Ten Days That Shook The World

Ten Days That Shook The World by John Reed

Book: Ten Days That Shook The World by John Reed Read Free Book Online
Authors: John Reed
Tags: History, Russia
grafters, rich men, princes, nobles, generals, including your Cossack generals. They are ready at any moment to destroy the Petrograd Soviet and crush the Revolution....
     
    On the 4th of November somebody is organizing a Cossack religious procession. It is a question of the free consciousness of every individual whether he will or will not take part in this procession. We do not interfere in this matter, nor do we obstruct anybody.... However, we warn you, Cossacks! Look out and see to it that under the pretext of a Krestni Khod, your Kaledins do not instigate you against workmen, against soldiers....
     
    The procession was hastily called off....
     
    In the barracks and the working-class quarters of the town the Bolsheviki were preaching, "All Power to the Soviets!" and agents of the Dark Forces were urging the people to rise and slaughter the Jews, shop-keepers, Socialist leaders....
     
    On one side the Monarchist press, inciting to bloody repression-on the other Lenin's great voice roaring, "Insurrection!.... We cannot wait any longer!"
     
    Even the bourgeois press was uneasy. (See App. III, Sect. 2) Birjevya Viedomosti (Exchange Gazette) called the Bolshevik propaganda an attack on "the most elementary principles of society-personal security and the respect for private property."
     
    [Graphic page-46 Appeal of the Petrograd Soviet]
     
    Appeal of the Petrograd Soviet to the Cosacks to call off their Krestny Khod-the religious procession planned for November 4th (our calendar). "Brothers-Cossacks!" it begins. "The Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies addresses you."
     
    But it was the "moderate" Socialist journals which were the most hostile. (See App. III, Sect. 3) "The Bolsheviki are the most dangerous enemies of the Revolution," declared Dielo Naroda. Said the Menshevik Dien, "The Government ought to defend itself and defend us." Plekhanov's paper, Yedinstvo (Unity) (See App. III, Sect. 4), called the attention of the Government to the fact that the Petrograd workers were being armed, and demanded stern measures against the Bolsheviki.
     
    Daily the Government seemed to become more helpless. Even the Municipal administration broke down. The columns of the morning papers were filled with accounts of the most audacious robberies and murders, and the criminals were unmolested.
     
    On the other hand armed workers patrolled the streets at night, doing battle with marauders and requisitioning arms wherever they found them.
     
    On the first of November Colonel Polkovnikov, Military Commander of Petrograd, issued a proclamation:
     
    Despite the difficult days through which the country is passing, irresponsible appeals to armed demonstrations and massacres are still being spread around Petrograd, and from day to day robbery and disorder increase.
     
    This state of things is disorganizing the life of the citizens, and hinders the systematic work of the Government and the Municipal Institutions.
     
    In full consciousness of my responsibility and my duty before my country, I command:
     
    1.       Every military unit, in accordance with special instructions and within the territory of its garrison, to afford every assistance to the Municipality, to the Commissars, and to the militia, in the guarding of Government institutions.
     
    2.       The organization of patrols, in co-operation with the District Commander and the representatives of the city militia, and the taking of measures for the arrest of criminals and deserters.
     
    3.       The arrest of all persons entering barracks and inciting to armed demonstrations and massacres, and their delivery to the headquarters of the Second Commander of the city.
     
    4.       To suppress any armed demonstration or riot at its start, with all armed forces at hand.
     
    5.       To afford assistance to the Commissars in preventing unwarranted searches in houses and unwarranted arrests.
     
    6.       To report immediately all

Similar Books

Motherless Daughters

Hope Edelman

Essays in Humanism

Albert Einstein

The Bloodsworn

Erin Lindsey

Only Girls Allowed

Debra Moffitt

Hideaway

Dean Koontz