The whole Revolutionary Democracy desires that the Bolsheviki group accused of having organized disorders, or inciting revolt, or of having received money from German sources be tried publicly.  In consequence, the Executive Committee considers it absolutely inadmissible that Lenine and Zinoviev should escape justice, and demands that the Bolsheviki faction immediately and categorically express its censure of the conduct of its leaders.

Later on, under the “terror,” there was some pretense of an “investigation” of the charge that Lenine and others had received German money, but there has never been a genuine investigation so far as is known.  Groups of Russian Socialists belonging to various parties and groups have asked that a commission of well-known Socialists from the leading countries of Europe and from the United States, furnished with reliable interpreters, be sent to Russia to make a thorough investigation of the charge.

The United Executive Committee of the workers’ organizations adopted a resolution demanding that all members and all factions, and the members of all affiliated bodies, obey the mandate of the majority, and that all majority decisions be absolutely obeyed.  They took the position—­too late, alas!—­that the will of the majority must be observed, since the only alternative was the rule of the majority by the aggressive minority.  Repressive measures against the Bolsheviki were adopted by the Kerensky Cabinet with the full approval of the Committee.  Some of the Bolshevik papers were suppressed and the death penalty, which had been abolished at the very beginning of the Revolution, was partially restored in that it was ordered that it should be applied to traitors and deserters at the front.  Lenine and Zinoviev were in hiding, but Trotzky, Kamenev, Alexandra Kollontay, and many other noted Bolsheviki were imprisoned for a few days.

It was Kerensky’s hope that by arranging for an early conference by the Allies, at which the war aims would be restated in terms similar to those which President Wilson had employed, and by definitely fixing the date for the Constituent Assembly elections, September 30th, while sternly repressing the Bolsheviki, it might be possible to save Russia.  But it was too late.  Despite his almost superhuman efforts, and the loyal support of the great majority of the Soviets, he was defeated.  Day after day conditions at the front grew worse.  By the beginning of August practically the whole of Galicia was in the hands of the Germans.  Russian soldiers in large numbers retreated before inferior numbers of Germans, refusing to strike a blow.  Germans furnished them with immense quantities of spirits, and an orgy of drunkenness took place.  The red flag was borne by debauched and drunken mobs.  What a fate for the symbol of universal freedom and human brotherhood!