Ten Days That Shook the World Part 22

5. All inventoried agricultural property of the confiscated lands, machinery and live-stock, are transferred without compensation to the State or the community, according to their quant.i.ty and importance.

The confiscation of such machinery or live-stock shall not apply to the small properties of peasants.

6. The right to use the land is granted to all citizens, without distinction of s.e.x, who wish to work the land themselves, with the help of their families, or in partners.h.i.+p, and only so long as they are able to work. No hired labour is permitted.

In the event of the incapacity for work of a member of the commune for a period of two years, the commune shall be bound to render him a.s.sistance during this time by working his land in common.

Farmers who through old age or sickness have permanently lost the capacity to work the land themselves, shall surrender their land and receive instead a Government pension.

7. The use of the land should be equalised-that is to say, the land shall be divided among the workers according to local conditions, the unit of labour and the needs of the individual.

The way in which land is to be used may be individually determined upon: as homesteads, as farms, by communes, by partners.h.i.+ps, as will be decided by the villages and settlements.

8. All land upon its confiscation is pooled in the general People's Land Fund. Its distribution among the workers is carried out by the local and central organs of administration, beginning with the village democratic organisations and ending with the central provincial inst.i.tutions-with the exception of urban and rural cooperative societies.

The Land Fund is subject to periodical redistribution according to the increase of population and the development of productivity and rural economy.

In case of modification of the boundaries of allotments, the original centre of the allotment remains intact.

The lands of persons retiring from the community return to the Land Fund; providing that near relatives of the persons retiring, or friends designated by them, shall have preference in the redistribution of these lands.

When lands are returned to the Land Fund, the money expended for manuring or improving the land, which has not been exhausted, shall be reimbursed.

If in some localities the Land Fund is insufficient to satisfy the local population, the surplus population should emigrate.

The organisation of the emigration, also the costs thereof, and the providing of emigrants with the necessary machinery and live-stock, shall be the business of the State.

The emigration shall be carried out in the following order: first, the peasants without land who express their wish to emigrate; then the undesirable members of the community, deserters, etc., and finally, by drawing lots on agreement.

All which is contained in this nakaz, being the expression of the indisputable will of the great majority of conscious peasants of Russia, is declared to be a temporary law, and until the convocation of the Const.i.tuent a.s.sembly, becomes effective immediately so far as is possible, and in some parts of it gradually, as will be determined by the District Soviets of Peasants' Deputies.

4.

THE LAND AND DESERTERS.

The Government was not forced to make any decision concerning the rights of deserters to the land. The end of the war and the demobilisation of the army automatically removed the deserter problem....

5.

THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS.

The Council of People's Commissars was at first composed entirely of Bolsheviki. This was not entirely the fault of the Bolsheviki, however. On November 8th they offered portfolios to members of the Left Socialist Revolutionaries, who declined. See page 273. {of original volume} APPENDIX TO CHAPTER VI.

1.

APPEALS AND DENUNCIATIONS.

Appeal to all Citizens and to the Military Organisations of the Socialist Revolutionary Party.

"The senseless attempt of the Bolsheviki is on the eve of complete failure. The garrison is disaffected.... The Ministries are idle, bread is lacking. All factions except a handful of Bolsheviki have left the Congress of Soviets. The Bolsheviki are alone! Abuses of all sorts, acts of vandalism and pillage, the bombardment of the Winter Palace, arbitrary arrests-all these crimes committed by the Bolsheviki have aroused against them the resentment of the majority of the sailors and soldiers. The Tsentroflot refuses to submit to the orders of the Bolsheviki....

"We call upon all sane elements to gather around the Committee for Salvation of Country and Revolution; to take serious measures to be ready, at the first call of the Central Committee of the Party, to act against the counter-revolutionists, who will doubtless attempt to profit by these troubles provoked by the Bolshevik adventure, and to watch closely the external enemy, who also would like to take advantage of this opportune moment when the Front is weakened...."

_The Military Section of the Central Committee of the Socialist Revolutionary Party._ * * * * *

From Pravda: "What is Kerensky?

"A usurper, whose place is in Peter-Paul prison, with Kornilov and Kishkin.

"A criminal and a traitor to the workers, soldiers and peasants, who believed in him.

"Kerensky? A murderer of soldiers!

"Kerensky? A public executioner of peasants!

"Kerensky? A strangler of workers!

"Such is the second Kornilov who now wants to butcher Liberty!"

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER VII.

1.

TWO DECREES.

On the Press.

In the serious decisive hour of the Revolution and the days immediately following it, the Provisional Revolutionary Committee is compelled to adopt a series of measures against the counter-revolutionary press of all shades.

