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Document No. 9

MANIFESTO ISSUED ON DECEMBER 19, 1917, BY THE SOVIET OF RAILWAY, PETROGRAD DISTRICT, TO THE RAILROAD EMPLOYEES OF ALL THE RUSSIAN RAILWAY SYSTEMS

COMRADES! The general confusion into which the country was plunged by the government of the landholders and capitalists, which for eight months has been operating without the slightest accounting or control, has been particularly manifest in the railways, which constitute one of the most important functions of the national economic life.

Even without this, the transportation system, after being dislocated by the war, had fallen into complete disorganization because of the criminal carelessness, ignorance, and lack of preparation on the part of the higher officials of the railroads, of the guardians, who, although they were entrusted with the guidance of the hundreds of thousands of white slaves constituting the lower ranks of the service, were interested only in keeping their own jobs safe, completely forgetting the hopeless situation of the lower employees.

Thus the railroads of our country were gradually enveloped in an increasing state of disorder, the possibility of through traffic and transportation over the roads was reduced to a minimum, the rolling stock was in bad repair, the number of "sick" cars and locomotives was increasing day by day, the lack of traction material is becoming seriously felt; there is a constant increase in the difficulties experienced at traffic centers and transfer points; the normal flow of "empties" to the important points from which provisions are constantly moving to the capitals and to the army, was being constantly interrupted; the most important centers, Moscow and Petrograd, were congested; there, at other times, an insufficiency of rolling stock was felt when thousands of cars that were being held up at transfer points were preventing the proper operation of the roads.

It is not possible to give a detailed picture here of the whole mess, but it is necessary to point out that if, in this vast confusion, it is still possible for a citizen of Russia to move about somewhat in his own country, this possibility must be ascribed to the slavish devotion alone, the almost intolerable exertions of the lower ranks of railway employees — workmen, foremen, clerks, especially the men working out on the line.

The consciousness of our duty to the country and to the revolution impels us, the lower employees of the railroads, to stand by our posts under conditions that are intolerably severe, in spite

of the fact that the coalition ministry of agreement (Kerensky Cabinet), in a number of proclamations, criminally betraying the interests of the toiling masses for the advantage of capital, completely forgot the railway slaves, fed them on promises and used only the most merciless measures in dealing with the disobedient. Ministers changed, the wording of their promises changed, but the poverty of the poor railway employees increased.

The hopes of the railway men to have the aid of their own Trade Organization have not been realized.

This organization, the All-Russian Railway Organization, the so-called "Vikzhel" (Vserossiskyi Zhelyeznodorozhny Sayuz), from the very beginning of its existence, assumed the impress of the policy of coalition and compromise which was characteristic of the Kerensky government.

Being elected at a removal of two, three and even four degrees from the original voter, "Vikzhel," consisting of persons cut off from the great masses of the railway workers, has not reflected, and does not reflect the will and the hopes of these masses, and has never fought for their demands.

On the contrary, all this time, especially at the moment when there were bitter conflicts between the broad masses of the workers with the landholders and capitalists, this organization stood openly by the side of those who fought, with a policy of union with the landholders and capitalists, against the workers and the peasants.

This fight against the workers and peasants came out with particular clearness in November, at the time of the successful uprising of the workers and soldiers.

Comrades! There are still many struggles ahead, the workers and peasants will still have many conflicts with the landholders and capitalists, the Kaledins, Kornilovs, and Kerenskys; all workers, all toilers, should unite in one faithful family around their peasants' and workers' government, born in the Second AllRussian Congress of Soviets of Workers', Soldiers' and Peasants' Delegates.

Comrades! All for one and one for all! Only by our united strength and not by the wretched policy of agreement pursued by the "Vikzhel," can we improve our lot. Only by supporting the outspoken policy of the Council of People's Commissaires can we prevent the sabotage and the opposition now being practised by our superior officials, those managers and servants of

the roads who were formerly the chinovniks and employees of the Czarist government, in their fight against the success of our workers' and peasants' government.

This criminal sabotage must be stopped!

Comrades, support the Council of People's Commissaires!

Document No. 10

FROM THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF LABOR TO ALL WORKERS COMRADES: Hard and difficult times are ahead of us for the industries of our country which were mobilized without any system during three and a half years of the war and were conducted for the sole purpose of war-profiteering, are now losing a considerable part of their contracts. The slowdown of war industries is taking place at the moment of the greatest struggle between two classes, two worlds- the world of capitalist exploitation and oppression, and the world of fraternal co-operation of all the oppressed. The political struggle between capital and labor throughout the whole country is being accompanied by a threatening economic disorganization. The organizers of the capitalist production the owners of plants, factory owners, bankers with all their clique of lackey partisans (officials, engineers, and others) fed on the crumbs of the profiteers attempt to utilize the coming crisis so that the deadly grip of hunger and disorganization will tighten the noose on the necks of the working class and thus crush the revolution.

