Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-01-31

II was not a mere accident that the
conflict between the BolsheVlkl ana
the constituent assembly was personi-
fed in the conflict between
Lenine and V. NJ. Chernof. the cnair-
man of the assembly. Chernof IS the
cIalist- Revolutionists, the party Of the
Russian peasantry. The peasantry
constitutes about IS per cent Of Rus
s,a's entire population. Not the city
proletariat, partially influenced by the
Bolsheviki. will say the last word in
Russia's reconstruction. 1t is the
reasantry which will finally decide the
fate Of the Russian state: therefore.
every document which d%iscloses the
true stand Of the Russian ~peasantry
Ut this time Of the gravest national
CRISIS has especial significance n
value.
Among the nan documents con-
nected with the Bolshev;ki revolt,
which we have just received from
Pctrograd. of primary interest for the
! American public art two manlfestoes
issued by the executive comnlttee OF
the All-Russian council OF peasants
delegates. The first was issued on the
twentieth Of October (Russian calen-
dar), that means five days before the
Bolshcviki revolt. The second one was
issued on the twenty-sixth Of October,
Immediately after the B~olsheviki re-
volt. The documents speak for them
selves. The first n reads:
Observation-Disclosures in suffering
and travail-workers and soldiers!
People who do not realize suffi-
GENTLY well the consequence of their
actions, and the dark forces pursuing
their own criminal ends. call upon
| YOU to go out into the street and by
force OF arms overthrow the provi-
sional government and usurp the
power. These people are not satisfied
with the eight hundred innocent vic
Tins of the civilian population, the
fathers and mothers who persisted
rccklcssly and .uselcssly in the days
Of the first demonstration, on July
3-5th. These victims have not yet
been forgotten by their relatives. The
mothers who lost their children and
the children who lost their parents
in those days of terror and insanity
have not yet ceased %deploring their
losses. And now they are preparing
for us another civil war, just as sense.
less and mad as the first n e.
And all this is being done only a
little over a month before the. opening
of the All-Russian constituent assem-.
bly,, which alone will have the right
to solve the question Of government
for its members will he selected by the
entire population, both men and wom-
en-. in the most democratic way, and
Will therefore represent the true voice
and will of the Russian people.
You are being called upon to take
part in a civil war at a moment when
the true fighters for. land and liberty
for the freedom and happiness of the
labOring masses. should not be LOSING
time. but be ever now taking 4. most
active part in the electoral campaigr
for the purpose of sending to the con.
stituent assembly the greatest posi-
bic number of genuine champions OF
the interests Of labor. You are called
upon to wage civil wal at a time when
the cruz foe is constantly tearing of
new portions Of u land. is threaten.
ing II capital. m%enacing our liberty
and all that which the toilers have
already won n that which they are
bound to win in the near future. while
millions of our brothers in German
captivity are being starved to death
bones covering all Germany.
Instead of calling you to defend
your country against the hordes OF
the German emperor, who are de.
stroying our soldiers. like insects
with as~phyAiating gases. who are EN-.
ployinE every device invented by. mar
for the destruction Of his kinH agains,
!i'NSS civ uSICIulIS our NJ
instead of calling you to defend your.
self against the enemy, at the head
Of whose forces you find Kaiser viii.
helm and the Russian landed aristo.
crateS--the greatest enemy of all lib
crty: instead of calling you to defend
all the rights of the 1aboring masses
of all countries, instead of this, YOU
are called upon to fight Your owr
brothers.
"One may make all kinds of sacri.
fees in tile defense of the workers and
the oppressed, but what useful u
pose will this bloodshed serve, OF
what avail will these sacrifices be!
Russia is now the most democratic
country in the world. AS a matter OF
fart. all power is now in the hand,
Of the people. and in the ranks of the
provisional government we see people
who have proven their devotion tc
the cause of the working people
through the long years spent in prison
and in exile. during. the cars regime
If we allow the usurpation Of pow.
err in Petrograd by force, we set 9
precedent for all those who will hay,
the opportunity to do likewise in othe,
parts of the country. There is thu