What does the tsarist “state-of-law” look like at this very moment? Pacifying “communiqués”—with the simultaneous imposition of the state of siege—an amnesty for political criminals—with the exception of warriors from the whole current period of revolution—decrees about press freedom—while knifing peaceful citizens to the ground—and the “unassailable principles” of the constitutional manifesto—accompanied by a general outbreak of mob violence against the Jews. This, indeed, is the kingdom of the “freedom-granting” knout.
Yet this grotesque piece of theater is merely the logical expression of the situation’s inner contradictions. With a struggle, absolutism can still keep its head above water for a few moments, but only by making libertarian promises and concessions. Yet these concessions signify a denial of its own self, as tsarism’s means of survival consist purely of so many means of destruction. That is why we don’t progress beyond these mere promises, and as these naturally only serve to fire up the revolution anew, instead of pacifying, such libertarian promises are followed with deadly certainty by relapses into the naked terror regime of the whip.
Despite this, political freedom has in fact already been born in Russia—amid the muddle of tsarism’s breakdown—and this freedom is growing by the hour. It has not been “granted” by absolutism, but rather consolidated by the workers under Social Democratic leadership. Mass assemblies in the streets of all major cities have become a daily occurrence. The papers are already being published in several cities—including Warsaw—without any censorship, which they have freed themselves from by the work of their own hands. Prisoners have been liberated by a storming mass of people. Political freedom has been forcibly put into practice through the decisiveness of the urban, class-conscious, working class. In order to grasp the inner logic and developmental process running through the events, we need to be able to see through the colorful picture of contradictory news, through the details to the meaning of individual moments, and on, to penetrate the meaning of the phases of the revolution—phases which are now being measured in days and hours. The revolution in Russia triumphs as a movement of the modern, metropolitan workforce—this proves true not only with regard to this revolution’s general contents, but also to each of its steps, in each individual moment!
Peterhof, November 3 (report by the Petersburg Telegraph Agency). An imperial ukase regarding the granting of an amnesty has been signed.
Petersburg, November 3. The government approved the amnesty that had been demanded, and which has already been signed by the tsar. Those prisoners sentenced for political attacks after 1899 are excluded from the amnesty(!!).
MURDERING SCOUNDRELS WORRYING ABOUT MORALITY
Petersburg, November 3 (report by the Petersburg Telegraph Agency). A government communiqué explains how participating in street demonstrations needs now to be seen completely differently, in light of the October 30 manifesto creating non-negotiable foundations for the development of Russian life, based on rule of law and on the legal system. Such participation can only benefit the forces of disorder, which is why the participation of school students from middle and lower-level institutions of learning at such rallies should be condemned on moral grounds. Even if society’s attention were not already focused on such participation, the state would still be threatened by a growing number of people whose respect for authority and order is being radically shaken in the classroom already. The government is calling on all citizens to observe self-discipline and to busy themselves with peaceful activities.
THE PRESS DECREE
Petersburg, November 3. The public can view the exact wording of the decree granting press freedom in the editorial office of the Novoye Vremya [New Times]. Count Witte requested of the chief editors of the Petersburg papers that they evaluate its contents and, if necessary, make proposals to him for changes. The chief editors will subsequently meet Count Witte this evening to discuss the matter.
STATE OF SIEGE IN ODESSA!
Odessa, November 3. The imposition of the state of siege stipulates that no one is allowed to be seen on the street after 7 p.m., that anyone who appears at a window or on a balcony after this time will be shot at, and that light must be extinguished in houses at 9 p.m. Yesterday, police and troops confiscated arms from over 5,000 persons who were carrying revolvers.
Petersburg, November 3 (report by the Petersburg Telegraph Agency). The censorship of the newspapers’ official telegrams has been rescinded.
RIOTS AGAINST JEWS AND A MASSACRE
Petersburg, November 3 (report by the Petersburg Telegraph Agency). New information reached us during the night about attacks against Jews. In Smolensk, the city’s autonomous administration managed to dampen down the violence by intervening energetically. In Rostov-on-Don, several streets look now like piles of ruins and the new market has been burned down. The attacks against the Jews are continuing in Mariopol, in Donetsk and in Kiev, where grenades were also thrown at Cossacks. Twelve persons were killed and forty-four wounded in Kiev yesterday.
In Poltava, a crowd of the people penetrated into the prison, during which thirty-eight persons were wounded. Disturbances also arose in Uman, with demonstrators demanding the release of political prisoners.
Warsaw, November 3. Demonstrations on the streets lasted until well into the night. A military post in the Saxon Gardens was attacked by revolver shots, which it responded to by firing off a salvo. Many persons were killed or wounded.
INSURRECTION IN SOUTH RUSSIA
Petersburg, November 3. Reports in from Mykolaiv state that open unrest reigns throughout the city. Machine-gun fire can be heard on the streets, where numerous dead and wounded are lying around. About 200 grenades have been thrown, causing a large number of people to lose their lives, or leaving them horribly maimed. There is no consolation to be found anywhere in the city.
