them in Rus sneech at the hurial of a comrade military doctor dead ously.
sian and Rumanian.
of typhus. Mr. Boujor was also a lieutenant in the This is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs? asked The demonstration, with the automobiles at the The same evening, by special train, put at my dissecretary. We have received an order emanating from somewhere that the Rumanian Embassy head and preceded by a military band, surged toward nosition by the soldiers and officers and accompanied must leave Russia within ten hours. My dear sir, the center of the city. The authorities were conspic by a cuard of honor, we crossed the frontier of the that is imposs:ble. We have much to do. Our offfor if they had attempted to interfere at that moment nent new Russian Republic. Russia, which has filled all cials are scattered over Russia. It will take at least they would have provoked a bloody conflict, which the countries of Europe and America with its emithree smiled in the friendliest way. With that, Zalkind Prants, in our persons gave for the first time on its might have had revolutionary consequences. We were masters of the city. When we approached the censoil hospitality to two Socialists, foreign political emi Mr. Secretary. have nothing to do. You must ad dress yourself to our Commissaire for Rumania After of the town a police inspector approached. Natu grants.
fairs. Allow me. Comrade Rakovsky.
rally supposed that he had come to demand my arDoctor Rakovsky Rakovsky rose from his scat, dignified and suave.
rest. But no. It was to beg me in a very humble He bowed. The Secretary went pale and and dropped voice to persuade the Russian Committee not to By John Reed his change the route of the march agreed upon by the For two months in the Commisariat of Foreign Af am extremely sorry to be unable to accommoCommittee and the police. Looking at him rec fairs of the Soviet Government at Petrograd worked date you, Mr. Secretary. said Rakovsky very politely.
opnized the same man who had treated me with brusid by side with Rakovsky. He was editing a daily The last time was officially in your country was tilaty two months before.
paner Rumanian, Inainte, which distributed not compelled to leave in two hours and a half. We give It was when was shut up in the barracks of the only in the ranks of the Rumanian army, but also to the ambassador ten hours, and by that we recognize rural police. had already passed one night sitting the Transylvanian soldiers of the Austrian army. He that he is four times as important as Good afteron a chair. It was nine o clock in the evening; no made frequent trips to the south of Russia, where he noon.
Concerning the Russian Revolution efforts are being made to reorganise Russia, to build up Soviets, but of Czecho Slovaks, Japanese, and other a new social order on democratic and co operative foreigners deputed to punish the Russian people for Continued from page sir their crimes against humanity. Their crimes believe Russia ignorant and they could not be blamed much if These developments are not noticed in the Press to be twofold. They desired to be at peace when the they did not act with wisdom. The Russian peasants here, which selects all that is sensational, whether accu rest of the world was at war, a very serious offence, and workmen were regarded by the ruling classes as rate or rumour, and ignores the work of reconstruc as we in Ireland know. They also desired to have little above the brute, and were treated accordingly. tion. have read papers which in the same article economic democracy when the Great Powers had got and if men are treated as brutes it is too much to denounced Lenin and Trotzky as paid agents of Ger no further than a desire to make the world safe for expect. when aroused they will act with gentleness. many, and also commented on the disastrous effect of political democracy, and were, believe, even a little The leaders of the Revolution had the heritage of a their propaganda on the morals of the German soldiers dubious about that state of society, though experiment country desolated by war and wrecked economically by and workmen. These men could hardly be paid by has proved that pure cultures of capitalism can be a corrupt and inefficient bureaucracy. Swift action the German autocracy to undermine its influence over cultivated in a political democracy and develop there was necessary if worse was not to happen, and doubt its own people. On the Eastern front Trotzky and with the rapidity of bacteria in a jug of Dublin milk.
whether any Government English, French or German Lenin, the men of ideas, won against Hindenburg Yours sincerely. in a similar position, would have dealt more merci and Ludendorf, the men with guns. We beg to susGeo. RUSSELL.
fully with minorities which obstructed them. It is pect that the Daily Mail for once allowed truth to be said the Revolution is not democratic, that general printed in its columns when its correspondent in RusThe Background of the German Revolution elections were not held to give moral sanction to the sia wrote that, strange as it might appear to people in Continued from page four new regime. This is a strange criticism arising in England. Lenin and Trotzky were men of real intellect ment of a proletarian. Socialist Revolution, still to countries like our own where a practical dictatorship and probably knew more about international politics Lichknecht delivered on November 20: Did the bourhe accomplished was indicated in a speech by Karl has been established since the war began, where the than Mr. Arthur Balfour. We can see over the smoke geoisie while in power permit you to have a voice in most revolutionary changes were made without any of conflict the scaffolding of the new Russia arising the government? Nol Then the workers must not reference to the electorate. When victory is sure our The conflict over its foundations will pass, but the permit it to have any say now. We neerl a Governrulers begin to think of elections, and in Russia no building will be continued, and the democracies in ment of soldiers and workmen, a government of the proletariat, which will not have to bow down before revolutionary leader has made any pretence that the other countries should see that their Governments the Entente. There must be no dickering with Enexisting system of Workers and Soldiers Committees allow the Russian people to work out their own des tente Imperialism. We will dispose of that just as could be permanent. When the revolution is safe tiny. Even those who are enemies of the Revolution we did with German autocracy. The Revolution is they will act as our own rulers, who have waited until have to admit that ninety per cent of the Russian also bound to reach the Entente countries, but we victory was secured before they spoke of seeking the people are supporters of the present Government. And who made the Russians waste a whole vear, ore inapproval of the country.
no League of Nations, however armed with self France within twenty four hours. dictatorship sisting that the Revolution break out in England and We do not know enough yet to praise or blame the righteousness. could have a moral right to overturn of the proletariat. the definite initiation of Socialism.
leaders of the revolution in respect of their dealing the social order in a country which is supported by an alliance with proletarian Soviet Russie, a revoluwith those who opposed them. But we do know the people themselves. We do not hear of Rus tionary war if necessarv and the struggle for the international revolution these are aspects of the second enough from dispassionate observers to see that heroic sians ricing in masses against the rule of the revolution, indicated by Liebknecht and hy life ituell.
gloves.
lines.