92 THE CLASS STRUGGLE THE TASK OF THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY 93 When first chosen as member of the Provisional Government, he started with the significant words before the Council of Deputies of Workmen and Soldiers. Comrades, do you believe me? Do you have faith in me. Cries: Yes, yes, we have. am ready to die should it become necessary! Comrades, representatives of the old government are now in my power and have made up my mind not to give up control over them.
My first step, as Minister of Justice, was the issuing of an order calling for the immediate liberation of all political prisoners, without any exception; also that our comrades, the deputies of the social democratic faction now in Siberia, be conveyed herewith honor. Comrades, having entered the Cabinet of the Provisional Government, remain the same man as was, remain a republican. made it plain to the Provisional Government that appear as a representative of democracy, and that the Provisional Government must regard me as the spokesman of democracy demands.
But after he had been made Dictator, we heard somewhat different notes from Alexander Kerensky. Power intoxicates, power infects, power demoralizes. If should be made the Czar of Russia, would be as rotten as he is, said once one of the old social revolutionary fighters, and there is truth in it. Kerensky was sitting between two chairs. True enough, he sent Nicholas Romanoff and family to Siberia but he also proclaimed blood and iron to all who did not agree with him.
At the present moment his comrades are in jail and persecuted by his order; not because they betrayed the theory and practice of revolutionary Russia not at all! They are in jail because they continue to insist upon the motto of the Russian Revolution. Land and liberty! They are in jail because they are for peace; because they cannot be convinced of the present impracticability of their desires and of their warnings not to give in to the dark forces and not to weaken the Council of Deputies. They are criminals because the German Emperor is comfortably seated on his throne and the German comrades, the German nation did not follow the glorious example and the brotherly call of the Russian brethren to overthrow their autocratic rulers. If there had been a revolution in Austro Germany Kerensky would certainly have agreed that these criminals, these troublemakers were among the best sons and daughters of the Russian Revolution.
At the present moment, we are informed, that Russia will be saved by America. America will give money But money is of no value where the people want peace nothing but peace, in which to arrange their own internal affairs. We are living at a time of compulsion. Compulsion here, compulsion everywhere!
Keep your mouth tightly shut and obey the bureaucratic, monarchic and capitalistic rulers! The Russians do not want to obey any more, they are tired of endless massacres, of killing and murder; they wish to enjoy the fruits of the Revolution andno more deaths in the trenches! The Government will compel them to continue the mutual slaughter until the will of the rival fighting monarchic and bourgeois camps of the world is fulfilled and one or the other dominates.
Let us hope that the historical document printed below, showing the task of the constituent assembly, will not remain a scrap of paper, but will be a picture of the reality in near future.
May we also hope against hope that the Germans and the Austrians will wake up from their lethargy, will make an end to the abominable reign of Hohenzollern and Hapsburg and proclaim a Republic in Germany and Austria. All the pretexts for the prolongation of the war would then be eliminated, would then lose their raison etre. With the abolition of the greatest semiabsolute monarchies in Europe the remaining shadows of monarchical government would be swept away in the upheaval.
The old democracy is played out. Militarism and democracy are incompatible; imperialism and democracy are antagonists; but militarism in its highest potency, and ruthless imperialism, are the most powerful, the most important helpers, and the scientifically proven life nerves of modern capitalism. It is therefore clear that the maintenance and the prolongation of the life and rule of capitalism presume the abolition of democratic institutions.
The bourgeoisie bowed formerly to democracy, but militarism and imperialism made it wiser. Imperialism has no need of de