its own grave. As the Government had no more money, it had to requisition by force, and thereby the existence of the agricultural districts was endangered. Hitherto the Soviet had not dared to touch the small landowner, but the peasant nevertheless became opposed to the Soviet, because his unfailing intuition told him that once the Councils were strong enough, they would communize the peasants' property as well. In this mood the order for requisition found him, and consequently his feelings developed into a wild and profound hatred. Is he really to be forced once more to leave his home and to face the foe? Even he, who is not a member of the proletariat, must go and fight, not for the protection of his country, but for the protection of the hated dictatorship of the proletariat. This dictatorship endangered the holiest traditions and convictions. It despised patriotism, suppressed the church from school life, threatened religious education, and undermined the discipline of the church. The dictatorship did not only violate the material interests of the country, but also injured the moral feelings of the population.
Counter-revolutions without proper preparation were therefore the order of the day. Many hundreds of brave people suffered martyrdom, many ended at the gallows, and many were murdered without being able to offer resistance. In the country the farmer fell a victim to the soldier. And all this bloodshed brought about no salvation. The martyrs did not save society, but on the contrary they created new suffering; but, at
