In the first of their "decrees" after the overthrow of the
Kerensky Cabinet, the Bolshevik "Commissaries of the People" announced that
they were to exercise complete power "until the meeting of the Constituent
Assembly," which was nothing less than a pledge that they would regard the
latter body as the supreme, ultimate authority. Three days after the revolt
Lenine, as president of the People's Commissaries, published this decree:
In the name of the Government of the Republic, elected by the
All-Russian Congress of Councils of Workmen's and Soldiers'
Delegates, with the participation of the Peasants' Delegates, the
Council of the People's Commissaries decrees:
1. That the elections to the Constituent Assembly shall be held on
November 25th, the day set aside for this purpose.
2. All electoral committees, all local organizations, the Councils
of Workmen's, Soldiers' and Peasants' Delegates and the soldiers'
organizations at the front are to bend every effort toward
safeguarding the freedom of the voters and fair play at the
elections to the Constituent Assembly, which will be held on the
appointed date.
If this attitude had been maintained throughout, and had the Bolsheviki
loyally accepted the verdict of the electorate when it was given, there
could have been no complaint.
Pages:
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348