The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-02-03

ton. Comrade Trotsky's partisans vi
gorously spread rumors that the inau-
curator and the only leader of the Oc
tober revolution was Comrade Trot-
sky. These rumors are specially
spread by Comrade Lenzner, editor of
Trotsky's works. By the fact that
Comrade Trotsky Systematically ne
elects to mention the party, the c.
G. and the Petrograd committee, and
is silent as to the leading part played
| by these organizations in the work
Of the revolution, putting himself in
The foreground as its central figure,
he himself, Intentionally or uninten-
ionally, promotes the spread of the
rumor as to the special part played
I by him in the revolutino.
am far from denying the undoubt-
eddy important part played by Com
rade Trotsky in the revolution. must
however say, that Comrade Trotsky
neither did nor could play any special
part that he, as chairman of the Pet
rograd Soviet only carried out the will
of the party authorities in question
who supervised everyone of his steps.
To member of the petty bourgeoisie,
such as Suchanov, all this may appear
strange, but the facts, the actual facts
completely confirm my statement.
Let us take the minutes of the fol
lowing meeting, of the 18th of Octo-
Der. Present: the members of the G.
G. plus representatives of the Petro-
grad committee, plus representatives
NJ tho u1ilifo ~, oruoni1atior 80 tho Poo
tory committees of the trade unions,
Of the railwaymen. Among those pres
ent were, besides the members of the
G. c., %rylenko. Schotman, Kalinin,
Volodarsky, Schlapnikov, Lazis and
others. The question for discussion is
the insurrection from the purely prac-
teal point of view of organization.
Lenin's resolution as to the insurrec-
ton was passed by majority of 20
votes against 2, refraining from vot-
ing. The practical central committee
for the organizing direction of the re-
volt was elected. Five comrades were
elected to this committee Sverdlov,
Stain, Dsherhinsky, Bubnov, Uritzky.
The duties of the central committee
consisted in directing all the practical
organs of the, instruction in accord
ance with the Instructions Of the c. c.
| AS you see, something terrible" hap
pened at this meeting of the c. c., /. e.
the Inauguration" the central figure"
the only leader" of the insurrection,
| Comrade Trotsky, was not elected a
member of the practical central COM
mittee, who duty it was to direct the
instruction.
How can this be reconciled with
the opinion in general circulation as
to the special part played by Comrade
Trotsky? 1t is indeed somewhat
Strange" as Suchanow or Comrade
Trotsky's adherents would say. Strict
ly speaking, there is however, nothing
strange" in it, for Comrade Trotsky,
a comparatively new man in our party
at the time of October, neither did nor
could play a special part, either in the
party or in the October revolution.
He, like all the responsible function
aries, was only an agent of the will of
the c. G. Anyone who knows the me-
chanism of the party leadership of the
Bolsheviki will understand without
much difficulty, that it could not have
been otherwise, for had Comrade Trot-
sky begun to act contrary to the will
of the c. c., he would have been de-
prived of his influence on the course
Of things. All the talk about the spe-
cial part played by Comrade TrQtaky
is legend which is spread by officfous
party gossips.
This, of course, does not mean that
fha nnfAhnr Il -. IA
instigator and leader. But this was
Lenin and no other-the same Lenin
whose resolutions were accepted by
the central committee in deciding the
question of the revolution, the same
Lenin who was not hindered by lille
gality from becoming the instigator
Of the revolution in spite of the asser-
tons Of Comrade Trotsky. IL is fool
sh and ridiculous TO endeavor by Cos
siping about illegality to erase that in
dubitable fact that the leader Of the
praty, v. |. Lenin, was the instigator
Of the revolution.
These are the facts.
Granted, they say, but il cannot be
denied that Comrade Trotsky fought
well in the October period. Yes, IL is
true, Comrade Trotsky really fought
bravely in October But in October,
not only Comrade Trotsky fought
bravely, so did even the left social re-
volutionaries who at that time stood
side by side with the Bolsheviki AL
together II must be said that IL is not
difiicult TO fight bravely In a period
Of victorious insurrection, when the
enemy is isolated and the instruction
Is growing. In such moments even the
backward ones become heroes. But
the battle of the proletariat is not al
ways an attack, not always exclusive
ly a chain OF successes. The fight OF
the proletariat has its trials. its de-
feats. A true revolutionary is one who
not only shows courage In the period
Of victorious instruction, but who
fights well in victorious attack OF
the revolution. and the same time
shows courage at moment OF retreat
Of the revolution. in period OF defeat
of the DrOlQtarfaf. who does nof losa