Immediately on all sides there are cries that the new Socialist authority is in this violating the essential principles of its own programme by an attempt against the freedom of the press.

The Workers' and Peasants' Government calls the attention of the population to the fact that in our country, behind this liberal s.h.i.+eld, is hidden the opportunity for the wealthier cla.s.ses to seize the lion's share of the whole press, and by this means to poison the popular mind and bring confusion into the consciousness of the ma.s.ses.

Every one knows that the bourgeois press is one of the most powerful weapons of the bourgeoisie. Especially in this critical moment, when the new authority of the workers and peasants is in process of consolidation, it is impossible to leave it in the hands of the enemy, at a time when it is not less dangerous than bombs and machine-guns. This is why temporary and extraordinary measures have been adopted for the purpose of stopping the flow of filth and calumny in which the yellow and green press would be glad to drown the young victory of the people.

As soon as the new order is consolidated, all administrative measures against the press will be suspended; full liberty will be given it within the limits of responsibility before the law, in accordance with the broadest and most progressive regulations....

Bearing in mind, however, the fact that any restrictions of the freedom of the press, even in critical moments, are admissible only within the bounds of necessity, the Council of People's Commissars decrees as follows: 1. The following cla.s.ses of newspapers shall be subject to closure: (a) Those inciting to open resistance or disobedience to the Workers' and Peasants' Government; (b) Those creating confusion by obviously and deliberately perverting the news; (c) Those inciting to acts of a criminal character punishable by the laws.

2. The temporary or permanent closing of any organ of the press shall be carried out only by virtue of a resolution of the Council of People's Commissars.

3. The present decree is of a temporary nature, and will be revoked by a special ukaz when normal conditions of public life are re-established.

President of the Council of People's Commissars, VLADIMIR ULIANOV (LENIN).

On Workers' Militia.

1. All Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies shall form a Workers' Militia.

2. This Workers' Militia shall be entirely at the orders of the Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies.

3. Military and civil authorities must render every a.s.sistance in arming the workers and in supplying them with technical equipment, even to the extent of requisitioning arms belonging to the War Department of the Government.

4. This decree shall be promulgated by telegraph. Petrograd, November 10, 1917.

People's Commissar of the Interior.

A. I. RYKOV.

This decree encouraged the formation of companies of Red Guards all over Russia, which became the most valuable arm of the Soviet Government in the ensuing civil war.

2.

THE STRIKE FUND.

The fund for the striking Government employees and bank clerks was subscribed by banks and business houses of Petrograd and other cities, and also by foreign corporations doing business in Russia. All who consented to strike against the Bolsheviki were paid full wages, and in some cases their pay was increased. It was the realisation of the strike fund contributors that the Bolsheviki were firmly in power, followed by their refusal to pay strike benefits, which finally broke the strike.

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER VIII.

1.

KERENSKY'S ADVANCE.

On November 9th Kerensky and his Cossacks arrived at Gatchina, where the garrison, hopelessly split into two factions, immediately surrendered. The members of the Gatchina Soviet were arrested, and at first threatened with death; later they were released on good behaviour.

The Cossack advance-guards, practically unopposed, occupied Pavlovsk, Alexandrovsk and other stations, and reached the outskirts of Tsarskoye Selo next morning-November 10th. At once the garrison divided into three groups-the officers, loyal to Kerenskly; part of the soldiers and non-commissioned officers, who declared themselves "neutral"; and most of the rank and file, who were for the Bolsheviki. The Bolshevik soldiers, who were without leaders or organisation, fell back toward the capital. The local Soviet also withdrew to the village of Pulkovo.

From Pulkovo six members of the Tsarskoye Selo Soviet went with an automobile-load of proclamations to Gatchina, to propagandise the Cossacks. They spent most of the day going around Gatchina from one Cossack barracks to another, pleading, arguing and explaining. Toward evening some officers discovered their presence and they were arrested and brought before General Krasnov, who said, "You fought against Kornilov; now you are opposing Kerensky. I'll have you all shot!"

After reading aloud to them the order appointing him commander-in-chief of the Petrograd District, Krasnov asked if they were Bolsheviki. They replied in the affirmative-upon which Krasnov went away; a short time later an officer came and set them free, saying that it was by order of General Krasnov....

In the meanwhile delegations continued to arrive from Petrograd; from the Duma, the Committee for Salvation, and, last of all, from the Vikzhel. The Union of Railway Workers insisted that some agreement be reached to halt the civil war, and demanded that Kerensky treat with the Bolsheviki, and that he stop the advance on Petrograd. In case of refusal, the Vikzhel threatened a general strike at midnight of November 11th.