INSURRECTION IN ALL THE PROVINCES
Petersburg, November 2. The latest telegrams from the provinces report on sometimes more, sometimes fewer, disturbances today and yesterday. The military intervened in many cities, leading to more deaths and injuries, principally in Kaluga, Grodno, Rybinsk, Tver, Minsk, Kurgan, Bialystok, Baku, and Sevastopol. Clashes also broke out between members of different political parties in many cities. Other telegrams reported on the continuance of disturbances directed against the Jews, in Ryeshin, Vitebsk, Romny, Kiev, Vilnius, Kirovohrad, and particularly Odessa, where plainclothes police officers were recognized.
THE FUNERAL PROCESSION OF THE TSARIST “CONSTITUTION”
Tallinn, November 2 (report by the Petersburg Telegraph Agency). A crowd of around 30,000 persons remained today for several hours on the spot where the participants in the rallies fell, after they had been shot by troops. The crowd sang laments beside the thirty-eight coffins that were laid out there. The streetlights and the houses were hung with black cloth and with innumerable wreathes of mourning. Candles could be seen burning in the windows, as the funeral procession stretched out for several kilometers. The city authorities contributed to this act of grieving, and shops and public institutions were closed.
Minsk, November 1 (report by the Petersburg Telegraph Agency). Burials are taking place here almost on an hourly basis of people who have fallen victim to the latest disturbances. The corpses are driven away on droshkies. Fifty-four corpses were lying on the Jewish cemetery. The workers have imposed a three-day mourning period for those who have been killed. Work has been suspended in public institutions.
IN POLAND
Warsaw, November 3 (private dispatch to Vorwärts). People are printing newspapers without censorship. Social Democracy is holding large meetings of the people in all districts, at which it is calling for resilience in the struggle, and in the general strike. The speeches are greeted by tremendous cheering by the population. “National democratic” and the hypocritical “god-fearing” tendencies are agitating against Social Democracy with all their strength, while admonishing for the maintenance of peace and for giving up the general strike.
Częstochowa, November 3 (private telegram to Vorwärts). The general strike continues. Social Democracy is able to have its pamphlets printed in a legal printing works. Yesterday red posters could be seen hung up throughout the city: “The Social Democracy of Poland and Lithuania invites the working people to a large assembly of the people at the municipal merchant’s casino.” The police allowed the posters to stay hanging. The assembly took place with over 2,000 participants. The speakers were met with thunderous applause. Colossal assemblies of the people also took place on the streets.
Przybiernów, November 3 (private telegram to Vorwärts). The legal printing works has been occupied by the Social Democrats who continue to work for the party. Pamphlets are now being printed and disseminated in an entirely open manner. The general strike continues. Mass meetings are taking place frequently, for example in the colliery house of the Count Renard pit. Social Democracy has publicized its solution—immediate formation of a people’s militia! The workers are arming themselves as far as possible.
IN THE CAUCASUS
Petersburg, November 3. According to reports from Baku, the strike is continuing in the Caucasus. Railroad infrastructure between Tbilisi and Peti has been destroyed by the rebels and transport has been suspended.
Helsinki, November 3. The city administration has formed a welfare committee and has explained to the strike committee that they see themselves as now in a position to take over the maintenance of order, for which purpose 10,000 marks shall be made available. Moreover, the city administration has voted in a board of three members that will meet twice daily, which the strike committee should turn to in case of important questions.
Helsinki, November 2. At an assembly held yesterday, the motion was passed to continue the strike until all political demands had been fulfilled. The governor-general stated that he would send the list of demands to Petersburg today and promised to withdraw military patrols, because order is being maintained better than ever and the citizens’ militia is sending out their own strong patrols. The minister of police submitted his request to resign. Gendarmes left the municipality of Hanko after their weapons had been removed. Gendarmes in Hämeenlinna fled to their barracks, as was also the case in Turku. The governor of Turku sent the military back, and promised that he no longer wanted to use it.
MARTIAL LAW IMPOSED
A private dispatch from the Berl[iner] Zeitung newspaper reports: Martial law was imposed in Rostov-on-Don yesterday. This measure has proven favorable, as at least some peace has prevailed in the city since then. It has not yet been possible to reestablish railroad transport.
RAILROAD TRANSPORT AT A STANDSTILL.
Katowice, November 3 (W.T.O.).* Official report. All railroad transport in Russia is at a standstill.
The Vossischen Zeitung has received the following: Petersburg, November 3. The workers’ committee publishes the News [Izvestia] of the Workers’ Deputies Council on a daily basis,† which is then also published in a four-page format in the Voss[ischen] Zeitung. Issue No. 3 from today includes the following appeal:
As we consider it necessary for the workers to be able to organize themselves as well as possible on the basis of the successes already achieved, and in order to arm themselves for the final struggle concerning the convocation of a Constituent Assembly, for the purpose of founding a democratic republic, we call now for a suspension of the strike. It should be recommenced as soon as the right time has arrived. Furthermore, typesetters are being requested to only work in papers whose editors commit themselves to allowing the newspaper to be published without considering the orders of the censor.