On
the 29th, in open session of the Petrograd Soviet, Trotzky proposed
that the Soviet formally sanction the Military Revolutionary
Committee. "We ought," he said, "to create our special organisation
to march to battle, and if necessary to die...." It was decided to send
to the front two delegations, one from the Soviet and one from the
garrison, to confer with the Soldiers' Committees and the General
Staff.
At Pskov, the Soviet delegates were met by General Tcheremissov,
commander of the Northern Front, with the curt declaration that he
had ordered the Petrograd garrison to the trenches, and that was all.
The garrison committee was not allowed to leave Petrograd....
A delegation of the Soldiers' Section of the Petrograd Soviet asked
that a representative be admitted to the Staff of the Petrograd
District. Refused. The Petrograd Soviet demanded that no orders be
issued without the approval of the Soldiers' Section. Refused. The
delegates were roughly told, "We only recognise the _Tsay-ee-kah._ We
do not recognise you; if you break any laws, we shall arrest you."
On the 30th a meeting of representatives of all the Petrograd
regiments passed a resolution: _"The Petrograd garrison no longer
recognises the Provisional Government. The Petrograd Soviet is our
Government. We will obey only the orders of the Petrograd Soviet,
through the Military Revolutionary Committee.
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