Repository: UIHistories Project: War Publications - WWI Compilation 1923 - Article 22 [PAGE 9]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

;

<4374 in September, the Mensheviki fell from 76,407 to 15,H87, while ' ' Isheviki increased from 75,409 to I''8,320. The vote of the the Constitutional Democrats reman . about tin- same: l0Ht76l in June 1 and 101,106 in September. In the weeks following the September elections, the H dsheviki directed their eft« its toward bringing about the exclusion of the Cadets, representing the middle classes, from a share in the government. Failing :n that, they began preparations for overthrowing the government by force. The revolt broke our in Petrograd on October 25-Novemt>er 7 and in Moscow on the next day, and meeting with almost no military resistance, it »ucveded easily in both places. While there were many protests from democratic bodies including a strike by the organized teachers, the only party ro make serious trouble at first were t Anarchist Syndicalists, who were disappointed that the Bolsheviki did not act rapidly or drastically enough. Against them measures of repression were promptly taken. But most people did not had the new rule hesitating or gentle. The first measures of the Bolsheviki were the distribution of the land and the beginning of negotiations for peace. They remembered, too, their promise to convoke the Constituent Assembly and arranged for its election. The election, though conducted under their own auspices and, as is alleged, not with the strictest regard for a square deal to their opponents, was not altogether satisfactory to the Bolsheviki. They obtained only 154 sears our of a total 6f 495 while the Socialist Revolutionaries had 260. The weakness of the Cadet representation, M members in all, is possibly accounted for by the terrorizing of voters in the cities. The opposition came from the rural districts into which Bolshevik influence had not penetrated. The Bolsheviki tried to constant a lame pretext for questioning the validity of the elections, and at on ce launched a campaign against the Consti uent Assembly, claiming that the Soviets were the only bodies truly representing the Russian People. It became evident to clear-sighted Russians that the Assembly Was doomed to failure, that if it ever did meet, its existence would depend on subservience to the Soviets as entirely as did the provisional governments of Lvov and Kerensky. On January 5-18, 1918, the Assembly met. A radical group under the leadership of Maria Spiridon ova broke away from the Socialist Revolutionaries and aligned itself *tth the Bolsheviki, but the moderate majority still retained control and elected Victor Chernov presiding officer- The Bolsheviki thereupon w, thdrew and on the following day sent a squad of armed sailors from th c Baltic fleet to disperse the Assembly.

Ken* Hcrval, of. cit.% p. 108.

l

9