Our fraction fixed on the 27th of December the last delay for the opening of the Constituante; on this day more than half of the deputies could have arrived in Petrograd.  We entered into conference with the other fractions.  The Ukrainians, some other national fractions, and the Menshevik Social Democrats adhered to our resolution.  The Revolutionary Socialists of the Left hypocritically declared themselves partizans of an early opening of the Constituante.  But behold, the Council of the so-called “Commissaries of the People” fixed the opening for the 5th of January. At the same time they called for the 8th of January a Congress of the Soviets of Workmen’s and Soldiers’ Delegates, thus hoping to be able to trick and to cover with the name of this Congress their criminal acts.  The object of this postponement is clear; they did not even hide it and threatened to dissolve the Constituent Assembly in case that it did not submit to the Bolshevik Congress of Soviets.  The same threat was repeated by those who are called Socialist-Revolutionists of the Left.

The delegation of the Ukrainian Revolutionary Socialists abandoned us also and submitted to the order for the convocation on January 5th, considering that the fight of the Bolshevik power against the Constituent Assembly is an internal question, which interests only Greater Russia.

    Citizens!  We shall be there, too, on January 5th, so that the
    least particle of responsibility for the sabotage of the
    Constituent Assembly may not fall upon us.

    But we do not think that we can suspend our activity with regard
    to the speediest possible opening of the Constituent Assembly.

We address an energetic appeal to all the deputies; in the name of the fatherland, in the name of the Revolution, in the name of the duty which devolves upon you by reason of your election, come, all, to Petrograd!  On the 1st of January all the deputies present will decide on the day for the opening of the Constituent Assembly.

    We appeal to you, citizens!  Remind your elected representatives of
    their duty.

    And remember that your salvation is solely in your own hands, a
    mortal danger threatens the Constituent Assembly; be all ready to
    rise in its defense!

    THE REVOLUTIONARY SOCIALIST FRACTION OF THE CONSTITUENT
    ASSEMBLY.

On the 3d of January the League for the Defense of the Constituent Assembly held a meeting at which were present 210 delegates, representing the Socialist parties as well as various democratic organizations and many factories—­that of Putilov, that of Oboukhov, and still others from the outskirts of Narva, from the districts of Viborg, Spassky, and Petrogradsky, from the Isle Vassily.  It was decided to organize for January 5th a peaceful display in honor of the opening of the Constituent Assembly.