New-York tribune., 1921-03-20
Englishman, Seeking Infomatioa
About the Soviets, Rose to
Position Of Trust
Seeking

R@SAAS Rl0yACAAA w w 4AElloktS HIh,
which produced a storm Of cheering
from the workers who heard him.
One member was openly elected as
an anarchist. Could nothing be
done to eradicate this poison? The
elections must certainly be better
managed next time.
"The military section of the
Soviet took the first steps to
eradicate this poison They issued
a regulation making attendance at
Soviet meetings compulsory. In
case a member failed to do so three
times in succession he was, if
Communist, to- appear before a
party committee and make an ex-
planation; if a non-partisan he was
to be fined and his mandate can
celled.
"Armed with my mandate, made
my way on a hot summer day to the
first meeting of the new Petrograd
Soviet of Workmen's and Soldiers
Deputies. Turning down from the
Liteiny Prospekt, past the ruins of
the old law courts, burned. out in
March, 1917, reached the famous
Tauride Palace, now called the Pal
ace of Uritsky, in honor of the as
sassinated Chief of Police Of Petro-
grad, the seat of the former State
Duma. AS I entered / pictured to
myself the memorable days and.
nights of March, 1917, the burning
excitement, the enthusiasm, the
crowds seizing the news sheets, the
throngs within the Duma, all aglow
with hope of new order and new
life, at night soldiers lying almost
on top of each other, gladly offer
ing their lives for their country and
their revolution.
Il thought, too, of a little man
who had said to ne: What do lib
erty and brotherhood mean? Good
will and kindness. But I see hatred,
much hatred, all about me, and no
one can foretell what will come of it,
"The old mans misgivings proved
to be unfortunately well founded.
This time there was none of the glow
and enthusiasm of the great days of
March ~. There was an air of sup
pressed resentment, Of disillusion-
ment, Of falsehood and counterfeit
enthusiasm. The hand of Bolshev-
ism had wiped out all noble feelings,
all great illusions, all fine aspira-
tions. It was the air Of the old
Czarist oficialdom, with spies and
provocateurs lurking in all corners
watching every one passing by. In
the old days, in the days of Gore
nykin and Stolypin, there were at
least some people inside that meet
ing hall who could rise from their
seats and hurl mighty protests at the
heads Of the tyrant of the people.
To-day, even this small measure of
satisfaction was not to be obtained.
There was nothing but Machiavel-
liam cynicism, brutal selfshness, un-
bounded hatred for everything and
any one venturing to disagree with
the powers that be.
Machine Guns Everywhere
"The fact Of civil war stood out
boldly both inside and outside the
palace. Machine guns on motor
cycles were posted outside, on the
porch. All the windows bristled
with machine guns, the greatest and
most potent argument of Bolshevism.
a company Of soldiers guarded the
entrance.
"The auditorium Of the Tauride is
now altered with decided improve
ments. The wall behind the tribune
has been removed and deep alcove
made, where the members of the
executive committee and special
guests sit. The executive committee
numbers forty people. All legisla-
tion is done by the executive commit
ice and the prssidium. The Soviet
proper never takes part in legisla-
ton. 1t is a mere rubber stamp
wherewith is sealed the will of the
Bolshevist chieftains. BY its char
acter, and especially by the manner
in which the sittings are held, it is
impossible that it should be anything
else. Soviet meetings are held every
two or three weeks, and afford COM
missars and others invited to attend
an opportunity to exercise their ora
torical propinquities.
"The meeting had been officially
announced for o'clock in the after
noon, but the day had been an anx- |
ious one, for, though the strike epi-
demic at that period had been sup
pressed, dissatisfaction was rife, |
among the railway men in particular
and the workers in general.
Complaints were being made