At every mention of the word "union" there
was ecstatic applause.... At the end Ustinov announced the arrival
rival of a delegation from Smolny, accompanied by representatives of
the Red Army, greeted with a rising ovation. One after another a
workman, a soldier and a sailor took the floor, hailing them.
Then Boris Reinstein, delegate of the American Socialist Labor
Party: "The day of the union of the Congress of Peasants and the
Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies is one of the great days
of the Revolution. The sound of it will ring with resounding echoes
throughout the whole world-in Paris, in London, and across the
ocean-in New York. This union will fill with happiness the hearts of
all toilers.
"A great idea has triumphed. The West, and America, expected from
Russia, from the Russian proletariat, something tremendous.... The
proletariat of the world is waiting for the Russian Revolution,
waiting for the great things that it is accomplishing...."
Sverdlov, president of the _Tsay-ee-kah,_ greeted them. And with the
shout, "Long live the end of civil war! Long live the United
Democracy!" the peasants poured out of the building.
It was already dark, and on the ice-covered snow glittered the pale
light of moon and star. Along the bank of the canal were drawn up in
full marching order the soldiers of the Pavlovsky Regiment, with
their band, which broke into the _Marseillaise.
Pages:
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410