The Washington times., 1919-04-15
BOLSHEVIK APPEAL
TO BRITISH TROOPS

BOIsEevik propaganda designed to
upset the morale of allied forces In
Russia, made public 6y the Wpr De-
PcrtmeHt, contains an appeal d.
rcctly to British soldiers to Tecog-
Eize their common cause tUitk the
people of Russia. 1t is beIiVed to be
similar to the literature distributed
to United States troops IN that cosrI-
tFE.
That the propaganda 11dS pre-
pared by some one familiar IOitb
EngIish and English traditions Is
apparent from the language of the
message, qCEtch refers to the inanS0r-
tai Light Brigade. The BoIsheViE
appeal says ,iH part:
SNot a Fight For Liberty"
do you thoroughly realize what
you are doing when you advance
against us?
"Have you asked why you have
been brought here?
yours is not only to do and die;'
yUu also have a right 'to reason why
you have not come here to fight
crush It You have not come here
- establish the rule Of the people.
TOu have come here to overthrow It
SYou know that Russia was, up
TN last year. ruled by the most
brutal, tyrannical and corrupt au-
tocracy known to history. You have
known OF the terTible struggle we
have had against our tyrants. OF
the imprisonment, Of the hanging. Of
the deportation to the mines Of ST.
bsTia
SYou British fellow workers sym
pathfzed with US, then. and often
helped US.
''Did you not rejoice when we over
threw CZarism? You did. Yet you
have come here to restore Il That Is
Why you have come here.
'Tt may not be your intention, but
r IS the. intention Of your govern
ment: it is the intention of the Car
ist officers who are attached to your
general staff.
when you obey their orders you
are carrying out their objects
"They sre not democrats. They are
miiitarists and monarchists. They
have a supreme contempt for the
people. and believe that they alone
have the right to-rule. They hate our
revolution and want to crush it
There IS no doubt that they want
to suppress the revolution and restore
the reign OF the Gar
"Js this fighting for democracy?
els this what you Joined the army
for?'
Printed Last August.
This leafet bears the printers date
OF August 10, last, and was one of
an edition Of 100000. The next Ieahet
is headed "AT-Lies," in order to con-
vey an appeal to the allies as well as
the charge "AlI Lies" to the reader.
The leaflet continues:
In order to obtain the consent Of
the workers Of Britain to the un-
warranted act of aggression against
US, your government gives the fol-
lowing as their reasons for landing
troops in our country.
''One. That they have come to stamp
out anarchy and restore o-der. 1t is
not true.
your government and the French
government are themselves respon-
sible for what disorder there is in
Russia They do not want to restore
order. They want to restore the
Car.
Two. That they have come to help
the Russian people. 1t is not true.
In the first place. is il helping, to
bring war among a people already ex-
hs., BY war? We do not want war.
We peace. We want to be left
alone. 20 consolidate the gains of our
revolution, to organize economic and
social life in such a manner as to Sc
cure to the workers the credits OF
their labor.
IF your Government wanted TO help
the Russian people it would recog-
nize the soviet government and as
Eist US TO reorganize our railways and
Industries. We. in fact, invited your
Government to enter into business re-
lations with US that would have been
10 our mutual advantage. But your
Government made no reply.
welcomed Only BY Starving.
Three. That the allied invasion Of
Russia Is welcomed by the Russian
people. It is not trueI
who is welcoming ycu7 A few
starving peasants whom your Govern
ment bribes with a promise OF food.
These poor people are not glad to see
you. They are only eager for the
food they hope you will bring. Who
else IS welcoming you? The ex-land-
lords OF Russia, who. are expecting
you to restore TO them the land, har-
vests, and mines which are now the
property OF the whole Russian people.