The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-01-20
KRUPSKAJA
Rv ISRAEL AMTER.

is special session Of the All-Russian
Soviet Congress.
The congress was in session when
the news came that Lenin died. Stand
ing before them, Comrade Kalenin
read the message shock went thru
the congress held in the Grand The
alter of Moscow Then strong men
and women-workers and peasants
who had seen the most gruesome of
wars, who had fought against the most
brutal enemies, had starved and hum
gered-these strong men broke down
and cried. Cried like little children
who have lost their dearest one. They
wept-and thru the Grand Theater
could be heard their sobs. Lenin-
the grand old man-was gone. The
disease that had stricken him year
before had conquered. Lenin was no
more.
The Soviet Congress held special
session in commemoration of his death.
1t was solemn occasion. The leaders
of the Russian Communist Party
Zinoviev, Stain, Bucharin, Kamenev-
spoke, telling of Lenin's work for the
revolution, before the revolution in
the hard days of the car, in lead
ing the revolution, in the hard days
after the revolution, in building up
the Soviet state and protecting it
from the attacks of the international
bourgeoisie. They told of his leader
ship in the social-democratic party of
Russia--the forerunner of the Rus
sian Communist Party. They told of
his mighty achievement in building the
Communist International. And now,
leaderless, we must work on and fight
on alone.
These were the companions and
comrades of Lenin. They were his
disciples, who had learned well at
his side-in the struggle itself-learn-
ing from him, pitting their intelligence
and Communist understanding against
him when necessary-an always led
to Lenins point of view-to the point
of view of the leader.
Then pause. The funeral hymn
the wierd, piercing, enthralling fun
eral hymn-as his nearest, dearest
companion and comrade stepped forth
on the stage. The woman who had
aided him and fought at his side-his
constant comrade abroad in the emf
grafton, in the dark days, and in the
brighter days when Russia became
Soviet Russia.
Krupskajal
| Lenins body lay in the Temple of
Labor, and Krupskaja stood beside it,
day by day, night after night And
now she stands before this body of
workers and peasants-the mighty or
gan Of the Soviet government-to
speak to them of the man who lies
in the Temple of Labor.
| 1t was not Lenin's wife who stands
before us. 1t is Krupskaja, his COM
panion and comrade, who makes no
claim on him as her husband, but as
his comrade. She stands before us,
not to tell of his traits as husband
she tells of Lenin the man, Lenin the
comrade, Lenin the revolutionist.
No sound could be heard in the vast
theater. Every breath was stayed.
Here stood heroine-a real heroine
of the Russian revolution, whose heart
was bleeding, as the heart of all Soviet
Russia was bleeding, whose tears were
falling and yet her eyes were dry.
And yet no eye was dry in the Grand
Theater was dry as Krupskaja spoke
about Lenin
Can you imagine what IL means,
when your heart is breaking, when
the dearest that you have is gone. to
stand before an audience and speak
about the comrade whom you loved
best? But no, Krupskaja is of the
same stuff as Lenin. He was not her
dearest-no, the great Russian work.
ers and peasants-they were the dear.
est to the heart of Lenin-they are
the dearest to the heart Of Krups
kaja.
Not raising her voice, with no
tremor, she speaks. Only a few
minutes. But in these few minutes
telling the essence, unfolding the life
and soul of Lenin.
This was heroism-as all the Rus
sian workers and peasants of Soviet
Russia have learned il. AS the Com
munists, harried from post to post
before the revolution learned II. This
was the epitome Of the courage and
indomitable will of the Russian revo
lutionist. And Krupslaja was theii
surest and best representative.
She speaks-and then the "Deatt
Of Siegfried."
A life was barred In these few min
utes--a life's experience was dis
closed. The wisdom OF a lifetime wa
unveiled.
She loved Lenin, as the whole Rud
sian people loved him.
But she loved the Russian wori
ers and peasants--and Soviet RussiI
and the revolution even more.
Krupskaja.