New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-29
Five Great Parties
In Russian Politics
By Isaac Don Levine

There has been much transformation
spread in this country as to the origin
and character of the Russian political
parties. American correspondents, not
initiated into Russian politics, have
been making all kinds of absurd state
ments as to the meaning Of the Boil
sheviki, Mensheviki, Cadets and other
rarties. The following list, dealing
with the five major parties of the day
is designed for reference IN connection
with the present political developments
BOLSHEVIKI-Th Bolsheviki form
the Left, or radical, wing OF the nus
sian Social Democratic party. inns
party is largely the organization OF
the proletariat A split occurred in
its midst in 1906. The ultra-radicals,
led by Nikolai Lenine, were then IN
the majority, or "bolshinstyo, and
hence derived their name of BolshevlA,
which meant the majority faction. To-
day the Bolsheviki arc also known as
Maximalists, Leninites, Extremists,
Zimmerwaldans and Internatonal!sts.
They are opposed to offensive warfare,
they want an immediate general peace
and seek to establish Immediately the
rule Of the prolet3riat.
MENSHEVIKI - The Mensheylkl
comprise the Right, or moderate ele-
ments of the proletarlan Social Dem
ocratic party. In the split OF 1906 they
were in the "menshinstvo," or minority,
and became known as the Menshevlki,
or minority party. In contrast to the
Bolsheyiki the Mensheviki believe IN a
compromise with the bourgeolsie, IN
the fullest prosecution Of the war and
in gradual socialistic reforms.
BOLSHEVIKI SOCIAL REVOLT
TIONARIES.-Thes are the radical ex-
tremists of the Social Revolutionary
party. which is the Socialist organiZa-
ton of the peasantry. These radicals
adopted a few months ago the name
Bolshevik because they were largely
in harmony with the Lenine on the
questions of the day. The Social Revo-
lutionary party is to-day the greatest
and strongest Of Russia's sociallstic or
ranizatlons. The leader of these Boil
sheviki Is Gotz. and apparently also
Victor Tchernof, ex-Minister of Agri-
culture and an almost fanatlcal believer
in the doctrine of communal ownership
of all the land by the peasantry, to be
distributed among them Immediately:
MENSHEVIKI SOCIAL REVOLU-
TIONARIES.-Th are the moderates
of the Social Revolutionary party.
They are also the most nationallstlc OF
all the big Socialist parties. Their
leaders are kerensky, Ayksentlef,
"Babushka" Breshkorakaya. Like the
Mensheviki Of the Social Democratic
party, they favor coalition govern
ment. compromise with the bour-
geoisie, and active warfare against the
enemy.
CADETS.-The word cadets" is built
from the initials OF the word "Consti.
tutional Democrats" which is the full
appellation of the party, the leader OF
which is Paul Miliukof, ex-Minister
for Foreign Affairs. The Constitu-
tional Democrats comprise all the
bourgeois elements OF the nation, the
business and industrial interests as
we'll as the landed and professional
classes. They are sometimes called
Progressives or Liberals. They stand
for conservatism, nationalism, fullest
prosecution of the war in cooperation
with the Allies, and for the postpone
ment Of all internal reform till after
the war.
At the present Democratic Congress
only the first four parties, all social
istic, are represented. The Cadets
have boycotted the congress. The
struggle OF the convention will be be-
tween the Bolsheviki Of the Social
Revolutionary parties, on one side,
and the Mensheyiki of the two same
narties on the other.