His thin, pointed face was positively Mephistophelian in
its expression of malicious irony.
"Dan's tactics prove that the masses-the great, dull, indifferent
masses-are absolutely with him!" (Titantic mirth.) He turned toward
the chairman, dramatically. "When we spoke of giving the land to the
peasants, you were against it. We told the peasants, 'If they don't
give it to you, take it yourselves!' and the peasants followed our
advice. And now you advocate what we did six months ago....
"I don't think Kerensky's order to suspend the death penalty in the
army was dictated by his ideals. I think Kerensky was persuaded by
the Petrograd garrison, which refused to obey him....
"To-day Dan is accused of having made a speech in the Council of the
Republic which proves him to be a secret Bolshevik.... The time may
come when Dan will say that the flower of the Revolution participated
in the rising of July 16th and 18th.... In Dan's resolution to-day at
the Council of the Republic there was no mention of enforcing
discipline in the army, although that is urged in the propaganda of
his party....
"No. The history of the last seven months shows that the masses have
left the Mensheviki. The Mensheviki and the Socialist Revolutionaries
conquered the Cadets, and then when they got the power, they gave it
to the Cadets....
"Dan tells you that you have no right to make an insurrection.
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