Page:The Proletarian Revolution in Russia - Lenin, Trotsky and Chicherin - ed. Louis C. Fraina (1918).djvu/455

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INTERVENTION IN RUSSIA
429

The agents of your Capitalism also explain that in this way they will lessen the pressure of the German arms upon you, and hasten the victory over German Imperialism. But German Imperialism can only be crushed if the Imperialism of all governments is defeated by the simultaneous revolt of the world-proletariat. The attempts to draw Russia into the war will not save you from the shedding of blood: they can only deliver up the Revolution to the sword. We have endured all too long the encroachments of the representatives of Entente Imperialism, we have allowed those who lay at the feet of the Czar, to remain in Russia, although they did not recognize the Soviets. And even now, when French offcers are recommending the Czecho-Slovaks, now that the horrors of the Murman coast have begun, even now we have not uttered a word of protest against the presence of your diplomats in the territory of the Soviet Republic, not recognized by them; we have only demanded their removal from Vologda to Moscow in order that we might protect them against the attacks of a people deeply enraged by their criminal enterprises. And now, after the departure of the Entente ambassadors, not a hair on the heads of the citizens of your countries who are living with us, will be touched, provided they obey the laws of the Soviet Republic. We are convinced that if we had returned two blows for each one received from the Enente usurpers, you would have witnessed not only an act of lawful self-defense, but also the defense of your own best interests; for the salvation of the Russian Revolution constitutes a common interest of the proletariat of all countries. Forced to war against Entente capital, which wishes to add new chains to the chains already imposed upon us by Germany, I turn to you with the cry:

Long live the solidarity of the workers of the whole world! Long live the French, English, American, and Italian proletariat, together with the Russian! Down with the robbers of International Imperialism! Long live the International Revolution! Long live the Peace of the Peoples!

II

Resolution adopted, shortly after the landing of Allied troops in Vladivostok, by the Central Executive Committee of the Soviets of Workmen's, Peasants', Cossacks' and Red Guard Delegates of All Siberia.

The Central Executive Committee of the All-Siberian Soviets appeals to the toilng masses of the whole world and in the name of millions of the toilers of Siberia, in the name of all workers, peasants and Cossacks declares its indignation and resolute protest against the plan of seizure of Siberia which is the aim of the imperialistic governments of Japan, France, England and America. For some months there has been in those countries in agitation for intervention in the internal affairs of Siberia. The chief pretext for such intervention was the conclusion of peace between Russia and Germany, which peace was falsely proclaimed as strengthening German influence in Russia, the lying provocative reports concerning the arming of some hundred thousand of war prisoners in Siberia, aid finally the seizure by the war prisoners of the government in Siberia. The reptile press shamelessly invented all sorts of lying re-