of Peasants' Deputies, which is following in the wake of the Provisional Government. An example of this is the recently formed "Soviet of Peasants' Deputies of Petrograd,"[50] which embraces the entire garrison of the city, and which from its very inception came into conflict with the Provisional Government and the All-Russian Executive Committee of Peasants' Deputies.
The following is a model platform that might serve as a basis of agreement with such non-party organizations of peasants and soldiers:
1. We are opposed to the landlords and capitalists and their "Party of Popular Freedom," because they, and they alone, are the chief enemies of the Russian people. No confidence in, and no support for, the rich and their government!
2. We give our confidence and support to the working class, the devoted champion of socialism; we are for alliance and agreement of the peasants, soldiers and sailors with the workers against the landlords and capitalists.
3. We are opposed to the war, for it is a war of conquest. Any talk about peace without annexations will remain empty prating so long as the war is waged on the basis of the secret treaties concluded by the tsar with the British and French capitalists.
4. We are in favour of the speediest ending of the war by means of a determined struggle of the peoples against their imperialist governments.
5. We are opposed to the anarchy in industry, which is being aggravated by the capitalists. We are in favour of workers' control over industry; we are in favour of industry being organized on democratic lines by the intervention of the workers themselves and of a government recognized by them.
6. We are in favour of well-organized exchange of products between town and country, so that the towns may be supplied with sufficient quantities of provisions and the rural districts with sugar, paraffin, footwear, textiles, hardware and other necessary goods.
7. We are in favour of all the land -- appanage, state, crown, landlord, monastery and church -- being transferred to the whole people without compensation.
8. We are in favour of all unused land, arable and grazing, belonging to the landlords, being placed immediately at the disposal of democratically elected Peasant Committees.
9. We are in favour of all unused draft animals and farm implements now in the possession of landlords or in warehouses being placed immediately at the disposal of the Peasant Committees to be used for purposes of tillage, mowing, harvesting, etc.
10. We are in favour of all disabled soldiers, as well as widows and orphans, being paid allowances adequate to maintain a decent human existence.
11. We are in favour of a people's republic, without a standing army, bureaucracy, or police force.
12. In place of a standing army we demand a national guard with elected commanders.
13. In place of a non-accountable bureaucratic officialdom we demand that government servants be elected and subject to recall.
14. In place of a police exercising tutelage over the people we demand a militia chosen by election and subject to recall.
15. We are in favour of the annulment of the "orders" directed against the soldiers and sailors.
16. We are opposed to the disbanding of regiments and the incitement of soldier against soldier.
17. We are opposed to the persecution of the workers' and soldiers' press; we are opposed to restriction of free speech and assembly whether in the rear or at the front; we are opposed to arrests without trial; we are opposed to disarmament of the workers.
18. We are opposed to the reintroduction of the death penalty.
19. We are in favour of all the nations of Russia being granted the right freely to arrange their lives in their
own way, and of none of them being subjected to oppression.
20. Lastly, we are in favour of all power in the country being turned over to the revolutionary Soviets of Workers and Peasants, for only such power can lead the country out of the impasse into which it has been driven by the war, the economic disruption and the high cost of living, and by the capitalists and landlords, who are battening on the people's need.
Such, in general, is the platform that might serve as a basis of agreement between our Party organizations and the non-party revolutionary groups of peasants and soldiers.
Comrades, the elections are approaching. Intervene before it is too late and organize the election campaign.
Set up mobile groups of propagandists consisting of working men and women, soldiers and sailors, and arrange short lectures on the subject of the platform.
Furnish these groups with literature and send them out to the four corners of Russia.
Let their voice arouse the countryside to the forth coming elections to the Constituent Assembly.
Set up Party groups in the volosts and uyezds and rally the mass of the poor peasantry around them.
Organize conferences in volosts, uyezds and gubernias for the purpose of strengthening revolutionary party connections and nominating candidates to the Constituent Assembly.
The importance of the Constituent Assembly is immense. But immeasurably greater is the importance of the masses who are outside the Constituent Assembly. The source of strength will not be the Constituent Assem-
bly itself, but the workers and peasants who by their struggle are creating a new revolutionary law and will impel the Constituent Assembly forward. Know that the more organized the revolutionary masses are, the more attentively will the Constituent Assembly heed their voice, and the more assured will be the future of the Russian revolution.
The chief task in the elections, therefore, is to rally the broad mass of the peasantry around our Party.
To work, comrades!