The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-19
Remarkable Statement is Made
Telling How He Became a
Social ReVO|uiOnist
is BRILLIANT MAN AND
HAD INDEPENDENT FORTUNE
Education Is Thorough and He Says
the Russian Government Forced
Him to Take the Course
He Did.

ST. Petersburg, March 1.-(Correspond-
ence Of the Associated Press.)-Before
Sasoneff, the assassin Of Minister OF tho
Interior Won Plehve was brought to trial
he composed lengthy statement which
he intended to present to the judges as
justification Of his act. His lawyer at
the time informed the Associated Press
that the document alone proved Sasoneff
was not only man of superior intellect,
but a deep thinker.
Owing to the limited time allowed at the
trial Sasoneff was unable to read the
document to the judges, being Obliged to
contend himself with brief oral state
ment. The document which, however, was
made part of the record In the case, has
now fallen into the hands of the Asso-
ciated Press and aside from its remark
able character proves especially inter-
esting at this time as 1t sets forth the
views and aims Of the Fighting Organiza-
ton of the social revolutionary party
which has just brought about the death
of the Grand Duke Sergius. 1t shows
clearly that acts of terror committed by
the Fighting Organization are in the
execution of sentences passed upon Of
fcials and others held responsible for
full propaganda of the larger party. The
acts for which Won Plehve was condemned
are given in detail But perhaps the most
interesting portion of the statement is
the pathetic personal biography of Saso-
nen and the analysis of the mental pro-
cess by which he gradually grew inter-
ested in political actions becoming an
advocate Of socialism and later being
driven by suffering in exile into the
ranks of the terrorists, by whom he was
chosen to kill Won Plehve.
Sasoneffs Statement In Full.
Sasoneff's statement follows:
II am accused of playing an active role
In the fighting section of the social DEM
ocrats, which 1t is said has as its aim to
overthrow the present form of govern
ment and the established laws of Rus
STA, and the existing social conditions OF
Russia.
II am accused of using explosives for
numbering officials of the state; and
Il am accused of having killed the Min
lister of Interior, Plehve, to attain the
ends Of the social democrats.
ITO these accusations can answer:
Eyes, | was a member of the social
revolutionists and had the honor of be-
ing a member of the fighting section OF
tn, social democrats, and by the latter's
orders l killed Plehve. do not consider
either the society or myself guilty Of the
intentions of which we are accused, VIZ:
TO by force attempt the overthrow OF the
existing form of government and the So
cial conditions of the country. The So
ciety has no such large aims as to over
throw the form of autocratic government
in Russia.
First OF all ! must state that one can
not say that the fighting section Is
secret society in the usual sense OF the
word. The fighting organization is not
f<dx hut only Tq RI n
big party of social revoutionists, and the
'fghting organization follows out strict
" the orders of the larger society. There
fort 1t is not possible to talk about the
fighting organization alone, but one
must also include the party OF social rev.
olutionists.
Answer BY Armed Attacks.
~ cannot say that it is by means of
the activity of the fighting organization
that the social revolutionists wish to do
away with the autocratic form of govern
rent or even the present social condi-
lions in Russia, nor is it by means of
terroristic acts that they intend to gain
their ends, but there is one thing which
the party meets by terroristic acts carried
out by members of the fighting organiza-
t,on and that is to answer by armed
attack those acts of the government
where the lives and honor of Russian
citizens are not spared. not to speak of
the life and honor of the Russian revo-
lutionists.
1--WE are not party of force. Our
party Is in principle against all forms OF
force and attaining their aims by force.
The ideals of the party, as are also the
means by which they agitate for their
ideals, are all of peaceful character. How
much the ideals of the social revolution
lists are peaceful is shown from the fact
that the government laws do not forbid
the entry into the country Of many books
of socalistic nature. 1t Is not we who
agitate amongst the various classes of
society. The agitation arises without our
helm. 1t is not we who made the classes
and they are not 'one whole and with
one interest As many as there in
society different groups of inhabitants
with different means Of existence, so
MANY are there different interests which
arc in no way mutual. The peasants and
worhmen have one interest. the labor
employers and land owners have others
We social democrats support the interests
Of the working classes.
Learn Needs of the People.
"Jt ia our task to try to learn the needs
~ fhe people, and also to learn how they
can be fulfilled. We socialists find that
IN society there ought not to exist any
exploitation on one part OF the popula-
ton by the other, and that all the means
~ production, such as workshops. factor
les and the land. ought not to belong to
individuals. but to society at large and
should always be under the control and
management Of the people. Such is our
anal ideal which means peace on the
face Of the earth and for the peoples
thereof All the rest of our tasks are in
strict accordance with this ideal. 1t is
our leading star
s'our present task we consider to be to
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