At the sitting on May 30 of the Pan-Russian Congress, Officers’ Delegates, a representative of the officers of the 3rd Elizabethengrad Hussars is stated, according to the Retch of May 1, to have given, in a speech for the offensive, the following characteristic statement:  “You all know to what extremes the disorder at the front has reached.  The infantry cut the wires connecting them with their batteries and declare that the soldiers will not remain more than one month at the front, but will go home.”

It is very instructive also to read the report of a delegate from the front, who had accompanied the French and English majority Socialists at the front.  This report was printed in the Rabocaja Gazeta, May 18 and 19—­this is the organ of the Mensheviks, i.e. that of Tscheidse, Tseretelli and Skobeleff.  These Entente Socialists at the front were told with all possible distinctness that the Russian army could not and would not fight for the imperialistic aims of England and France.  The state of the transport, provisions and forage supplies, as also the danger to the achievements of the Revolution by further war, demanded a speedy cessation of hostilities.  The English and French Socialist delegates were said to be not altogether pleased at this state of feeling at the front.  And it was further demanded of them that they should undertake to make known the result of their experience in Russia on the Western front, i.e. in France.  There was some very plain speaking, too, with regard to America:  representatives from the Russian front spoke openly of America’s policy of exploitation towards Europe and the Allies.  It was urged then that an international Socialist conference should be convened at the earliest possible moment, and supported by the English and French majority Socialists.  At one of the meetings at the front, the French and English Socialists were given the following reply: 

“Tell your comrades that we await definite declarations from your Governments and peoples renouncing conquest and indemnities.  We will shed no drop of blood for Imperialists, whether they be Russians, Germans or English.  We await the speediest agreement between the workers of all countries for the termination of the war, which is a thing shameful in itself, and will, if continued, prove disastrous to the Russian Revolution.  We will not conclude any separate peace, but tell your people to let us know their aims as soon as possible.”

According to the report, the French Socialists were altogether converted to this point of view.  This also appears to be the case, from the statements with regard to the attitude of Cachin and Moutet at the French Socialist Congress.  The English, on the other hand, were immovable, with the exception of Sanders, who inclined somewhat toward the Russian point of view.

Private information reaching the Ministry