That a section of the Bolsheviki began a secret agitation against the war, aiming at a revolt among the soldiers, regardless of the fact that it would mean Russia’s defeat and Germany’s triumph, is a certainty.  The government soon learned of this movement and promptly took steps to crush it.  Many Russian Socialists have charged that the policy of the Bolsheviki was inspired by provocateurs in the employ of the police, and by them betrayed.  Others believe that the policy was instigated by German provocateurs, for very obvious purposes.  It was not uncommon for German secret agents to worm their way into the Russian Socialist ranks, nor for the agents of the Russian police to keep the German secret service informed of what was going on in Russian Socialist circles.  Whatever truth there may be in the suspicion that the anti-war Bolshevik faction of the Social Democrats were the victims of the Russian police espionage system, and were betrayed by one whom they had trusted, as the Socialist-Revolutionists had been betrayed by Azev, the fact remains that the government ordered the arrest of five of the Bolshevist Social Democratic members of the Duma, on November 17th.  Never before had the government disregarded the principle of parliamentary immunity.  When members of the First Duma, belonging to various parties, and members of the Second Duma, belonging to the Social Democratic party, were arrested it was only after the Duma had been formally dissolved.  The arrest of the five Social Democrats while the Duma was still sitting evoked a strong protest, even from the conservatives.

The government based its action upon the following allegations, which appear to have been substantially correct:  in October arrangements were made to convoke a secret conference of delegates of the Social Democratic organization to plan for a revolutionary uprising.  The police learned of the plan, and when at last, on November 17th, the conference was held at Viborg, eight miles from Petrograd—­as the national capital was now called—­a detachment of police found eleven persons assembled, including five members of the Imperial Duma, Messrs. Petrovsky, Badavev, Mouranov, Samoelov, and Chagov.  The police arrested six persons, but did not arrest the Duma members, on account of their parliamentary position.  An examining magistrate, however, indicted the whole eleven who attended the conference, under Article No. 102 of the Penal Code, and issued warrants for their arrest.  Among those arrested was Kamanev, one of Lenine’s closest friends, who behaved so badly at his trial, manifesting so much cowardice, that he was censured by his party.