recompense for their losses. We proposed that these matters should be discussed by a commission formed of Russian and Finnish representatives, as well as the establishment of consulates, renewal of direct telegraph, postal, railroad and water communication and protection of trade. No answer was received for several days to our proposal and it was decided to postpone the work of the conference. All the numerous above-mentioned causes of friction between Russia and Germany have not altered the tendency in principle to live in peace, and during negotiations regarding new agreements Germany was prepared to make some concessions. Parallel to this our relations with the Allies became worse. The successes of the Czechs, who acted under the protection of the Allies, as their political weapon against the Soviet, gave them the idea that the moment for liquidating the Soviet authority in Russia had arrived and that they would be able to form a pro-English bourgeois government, abolish the annulment of the loans and our other revolutionary legislation and form a new eastern front against Germany. The enormous Anglo-French counter-revolutionary intrigue, with its numerous branches and large sums of money, which was revealed to a certain extent by documents obtained, changed into an open attack for which preparation had been made in secret for a long period of time. Simultaneously with the murder of Mirbach, as though by signal, the following facts took place: The treason of Muraviev, bought by England and undoubtedly con nected with an Anglo-French conspiracy, the White Guard rising in Yaroslavl and the rising in various points of the line of demarcation. The increase of underground work of the Anglo-French agents forced us to demand the departure of the Ambassadors from Vologda where a new "Yaroslavl" was being prepared. The news of the intended English expedition on the Murman forced us to demand some time before the withdrawal of the Allied military vessels; after the Anglo-French descent we made firm protests against this act of violence; we once more made a decided declaration that we considered the Kerensky convention regarding the compulsory service of Russian citizens in the English army invalid, and once more stated the criminality of Russian citizens' serving in the French army; at the further advance of the AngloFrench, we issued an appeal to the toiling masses of England, France, America, Italy and Japan and we have already information that parts of it have filtered through to England and France. We are now issuing English and French literature which is intended to be distributed for the purpose of agitation among the soldiers of those countries who are advancing into our territory. The acts of violence of England and France and the discovery of their underhand intrigues and extensive counter-revolutionary plots have caused the internment of English and French citizens. At present negotiations are being carried on with regard to the departure of the Allied diplomats in exchange for Comrade Litvinov and other Soviet officials, and the departure of their military men in exchange for the return of our soldiers from France, which should take place under the control of the International Red Cross and three members of the Russian Red Cross, cessation of measures of reprisal on both sides, including the region of Czecho-Slovak occupation, and the permission for the citizens of both countries to return home, including Russian citizens serving in the British Army. It must be added that our attitude is entirely different with regard to the American citizens, to whom these measures did not extend, because, although the United States Government was compelled by its Allies to agree to participate in intervention, so far only formally, its decision is not regarded by us as irrevocable. It must also be noted that the policy of Japan is not noted for its solidarity with the other Allied powers, which could be seen from the statements of the Japanese representatives in Russia. On the whole, in spite of the great difference between the political organization of Russia and Germany and the fundamental tendencies of both governments, the peaceful relations between the two peoples, which has always been the object of our workmen and peasants' state, is at present equally desirable to the German ruling circles. The close alliance between Russian and English capital, which rapidly developed in the few years preceding the war, is the reason for the present predominance of English orientation among the Russian bourgeoisie. The interests of the struggle against Germany, whom AngloFrench imperialism wants to compel to withdraw part of her forces from the west front by the establishment of a new eastern front, and the interests of the struggle against a class opponent who has been able to find expression in Soviet Russia, both demand intervention in Russia on the part of AngloFrench imperialism and the strangling of the Russian revolution. In turning our front against advancing Anglo-French imperialism, we declare, however, that the toiling masses of Russia are striving towards the maintenance of peace with all people and that we are ready at any moment to establish peaceful relations with the Allied people. Precisely in the interests of peaceful relations with Germany, did we sign those agreements which are to-day submitted to the Central Executive Committee for ratification. CHAPTER XI THE CONSTITUTION OF THE RUSSIAN SOCIALIST FEDERATED SOVIET REPUBLIC File No. 861.00/2817 The Consul at Moscow (Poole) to the Secretary of State No. 9 Moscow, August 20, 1918. SIR: I have the honor to enclose herewith four copies of a translation of the constitution of the Russian Socialistic Federated Republic of Soviets, as it appeared in the official Bolshevik journal, the Izvestia, of July 19, 1918.1 I have [etc.] DEW. C. POOLE, Jr. [Enclosure Translation] CONSTITUTION OF THE RUSSIAN SOCIALIST FEDERATED SOVIET REPUBLIC' SECTION 1.-DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE LABORING AND EXPLOITED PEOPLE 1. Russia is proclaimed a Republic of the Soviets of Workmen's, Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies. All the central and local authority is in the hands of these Soviets. 2. The Russian Soviet Republic is constituted on the basis of the free union of free nations, as a federation of national Soviet republics. Chapter II 3. Setting as its main object the destruction of every kind of exploitation of one man by another, the abolishment of class distinction, the merciless suppression of exploiters, the establishment of a socialistic organization of society and the victory of socialism in all countries, the III All-Russia Congress of the Soviets of Workmen's, Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies, further decrees: (a) In order to realize socialization of land, private holding of land is abolished and the entire agrarian fund is declared national property and is given over to the laboring people without redemption on the basis of equal use. 'The constitution was adopted July 10, 1918; a later constitution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was adopted July 6, 1923. 