Lenin and Trotzky remained in the Government, and the
Military Revolutionary Committee continued to function.
The sessions of the Congress had now been removed to the Imperial
Law School building, Fontanka 6, headquarters of the Peasants'
Soviets. There in the great meeting-hall the delegates gathered on
Wednesday afternoon. The old Executive Committee had withdrawn, and
was holding a rump convention of its own in another room of the same
building, made up of bolting delegates and representatives of the
Army Committees.
Tchernov went from one meeting to the other, keeping a watchful eye
on the proceedings. He knew that an agreement with the Bolsheviki
was being discussed, but he did not know that it had been concluded.
He spoke to the rump convention. "At present, when everybody is in
favour of forming an all-Socialist Government, many people forget
the first Ministry, which was _not_ a coalition Government, and in
which there was only one Socialist-Kerensky; a Government which, in
its time, was very popular. Now people accuse Kerensky; they forget
that he was raised to power, not only by the Soviets, but also by
the popular masses....
"Why did public opinion change toward Kerensky? The savages set up
gods to which they pray, and which they punish if one of their
prayers is not answered.... That is what is happening at this moment....
Yesterday Kerensky; today Lenin and Trotzky; another to-morrow.
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