Every worker, soldier, peasant, all the sons of the revolution. must at this crucial hour unite and consciously use their capabilities, strong hands and mighty shoulders to preserve our economic system from that disorganization. Enterprises released from war orders and labor organizations must adapt themselves to the production of the vital necessaries for national consumption. Everyone must now remember that he works not for accumulating profits for capitalists but for the benefit of all the toilers; that the workers and peasants are becoming the real masters of our country and all must regard the factories, plants, other enterprises and forms of work with such unselfish considerations as befits the Socialist state of society.

The slowdown of war orders, the horrible disorganization which results in the cessation of work at the plants would bring grief to the worker's heart, and the spectre of hunger and the fear of oncoming unemployment hovers over the heads of the large toiling masses. This fear inherited from our enslaved fathers

keeps our vigorous thoughts in capitalist captivity, dwarfs our great aspirations for the emancipation of the whole mankind from the yoke of exploitation, and overcomes them with fears for the morrow.

Only when the control shall rest in the hands of labor organizations, central as well as local, and energetically and actively applied, not hesitating even to use most drastic measures against capitalists, should the latter deliberately neglect the duties imposed on them;-only when the control shall be put in close and direct contact with the general regulation and organization of production, in individual enterprises, as well as in a whole branch of an industry — only then will it accomplish its aims and justify the expectations held out for it.

Control should be precisely understood as a transitory step toward an organization of the whole economic structure of the country on a social basis, as the immediate and necessary step in that direction, made by the masses themselves, and parallel with the work done in the central organs of the national economy. Petrograd, July, 1918.

Document No. 11

SOVIET CIRCULARS

(Issued to Foreign Soldiers on Russian Soil)

RUSSIAN SOCIALIST FEDERAL SOVIET REPUBLIC

a. WHY HAVE YOU COME TO UKRAINE?

To British and American Soldiers:

FELLOW WOBKINGMEN!-Why have you come to Ukraine? Do you not know that the war is over? An armistice is declared on the Western front, and preparations are being made for the peace conference. Yet instead of arrangements being made for you to return home, to those dear ones, who with keen longing will be expecting you, you have been brought here to start a new war in Russia.

What have you got to fight for now?

When the allied governments invaded Russia from the North, in Mourmansk, and Archangel, and the East from Vladivostok, they publicly made a solemn declaration that they had no hostile. intentions against the Russian people. They said, they had come in fact to help us to get out of the clutches of German Imperialism. President Wilson gave as an additional reason that he de

sired to protect the Czecho-Slovaks, who he alleged were in danger of being betrayed to the Germans.

These were merely hypocritical pretexts.

Russia was not in

the grip of the Kaiser. Russia did not want this kind of assistance of the Allies. The Czecho-Slovaks were in no danger of betrayal. They were at perfect liberty to leave Russia unharmed, but they were bribed by the Allies to take up arms against the Russian Republic, and were until we had defeated them, a source of danger to us.

But what excuse is there now for this fresh landing in the Ukraine, openly directed against Russia? It may be that you have been kept in ignorance of the tremendous events that have taken place during the last month, although that is hardly possible. We tell you then, that there have been revolutions in Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary and Germany.

Prussianism has been overthrown by the German workers and soldiers. Kaiser Wilhelm has fled to Holland. The Crown Prince has been shot. There is a new government in Berlin controlled by a Workers' and Soldiers' Council.

On the west front fighting has ceased and the Germans, French, and British soldiers are fraternizing.

In Austria-Hungary too the old order has been overthrown by the workers. The Emperor Karl has abdicated. Hungary has broken away from Austria, and the Czecho-Slovaks, as well as the other nations hitherto under the dominion of the Hapsburgs have established their independence.

What pretext have the Allied governments now for invading Russia from the South? The menace of Prussian militarism no longer exists thanks to the German revolution. We have offered to the Czecho-Slovaks all facilities to return to their own country, to join their liberated countrymen. There is no excuse at all for your landing in the Ukraine. If there was ever the slightest doubt as to the intentions of the Allied governments, there can be none now. The purpose of the Allied invasion of Russia is to crush the Socialist Republic, and re-establish the reign of capitalism and landlordism. You surely cannot be unaware of the tremendous change that has taken place in Russia. We have abolished capitalism and landlordism. The land belongs to the whole people. So, too, do the factories, mines, railways and all the means of wealth production. All these things are under the direct control of workers, and peasants. We are constructing a

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