66 2 The translation has been left substantially in the form in which it was received. A few brief omitted passages have been supplied and a few verbal corrections made upon comparison with the Russian text issued July 19, 1918, as No. 151, Izvestii Vseros. Tsentr. Ispoln. Komiteta" (Izdatelstvo Vserossiiskago Tsentralkago Ispolnitelnago Komiteta Sovetov R.,S.,K. i K. Deputatov, Moscow), and the translation published by the Department of Foreign Political Literature of the People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs. (b) All woods, minerals and waters of a general state significance as well as all live and immovable stock, model farms and agricultural institutions are declared national property. (c) The Soviet law regarding labor control and a Supreme Council for National Economy is confirmed as the first step towards the entire transfer of works, mills, mines, railways and other means of production and transport into the possession of the Workmen's and Peasants' Republic of Soviets, for the purpose of insuring the authority of the working people over the exploiters. (d) The III Congress of Soviets regards the Soviet law of annulment of loans made by the government of the Tsar, landowners and bourgeoisie, as the first blow to international banking and financial capital, and expresses the certainty that the Soviet authority will firmly follow this course until the absolute victory of the international workmen's rebellion against the yoke of capital. (e) The transfer of all banks into the possession of the Workmen's and Peasants' Republic is confirmed as one of the conditions towards the liberation of the working masses from the yoke of capital. (f) In order to destroy the parasite elements of society and to organize the economy of the country, compulsory labor service is introduced. (g) In the interest of insuring authority for the working class and to remove every possibility of the reestablishment of the authority of exploiters, the arming of the laboring class, the formation of a socialistic Red Army of workmen and peasants and the complete disarmament of the propertied classes are decreed. Chapter III 4. Expressing its firm decision to wrench mankind from the clutches of capitalism and imperialism which, in this most criminal war, have drenched the world in blood, the III Congress of Soviets joins the Soviet authority in the policy it is carrying out with regard to the breaking off of secret agreements. the organization of the widest fraternization with the workmen and peasants of the armies at war, and the achievement of democratic peace through revolutionary measures without annexations and contributions on the basis of the self-determination of nations. 5. For the same purpose the III Congress of Soviets insists on the absolute breaking off of the barbaric policy of bourgeois civilization, which builds up the well-being of exploiters in a few chosen nations on the enslavement of hundreds of millions of the working population of Asia, the colonies in general and of small countries. 6. The III Congress of Soviets welcomes the policy of the Council of People's Commissars, which has proclaimed the absolute independence of Finland, has commenced the withdrawal of troops from Persia and given Armenia the right to self-determination. Chapter IV 7. The III Congress of Workmen's, Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies considers that at this moment of decisive struggle of the proletariat against its exploiters, there can be no place for the exploiters in any of the organs of government. Authority must belong entirely and exclusively to the working masses and their plenipotentiary representatives, the Soviets of Workmen's, Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies. 8. At the same time, striving towards the establishment of a really free and voluntary union, therefore a fuller and more stable one, of the working classes of all the nationalities of Russia, the III Congress of Soviets limits itself to the establishment of the fundamental points of the federation of the Soviet republics of Russia, allowing the workmen and peasants of each national.ty to decide themselves at their Soviet Congress if they desire to take part in the federal government and in other federal Soviet institutions and on what conditions. SECTION II.-GENERAL STATUTES OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE RUSSIAN SOCIAL- 9. The essential object of the Constitution of the Russian Socialist Federated Soviet Republic, at the present transitory stage, consists in the establishment of the dictatorship of the town and village proletariat and the poorest peasants in the form of a powerful All-Russia Soviet authority for the purpose of crushing the bourgeoisie, destroying the exploitation of one man by another and the establishment of socialism which will admit of no class distinction and no monarchical power. 10. The Russian Republic is a free socialistic community of all the working people of Russia. All the authority within the bounds of the Russian Socialist Federated Soviet Republic belongs to all the working inhabitants of the country, who are united in the town and village Soviets. 11. The Soviets of provinces where there is a different mode of life and which are composed of different nationalities, may unite into autonomous provincial unions with the provincial congress of Soviets and their executive organs at the head. These autonomous provincial unions belong to the federation of the Russian Socialist Federated Republic of Soviets. 12. The supreme authority in the Russian Socialist Federated Republic of Soviets belongs to the All-Russia Congress of Soviets and during the period between the Congresses to the All-Russia Central Executive Committee. 13. For the purpose of insuring real freedom of conscience to the labor ing people, the church is separated from the state and the schools from the church, and all citizens are permitted the liberty of religious or antireligious propaganda. 14. For the purpose of insuring real freedom of opinion to the laboring people, the R.S.F.S. Republic abolishes the dependence of the press on capital and gives the workpeople and the poorer peasants all the technical and material means for the publication of newspapers, pamphlets, books and all other printed matter, and guarantees their free circulation in the whole country. 15. For the purpose of insuring real freedom of meetings to the laboring people, the R.S.F.S. Republic, recognizing the right of citizens of the Soviet Republic to organize meetings, processions, etc., places at the disposal of the workpeople and poorer peasants all premises suitable for the arrangement of meetings, with light and heat. 16. To insure real freedom of unions, the R.S.F.S. Republic, having broken down the economic and political authority of the propertied classes and having thereby removed all obstacles which until now prevented the workmen and peasants from enjoying freedom of organization and action in bourgeois so ciety, will offer the workmen and poorest peasants every support for their organization and union. 17. For the purpose of making knowledge accessible to the working class, the R.S.F.S. Republic will make it possible for the workmen and poorest peasants to have a free general complete education. 18. The R.S.F.S. Republic considers work the duty of all citizens of the republic and proclaims its motto: "He who does not work, does not eat!" |