20.11.1997

Russia in travail

From ‘The Call’, paper of the British Socialist Party, November 22 1917

The conflicting reports and rumours that emanated from Russia during last week made it impossible to arrive at any conclusion as to what was happening there. No doubt the character of the news reflected the turmoil and distraction that existed as a result of the clash of rival forces.

A clearer view of what transpired could be obtained towards the end of last week, and the despatch of the Daily News correspondent in Petrograd gives rise to the hope that a satisfactory solution will be arrived at. It is clear, at any rate, that the forces of Kerensky, after a temporary success, have been defeated.

This in itself does not assure an immediate return to tranquillity. The more hopeful news is the action of the railway workers’ union. It issued a circular-telegram stating that civil war was imposed by a body of men who were unable to maintain authority; hence the union decided only to support a socialist government of all shades, including the Bolsheviks. The railway union has of course power to command respect for its wishes, as if it so desired it could paralyse the movement of both sides. It did in fact declare a strike for Sunday last.

On the same evening a conference took place between the union and the socialist parties. A programme was drawn up, including the formation of a socialist government, an early peace and the transfer of land to agrarian committees. No agreement however could be reached on the inclusion of the Bolsheviks in the proposed government.

The defeat of Kerensky has strengthened the position of the Bolsheviks, who insisted upon participation in the government. It was proposed to organise a Council of the People, consisting of representatives of the soviets, the peasants, all the socialist parties, the Petrograd and Moscow city councils and the railway and postal trade unions, for purposes of forming the new government.

Naturally interest attaches to the attitude of the army. At a meeting of the All-Army Committee the chairman stated that the army committees desired a socialist government with the Bolsheviks excluded, though stress does not seem to have been laid on the latter point, inasmuch as the army committees would accept a government including a minority of Bolsheviks. He stated that the Fifth Army had gone over to the Bolsheviks. The northern front was neutral. All the others were on the side of the Salvation Committee. This however does not mean that they would support a Kerensky-Kaledun-Kornilov combination.

The proposals of the railway union provide the most hopeful means of dealing with the situation. Control in the hands of a socialist government would serve the best interests of Russia and the Russian people. If this is accomplished, the Bolshevik revolution will have been justified.