Bolshevik proclamation posted in worker districts of Petrograd

June 22  1917

All-Russian Social-Democratic Workers’ Party (Bolsheviks)

To all laborers, workers, and soldiers of Piter [Petrograd]

Comrades!

Russia is experiencing difficult trials. The war, which has carried off millions of victims, continues. Millionaire bankers are intentionally prolonging it, because they’re making a fortune off the war.

The war has devastated industry, leading to factory stoppages and unemployment. The greedy capitalists, who lock out workers while making fantastic profits, exacerbate this trend.

Shortages of bread and other food supplies are becoming more acute. The increase in the cost of living is throttling the population. Prices keep increasing, per the whims of robber-speculators.

The sinister specter of hunger and ruin looms over us. At the same time, the black clouds of counterrevolution are approaching.

Imposed by the tsar to strangle the people, the [illegitimate] June 3rd Duma* now demands an immediate offensive at the front. But for what purpose? To drown in blood the freedom that we have obtained.

The State Council, which supplied the tsar with hangmen ministers, is quietly braiding a traitor’s noose, while shielding itself behind the law. What is this for? It is so that at a convenient time they may come out into the open and hang the noose around the neck of the people.

The Provisional Government, positioned between the tsarist Duma and the Soviet and containing ten bourgeois members, obviously has fallen under the influence of gentry landowners and capitalists. Instead of securing soldiers’ rights, Kerensky’s ‘declaration’ violates their rights in several very important points.

Instead of securing the liberties that soldiers gained during the revolution, new ‘commands’ threaten them with penal servitude.

Instead of securing the freedom, which Russia’s citizens achieved, there are arrests without trial or investigation, and new suggestions about Article 129, which make threats about penal servitude.

Instead of struggling against counterrevolution, they put up with the debauchery and bacchanalia of counterrevolutionaries.

Meanwhile, economic devastation keeps getting worse and no measures are taken against it.

The war keeps going on and no actual measures are taken to end it.

Famine is still imminent and no actual measures are taken to prevent it.

Is it really any surprise that counterrevolutionaries are becoming more insolent and inciting the government to repress soldiers, sailors, workers, and peasants?

Comrades! It’s impossible to endure such things in silence any more. It is a crime to keep silent after all this! Protest is already beginning in the depths of the working class. We are free citizens. We have the right to protest and we should avail ourselves of this right before it is too late.

We still have the right to demonstrate peacefully. We will go to a peaceful demonstration and will make our needs and wishes known!

Raise the flags of victory today to make the enemies of freedom and socialism afraid!

Let our call, the cry of the sons of the revolution, fly round all Russia today to the joy of all those who are oppressed and enslaved!

Workers! Join together with soldiers and support their just demands. Indeed, don’t you remember how they supported you during the revolution? Everyone onto the streets, comrades!

Soldiers! Hold out your hands to workers and support their just demands. The strength of the revolution is in the union of soldiers and workers. Not one regiment or company should sit in the barracks today!

Everyone into the streets, comrades! March on the streets of the capital in orderly ranks. State your wishes calmly and confidently, as befits the strong:

Down with the tsarist Duma!

Down with the State Council!

Down with the ten capitalist ministers!

All power to the All-Russian Soviet of Workers, Soldiers, and Peasants’ Deputies!

Revise the ‘declaration of the rights of soldiers’!

Repeal the ‘commands’ against soldiers and sailors!

Down with anarchy in industry! Down with capitalists who engage in lockouts!

Long live workers’ supervision and organization of industry!

It’s time to end the war! Let the Soviet of deputies announce just conditions of peace!

Neither a separate peace with Wilhelm, nor secret treaties with French and English capitalists!

Bread! Peace! Freedom!