466 THE CLASS STRUGGLE RECONSTRUCTION IN RUSSIA 467 sian republic through specially organized organs. All foreign transactions not known to these organs are prohibited. Note Regulations governing exports and imports by parcel post and of personal baggage will be issued separately. Article The People Commissariat of Trade and Industry is being instituted. Representatives of the following organizations will be members of this council. 1) Military, marine, agricultural, food supply, communication, foreign affairs and finance departments. 2)
central organizations managing branches of industry, such as tea, sugar, textiles, etc. including representatives of all branches of the Supreme Council of National Economy. 3) central organizations of cooperative societies. 4) central organizations of professional unions, tradesmen and commercial enterprises. 5) central organs of commercial enterprises dealing in exports and imports of important goods. Note The People Commissariat of Trade and Industry has the right to choose members of this organization from other organizations not herein mentioned.
Article The Council of Foreign Trade is arranging a plan of exchange of goods with foreign countries, which is being worked out by the Commissariat of Trade and Industry. The duties of the Council of Foreign Trade are the following: Keeping a register of the demand and supply of exported and imported goods; organizing foreign purchase through the government against (requisitions by) cooperative societies and firms; regulating the prices of imported and exported goods.
Article The Council of Foreign Trade is divided according to the different branches of manufacture and the important groups of exports and imports. The chairmen of these branches are representatives of the People Commissariat of Trade and Industry. The chairman of the whole is also a representative of this commissariat. Note Regulations, duties, etc. of the Council of Foreign Tradę will de given further special attention. All decisions of the council are submitted to the Commissariat of Trade and Industry for approval. Article This decree is in force from the day of publication.
authority violated the fundamental principle of its program with threats against the freedom of the press.
The Workers and Peasants Government wishes to call the attention of the people to the fact that behind the screen of liberty lurks, in fact, freedom for the propertied classes to usurp unto themselves the power, without hindrance, poison and bring confusion into the minds of the masses.
Everyone knows that the press of the bourgeoisie is one of the most powerful weapons of the bourgeoisie. Especially in a critical moment, when our power, the power of the workers and peasants, is only being strengthened, it is impossible to leave these weapons entirely in the hands of the enemy, at a time when they are not less dangerous than bombs and bullets. This is the reason why temporary and extraordinary measures were taken to cut off the stream of mud and slander of the yellow press which threatened to submerge the young victory of the people.
Just as soon as the new order is strengthened, all administrative measures against the press will cease. Complete freedom will be established within limits answerable to courts of justice and in accord with a broad and progressive law for the purpose.
Taking into consideration, however, that the suppression of the press even in critical times is allowable only within absolutely indispensable limits, the Council of People Commissaires decrees: The following organs of the press are subject to suppression. a) Those calling for open opposition to and disobedience of the Workers and Peasants Government. b) Those creating confusion by means of an open and slanderous distortion of facts. c) Those calling for acts clearly criminal.
Decree of the Council of People Commissaires creating a Department against the Counter revolutionary Propaganda.
In the difficult and decisive hour of change and in the days immediately following, the Temporary Revolutionary Committee was compelled to undertake a whole series of measures against all sorts of counter revolutionary publications.
Immediately from all sides issued cries that the new Socialist Suppression of organs of the press, temporary or permanent, is to be dealt with through regulations of the Council of People Commissaires. The present situation has a temporary character, and these measures will be changed upon the introduction of normal conditions of life. The printing of advertisements in periodicals and posters, as well as the issuing of advertisements to kiosks, offices, etc. is now a monopoly of the state. Only publications of the present government in Petrograd,