The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-01-23

reVoiutI0niStS TO give evidence as "
lists on trial,
This is the manner in which the
representative of Party for which
the path and perspectives of the rev.
olution were clear. of the Party
which led the proletarian masses to
struggle and victories, could speak.
The remarkably simple and pro-
found speech delivered by the Boil
shevik, Bogdan Knunyantz, ex-
pressed the spirit Of the on-com-
ing revolution.
His trial took place on March
30th (old style) 1905. after the
events of Bloody Sunday" Jan
uary 9th.
At the arrest of Knunyantz the
manuscript of the manifesto signed
by the Moscow Committee r. S.
d. L. P" was discovered. This was
the only piece of legal evidence
against him. If Knunyantz had de-
sired to defend himself on legal
grounds it would not have been
difficult for him to refute the
charge of belonging to the Moscow
Committee and clear himself, par
ticularly in view of the consterna-
ton that reigned among the agents
Of the TsariSt government after
Janrary 9th. But he did not choose
to 90 this. AS a revolutioniSt, as a
Bolsheyik, he decided to utilize the
trial for the cause of his Party.
IUHEN the President of the court
W read the order of the Minister
Of Justice to hold the trial behind
closed doors, Knunyantz asked
whether the court could reverse this
order. The Re ply was in the mega
tive. upon which Bogdan Knun-
yantz made the following declara-
ton.
I'm view of the fact that the trial
is to be held behind closed doors,
which renders it impossible for pub
lie opinion to control this litiga-
ton between the revolutionists and
the government, I think it is quite
useless for me to take part in the
court enquiry and l warn you that
I shall not answer any questions.
With this I reserve for myself the
right to the final speech, as I
consider it my revolutionary duty to
utilize every opportunity for prop
agating my IDEAS
The experience of the revolution
airy movement had not passed with
out leaving traces also on the Tsar-
list public prosecutors. At the trial
of Knunyantz, the public prosec-
utor made more or less politically
literate speech. He characterized
the political position of the Rus
sian Social-Democrati Labor Par
ty, referred to the international
character of the Party, the identity
of its ideas, both as to programs
and theories, with those of the
Western European Socialist Par
ties, and it's SocialiStic aims that
could only be attained by means of
social revolution. Bat, he said,
Russian Social-Democracy was UNI
like Social Democracy in Western
Europe in that the latter engaged
in the peaceful agitation and prop
uganda of its ideas, whereas Rus
sian Social-Democracy melted the
workers to rioting and mass vio-
lence. 1t was, he said, q second
Pugatshey movements
Developing the characteristics of
Social Democracy mentioned by the
prosecutor, Knunyantz in his speech
said
HE the prosecutOr) was right,
in pointing out the international
character of our programme and
cur whole theoretical viewpoint
which is based on that of the
teachers of international Social
ism. Marx, and Engcls. He cor
rectly pointed out our fundamen-
tai aim-SOcialism, and the only
road to 1.-THE social revolution,
toward which, we are profoundly
convinced. the whole development
of cur economic Ee is Ieadin@.
We are certain that the pr0letariat
will achieve socialism, not by way