The Washington times., 1922-04-01
season.

path. The first step in that direc-
ton was the Brest-Litovsk peace.
Lenin insisted on the ratification
Of that peace only ito gain q
breathing spell for the revolution" {"
Maria Spiridonova. as we'll as many
other revolutionista of different
schools, to whom the revolution was
not a mere laboratory for political
experiments, determinedly fought
the ratification. They contended
that such a peace involved the be-
trayal of the Ukraine, then en-
Enthusiastically and victoriously driv-
ing the German invaders from
Southern Russia; that 1t meant the
exclusive domination Of the Rus
sian people by the Bolshevist party
and the suppression Of all other
political movements. with conse-
auent bitter civil war; in short. the
breathing spell" Of Lenin would
prove the complete debacle Of the
revolution.
The Calvary Begins.
At that time Trotzky and many
other Communists were opposed to
the Brest-Litovsk peace. They too
saw the danger ahead. But they
| were soon whipped into acceptance
by the iron discipline Of the party.
Lenine carried the day, and the
Calvary Of Russian revolution be-
gan.
While in America I had heard
many conflicting stories about the
fate Of Maria Spiridonova in Soviet
Russia On my arrival there l i'm
mediately made inquiries concerning
her. I was informed by responsible
Communists that she had suffered a
nervous breakdown, become acutely
hysterical and was therefore placed
in a sanitarium "for her own good.
and receiving the best Of care"
It was not till July, 1920, that I
had the opportunity to meet her. l
found her living in Moscow. illegal
ly, in a small room, again In the
disguise Of a peasant woman she
used to assume in the days OF the
Gar. She had escaped from the
'sanitarium and the best of care"
which had proved to be a Bolshevik
prison.
I found no trace Of hysteria in
was one of the most poised. self
met In Russia till then.
During two days / was held rapt
by her account of the Russian revo-
luton; how the people had risen to
sublime height of great hopes and
possibilities and had then been
hurled to the depths of misery and
despair by the Communist state
machine. II was a story Of re-
markable clarity and force Of con-
viction.
Twice Imprisoned.
It was then I learned that she had
been imprisoned twice by the Boil
sheviki. The first time. after the
killing of Mirbach. when the Boil
sheviki had closed the Fifth Con.
gress of the Soviets and arrested the
whole Left Social -Revolutionist fac.
ton led by Spiridonova. Released
after five months. she was again ar
rested at the end Of January, 1919.
and incarcerated in "sanitarium"
not because of hysteria or mental
breakdown, but because she could
not be cajoled or brtbed into accept
ing the so-called proletarian dictator
ship.
pie Of the dangers to the revolution
sheviki, and the people had heard
her gladly.
The Bolsheviki pretended to the
world, Spiridonova explained. that
the fierce persecution Of the Left
Socialist Revolutionists, following
their execution of Mirbach, was aue
to an alleged attempt by them to
seize governmental power. She was
emphatic In the denial-and her
words are substantiated by u mass
of documentary evidence-that her
faction ever intended or attempted
seizure Of power from the Com.
munists.
The Spiridonova faction regarded
the Brest-Litovsk peace as the rank
est betrayal Of the revolution. They
considered the presence of Mirbach
In Soviet Russia as an insult and a
menace of imperialism, They openly
called for the death of Mirbach and
for an uprising against German in.
vasion. They saw the revolution in
danger. They openly avowed their
beliefs, but neither Spiridonova nor
her comrades had any knowledge of
or part in any plot to seize power.
ChelSa Became Active.
After the killing of Mirbach, Spiri-
donova herself came to the session
of the Fifth All-Russian Congress Of
Soviets, for the purpose OF reading
the official declaration of her faction
that explained the necessity and the