We must all defend her, we must show that we are defenders
of a great ideal, and children of a great power."
Nobody was satisfied. The reactionaries wanted a "strong"
imperialist policy; the democratic parties wanted an assurance that
the Government would press for peace.... I reproduce an editorial in
_Rabotchi i Soldat_ (Worker and Soldier), organ of the Bolshevik
Petrograd Soviet:
THE GOVERNMENT'S ANSWER TO THE TRENCHES
The most taciturn of our Ministers, Mr. Terestchenko, has actually
told the trenches the following:
1. We are closely united with our Allies. (Not with the peoples, but
with the Governments.)
2. There is no use for the democracy to discuss the possibility or
impossibility of a winter campaign. That will be decided by the
Governments of our Allies.
3. The 1st of July offensive was beneficial and a very happy affair.
(He did not mention the consequences.)
4. It is not true that our Allies do not care about us. The Minister
has in his possession very important declarations. (Declarations?
What about deeds? What about the behaviour of the British fleet?
(See App. II, Sect. 9) The parleying of the British king with exiled
counter-revolutionary General Gurko? The Minister did not mention
all this.)
5. The _nakaz_ to Skobeliev is bad; the Allies don't like it and the
Russian diplomats don't like it. In the Allied Conference we must
all 'speak one language.
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