Bolshevik proclamation posted in worker districts of Petrograd
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!
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