Martov, demanding the floor, croaked hoarsely,
"The civil war is beginning, comrades! The first question must be a
peaceful settlement of the crisis. On principle and from a political
standpoint we must urgently discuss a means of averting civil war.
Our brothers are being shot down in the streets! At this moment,
when before the opening of the Congress of Soviets the question of
Power is being settled by means of a military plot organised by one
of the revolutionary parties-" for a moment he could not make
himself heard above the noise, "All of the revolutionary parties
must face the fact! The first _vopros_ (question) before the
Congress is the question of Power, and this question is already
being settled by force of arms in the streets!... We must create a
power which will be recognised by the whole democracy. If the
Congress wishes to be the voice of the revolutionary democracy it
must not sit with folded hands before the developing civil war, the
result of which may be a dangerous outburst of counter-revolution....
The possibility of a peaceful outcome lies in the formation of a
united democratic authority.... We must elect a delegation to
negotiate with the other Socialist parties and organisation....
Always the methodical muffled boom of cannon through the windows,
and the delegates, screaming at each other.... So, with the crash of
artillery, in the dark, with hatred, and fear, and reckless daring,
new Russia was being born.
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