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of the Communists。 It had been sent off before any general consultation；
and it appeared that the Communists themselves were widely divided as to
the meaning of the proposal。 One party believed that it was a first step
towards agreement and peace。 The other thought it an ingenious ruse by
Clemenceau to get 〃so…called〃 socialist condemnation of the Bolsheviks as
a basis for allied intervention。 Both parties were； of course； wrong in so
far as they thought the Allied Governments had anything to do with it。
Both the French and English delegates were refused passports。 This；
however； was not known in Moscow until after I left； and by then much
had happened。 I think the Conference which founded the Third
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International in Moscow had its origin in a desire to counter any ill effects
that might result from the expected visit of the people of Berne。
Litvinov said he considered the sending of the Commission from
Berne the most dangerous weapon yet conceived by their opponents。 He
complained that he had been unable to get either Lenin or Chicherin to
realize that this delegation was a preparation for hostilities； not a
preparation for peace。 〃You do not understand that since the beginning of
the war there has been a violent struggle between two Internationals； one
of which does not believe in revolution while the other does。 In this case
a group of men already committed to condemn the revolution are coming
to pass judgment on it。 If they were not to condemn the revolution they
would be condemning themselves。 Chicherin ought to have put a
condition that a delegation of Left Socialists should also come。 But he
replied within an hour of getting the telegram from Berne。 These idiots
here think the delegation is coming to seek a ground for peace。 It is
nothing of the sort。 It is bound to condemn us； and the Bourgeois
Governments will know how to profit by the criticism； however mild； that
is signed by men who still retain authority as socialists。 Henderson； for
example （Henderson was at first named as one of the delegates； later
replaced by MacDonald）； will judge simply by whether people are hungry
or not。 He will not allow for reasons which are not in our control。
Kautsky is less dangerous； because； after all； he will look below the
obvious。〃 Reinstein remembered the old personal hostility between Lenin
and Kautsky； whom Lenin； in a book which Reinstein thought unworthy of
him； had roundly denounced as a renegade and traitor。 The only man in
the delegation who could be counted on for an honest effort to understand
was Longuet。
As the days went on； it became clear that the expected visit had
provided a new bone of contention between the Russian parties。 The
Communists decided that the delegates should not be treated with any
particular honour in the way of a reception。 The Mensheviks at once set
about preparing a triumphal reception on a large scale for the people
whom they described as the representatives of genuine socialism。 Demian
Biedny retorted in an extremely amusing poetic dialogue； representing the
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Mensheviks rehearsing their parts to be ready for the reception。 Other
Communists went to work to prepare a retort of a different kind。 They
arranged a house for the Berne delegates to live in； but at the same time
they prepared to emphasize the difference between the two Internationals
by the calling of an anti…Berne conference which should disclaim all
connection with that old International which they considered had gone into
political bankruptcy at the outbreak of the European war。
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THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
ON THE RIVAL PARTIES
February 26th。
In the afternoon I got to the Executive Committee in time to hear the
end of a report by Rykov on the economic position。 He said there was
hope for a satisfactory conclusion to the negotiations for the building of
the Obi…Kotlas railway； and hoped that this would soon be followed by
similar negotiations and by other concessions。 He explained that they did
not want capitalism in Russia but that they did want the things that capital
could give them in exchange for what they could give capital。 This was；
of course； referring to the opposition criticism that the Soviet was prepared
to sell Russia into the hands of the 〃Anglo…American Imperialistic
bandits。〃 Rykov said that the main condition of all concessions would be
that they should not effect the international structure of the Soviet
Republic and should not lead to the exploitation of the workmen。 They
wanted railways； locomotives； and machines； and their country was rich
enough to pay for these things out of its natural resources without sensible
loss to the state or the yielding of an inch in their programme of internal
reconstruction。
He was followed by Krestinsky； who pointed out that whereas the
commissariats were； in a sense； altered forms of the old ministries； links
with the past； the Council of Public Economy； organizing the whole
production and distribution of the country； building the new socialist state；
was an entirely new organ and a link； not with the past； but with the future。
The two next speeches illustrated one of the main difficulties of the
revolution。 Krasin （see p。 153） criticized the council for insufficient
confidence in the security of the revolution。 He said they were still
hampered by fears lest here or there capitalism should creep in again。
They were unnecessarily afraid to make the fullest possible use of
specialists of all kinds who had taken a leading part in industry under the
old regime and who； now that the old regime； the old system； had been
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definitely broken； could be made to serve the