按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
and leaving them on a chair below； he stepped up into the tribune with his
hair all rumpled； a look of extreme seriousness on his face； and spoke with
a voice whose capacity and strength astonished me who had not heard him
speak in public before。 He spoke very well； with more sequence than
Bucharin； and much vitality； and gave his summary of the position abroad。
He said （and Lenin expressed the same view to me afterwards） that the
hostility of different countries to Soviet Russia varied in direct proportion
to their fear of revolution at home。 Thus France； whose capital had
suffered most in the war and was weakest； was the most uncompromising；
while America； whose capital was in a good position； was ready for
agreement。 England； with rather less confidence； he thought was ready
to follow America。 Need of raw material was the motive tending towards
agreement with Russia。 Fear that the mere existence of a Labour
Government anywhere in the world strengthens the revolutionary
movement elsewhere； was the motive for the desire to wipe out the Soviet
at all cost。 Chicherin's note； he thought； would emphasize the difference
between these opposing views and would tend to make impossible an
alliance of the capitalists against Russia。
Finally； Kamenev； now President of the Moscow Soviet； spoke；
objecting to Bucharin's comparison of the peace now sought with that of
Brest Litovsk。 Then everything was in a state of experiment and untried。
Now it was clear to the world that the unity of Russia could be achieved
only under the Soviets。 The powers opposed to them could not but
recognize this fact。 Some parts of Russia （Ukraine） had during the last
fifteen months experienced every kind of government； from the Soviets；
the dictatorship of the proletariat； to the dictatorship of foreign invaders
and the dictatorship of a General of the old regime； and they had after all
… Page 35…
RUSSIA IN 1919
returned to the Soviets。 Western European imperialists must realize that
the only Government in Russia which rested on the popular masses was
the Government of the Soviets and no other。 Even the paper of the
Mensheviks； commenting on Chicherin's note； had declared that by this
step the Soviet Government had shown that it was actually a national
Government acting in the interests of the nation。 He further read a
statement by Right Social Revolutionaries （delegates of that group；
members of the Constituent Assembly； were in the gallery） to the effect
that they were prepared to help the Soviet Government as the only
Government in Russia that was fighting against a dictatorship of the
bourgeoisie。
Finally； the Committee unanimously passed a resolution approving
every step taken in trying to obtain peace； and at the same time 〃sending a
fraternal greeting to the Red Army of workers and peasants engaged in
ensuring the independence of Soviet Russia。〃 The meeting then turned to
talk of other things。
I left； rather miserable to think how little I had foreseen when Soviet
Russia was compelled last year to sign an oppressive peace with Germany；
that the time would come when they would be trying to buy peace from
ourselves。 As I went out I saw another unhappy figure； unhappy for quite
different reasons。 Angelica Balabanova； after dreaming all her life of
socialism in the most fervent Utopian spirit； had come at last to Russia to
find that a socialist state was faced with difficulties at least as real as those
which confront other states； that in the battle there was little sentiment and
much cynicism； and that dreams worked out in terms of humanity in the
face of the opposition of the whole of the rest of the world are not easily
recognized by their dreamers。 Poor little Balabanova； less than five feet
high； in a black coat that reached to her feet but did not make her look any
taller； was wandering about like a lost and dejected spirit。 Not so； she
was thinking； should socialists deal with their enemies。 Somehow； but
not so。 Had the silver trumpets blown seven times in vain； and was it
really necessary to set to work and； stone by stone； with bleeding hands；
level the walls of Jericho？
There was snow falling as I walked home。 Two workmen； arguing；
… Page 36…
RUSSIA IN 1919
were walking in front of me。 〃If only it were not for the hunger；〃 said one。
〃But will that ever change？〃 said the other。
… Page 37…
RUSSIA IN 1919
KAMENEV AND THE MOSCOW
SOVIET
February 11th。
Litvinov has been unlucky in his room in the Metropole。 It is small；
dark and dirty； and colder than mine。 He was feeling ill and his chest
was hurting him； perhaps because of his speech last night； but while I was
there Kamenev rang him up on the telephone； told him he had a car below；
and would he come at once to the Moscow Soviet to speak on the
international situation！ Litvinov tried to excuse himself； but it was no
use； and he said to me that if I wanted to see Kamenev I had better come
along。 We found Kamenev in the hall； and after a few minutes in a little
Ford car we were at the Moscow Soviet。 The Soviet meets in the small
lecture theatre of the old Polytechnic。 When we arrived； a party meeting
was going on； and Kamenev； Litvinov； and I went behind the stage to a
little empty room； where we were joined by a member of the Soviet whose
name I forget。
It was Kamenev's first talk with Litvinov after his return； and I think
they forgot that I was there。 Kamenev asked Litvinov what he meant to
do； and Litvinov told him he wished to establish a special department of
control to receive all complaints； to examine into the efficiency of
different commissariats； to get rid of parallelism； etc。； and； in fact； to be
the most unpopular department in Moscow。 Kamenev laughed。 〃You
need not think you are the first to have that idea。 Every returning envoy
without exception has the same。 Coming back from abroad th