Three Aspects of the Russian Revolution
that we could not do otherwise than agree with him. We decided then that instead of visiting the rebels we would go and address a part of the troops that had voluntarily returned to the front.
Before setting out we had a long conversation with the Government emissary in question. He was no other than the Revolutionary Socialist Savinkoff, who had on his record of services several deeds of terrorism, of which the most famous was that against Plevhe at Odessa. The terrorist of Odessa was now in khaki uniform, representing the Government, and preaching discipline and national duty to the troops. And he had quite the air of being the right man in the right place. Such was certainly the opinion of the Commandant of the 7th Army, who was nevertheless an old soldier, trained in quite a different school from that of the Revolution. While by no means concealing his dislike for the institution of "commissioners to the armies," in which he saw an attempt to rescind the authority of the hierarchic leaders, he loyally owned that Savinkoff was rendering great service
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