Kerensky asked to be allowed to discuss the matter with the Socialist Ministers and with the Committee for Salvation. He was plainly undecided.

On the 11th Cossack outposts reached Krasnoye Selo, from which the local Soviet and the heterogeneous forces of the Military Revolutionary Committee precipitately retired, some of them surrendering.... That night they also touched Pulkovo, where the first real resistance was encountered....

Cossacks deserters began to dribble into Petrograd, declaring that Kerensky had lied to them, that he had spread broadcast over the front proclamations which said that Petrograd was burning, that the Bolsheviki had invited the Germans to come in, and that they were murdering women and children and looting indiscriminately....

The Military Revolutionary Committee immediately sent out some dozens of "agitators," with thousands of printed appeals, to inform the Cossacks of the real situation....

2.

PROCLAMATIONS OF THE MILITARY REVOLUTIONARY COMMITTEE.

"To All Soviets of Workers', Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies.

"The All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers', Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies charges the local Soviets immediately to take the most energetic measures to oppose all counter-revolutionary anti-Semitic disturbances, and all pogroms of whatever nature. The honour of the workers', peasants' and soldiers' Revolution cannot tolerate any disorders....

"The Red Guard of Petrograd, the revolutionary garrison and the sailors have maintained complete order in the capital.

"Workers, soldiers, and peasants, everywhere you should follow the example of the workers and soldiers of Petrograd.

"Comrades soldiers and Cossacks, on us falls the duty of keeping real revolutionary order.

"All revolutionary Russia and the whole world have their eyes on you...."

"The All-Russian Congress of Soviets decrees: "To abolish capital punishment at the Front, which was reintroduced by Kerensky.

"Complete freedom of propaganda is to be re-established in the country. All soldiers and revolutionary officers now under arrest for so-called political 'crimes' are at once to be set free."

"The ex-Premier Kerensky, overthrown by the people, refuses to submit to the Congress of Soviets and attempts to struggle against the legal Government elected by the All-Russian Congress-the Council of People's Commissars. The Front has refused to aid Kerensky. Moscow has rallied to the new Government. In many cities (Minsk, Moghilev, Kharkov) the power is in the hands of the Soviets. No infantry detachment consents to march against the Workers' and Peasants' Government, which, in accord with the firm will of the Army and the people, has begun peace negotiations and has given the land to the peasants....

"We give public warning that if the Cossacks do not halt Kerensky, who has deceived them and is leading them against Petrograd, the revolutionary forces will rise with all their might for the defence of the precious conquests of the Revolution-Peace and Land.

"Citizens of Petrograd! Kerensky fled from the city, abandoning the authority to Kishkin, who wanted to surrender the capital to the Germans; Rutenburg, of the Black Band, who sabotaged the Munic.i.p.al Food Supply; and Paltchinsky, hated by the whole democracy. Kerensky has fled, abandoning you to the Germans, to famine, to b.l.o.o.d.y ma.s.sacres. The revolting people have arrested Kerensky's Ministers, and you have seen how the order and supplying of Petrograd at once improved. Kerensky, at the demand of the aristocrat proprietors, the capitalists, speculators, marches against you for the purpose of giving back the land to the land-owners, and continuing the hated and ruinous war.

"Citizens of Petrograd! We know that the great majority of you are in favour of the people's revolutionary authority, against the Kornilovtsi led by Kerensky. Do not be deceived by the lying declarations of the impotent bourgeois conspirators, who will be pitilessly crushed.

"Workers, soldiers, peasants! We call upon you for revolutionary devotion and discipline.

"Millions of peasants and soldiers are with us.

"The victory of the people's Revolution is a.s.sured!"

3.

ACTS OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE's COMMISSARS.

In this book I am giving only such decrees as are in my opinion pertinent to the Bolshevik conquest of power. The rest belong to a detailed account of the Structure of the Soviet State, for which I have no place in this work. This will be dealt with very fully in the second volume, now in preparation, "Kornilov to Brest-Litovsk."

Concerning Dwelling-Places 1. The independent Munic.i.p.al Self-Governments have the right to sequestrate all unoccupied or uninhabited dwelling-places.

2. The Munic.i.p.alities may, according to laws and arrangements established by them, install in all available lodgings citizens who have no place to live, or who live in congested or unhealthy lodgings.

3. The Munic.i.p.alities may establish a service of inspection of dwelling-places, organise it and define its powers.

4. The Munic.i.p.alities may issue orders on the inst.i.tution of House Committees, define their organisation, their powers and give them juridical authority.

5. The Munic.i.p.alities may create Housing Tribunals, define their powers and their authority.

6. This decree is promulgated by telegraph.

People's Commissar of the Interior, A. I. RYKOV.