The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-06-10
Bedacht Shoevs How Masses in 1917 Revolted
In Russia and Ended Bloody Regime of Czar
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government of the United States shook it in
willing and welcome recognition.
In February, 1917, two and half years had
passed since the workers and peasants of Rus
STA were being slaughtered on the battlefields
of the World War. For the rulers of Russia
Constantinople was the most important object
of the war. The ruling powers of Russia
like those of all countries-hid their war aims
under glittering phrases. But these phrases
meant nothing to the Russian masses. They
had exchanged the shop or the farm for the
battlefield, only to find that instead of the
policemen with the knout, now the noble Off
Ger with the rod belabored their backs Be-
sides they had to face death or manning on
the battle fields.
To aggravate all, Czarist corruption stole
the best part of the appropriations for their
food for their boots and even for their guns
and from home they received word that their
families were starved and dashed as ever
only more so.
TIE Masses Put An End to Czarism.
Unable and unwilling any longer to bear the
burden of this bloody and corrupt regime, the
Russian masses in February, 1917, shook car
ism off their backs.
The Russian legislature had never dared to
take power from the Gar. But it took power
Immediately from the revolution A group of
capitalist members of the Duma formed itself
at once into Provisional Government and
usurped power.
For the masses this meant little change.
The working conditions in the shops and fac
tories remained as miserable as they ever were
under the Gar. The army continued fight
ing for Constantinople, as it had been fighting
under the Gar. The soldiers were still driven
by the rods of the same brutal aristocratic Of
ficers as under the car. Though the police
men now wore the red emblems of the new
born repubEc-stil they were the same brutal
Czarist policemen with the same knouts
Though the government was now called a re-
public vet the arstocratic and-barons of old
still held their estates while the landless
masses of peasantry still continued to starve as
they had ever starved under the Gar. Only
the long suppressed political life of the masses
asserted itself as an achievement of the revo-
tuition. And this achievement of necessity had
to become the lever of the further develop
ment of the revolution.
After the masses had made revolution
they had to find out that in their economic
position everything remained as it was before;
only the names had changed. The battle or
ders which caused them to die in the war were
no longer signed by the Czarist minister of
war, Sukhomlinoff, but by the republican min
lister, Kerensky. They died no longer for the
.Czar-but they continued dying nevertheless.
Gar or republic, the war aim of both spelt
the same: CONSTANTINOPLE. The rule of
the landowners had made way for the rule of
the capitalists. But both brought hunger, eX-
ploitation and death to the masses for the ben
eft of the few capitalists and big landowners,
The People Turn to the Bolsheviks.
During the years of persecution and oppres-
sion. one political party was irrepressible IN
its activities. It carried on a systematic and
persistent struggle against Czarism. 1t Or
ganized and led the workers in struggles for
wages, for the right to organize and for an
opportunity to live. This was the party of the
Bolsheviks. In their activities the Bolsheviks
won the confidence of the masses; they learned
the science of revolution; they steeled them
selves in discipline To the Bosheviks, there
fore, the Russian masses looked more and more
for leadership
During and for the purpose of the revolu-
ton the masses of Russian tollers had organ
lied. The workers in the factories got to-
gether discussed their problems and elected
delegates to meet others similarly elected IN
shops and factories. Thus the councils of
workers delegates arose in the cities. In the
villages the poor peaSantry likewise met, dis
cussing its problems and electing delegates
which met with others similarly elected
throughout the counties or states. Also the
soldiers in the ranks met by regiments and