RUSSIA'S MAN OF THE HOUR 



29 



row. But these tactical differences are 

 at present being gradually overcome and 

 will, I hope, all be overcome by mutual 

 consent. 



"The Provisional Government has at 

 its command full governmental powers. 



"But in solving our problems we are in 

 need of criticism and control ; therefore 

 do not be dismayed and do not think that 

 criticism and control by the public is in- 

 terfering with our work. We are the 

 more in need of control and criticism by 

 the Council of Soldiers, Workmen, Peas- 

 ants, and Officers' Deputies, because they 

 all represent the people and the Russian 

 democracy. 



"It may be that you are somewhat dis- 

 turbed by noisy agitations. Certain words 

 appear to be the evil of the day. But we, 

 the Provisional Government, are not in 

 the least dismayed by such manifesta- 

 tions. 



"We believe in the common sense, in 

 the iron will of the people — to march to 

 salvation and not to ruin, because no one 

 desires to bring about his own ruin. We 

 believe that in the end constructive prob- 

 lems and not isolated party slogans will 

 triumph. 



"If we do not at this moment give the 

 army all that it needs it is not because 

 we do not want to, but because we can- 

 not. 



"The old regime has left everything in 

 a state of chaos ; coal has disappeared 

 from the market, metals have disap- 

 peared, and the population was starving. 

 Money was dwindling down in value, the 

 nation was being impoverished, and this 

 brought about the high prices. In this 

 shape we have come unto our inheritance. 



"However, we assume the responsi- 

 bility because we believe that the people 

 will understand the impossibility of cre- 

 ating at a moment's notice all from noth- 

 ing. We believe that the people, having 

 become the master, will endeavor to 

 grasp the cause of the country's needs. 

 Our belief has not deceived us ; the peo- 

 ple have without hesitation set about or- 

 ganizing life. And the army does not as 

 yet get all ; but still it already gets more 

 than has been the case under the old 

 regime. 



"As to the agrarian question, all that I 

 can say is that by reason of my views and 

 convictions I am in sympathy with the 

 slogan, 'Earth and Liberty.' The people 

 must get Earth and Liberty in their full 

 scope. In this respect the Provisional 

 Government has committed itself through 

 'definitely' assumed obligations. We feel 

 it is our duty to state that the question of 

 the new forms of land ownership can be 

 solved by the Constitutional Assembly 

 only. 



"I assure you that the question of land 

 will not be solved without the consent of 

 the front. 



"For centuries we have grown accus- 

 tomed to wait without getting anything, 

 and now we want to get all without wait- 

 ing a single day. To transform an Asi- 

 atic monarchy into the freest republic on 

 earth, endeavoring to avoid mistakes 

 made at various times in western Eu- 

 rope, is a problem that cannot be solved 

 in the course of a few days. The solu- 

 tion of the problem requires, if not years, 

 at least several months. 



"And we will effect our purpose by 

 striving toward it with all powers at our 

 command ; but we must be on the look- 

 out not to overreach it in our dash for- 

 ward, else we are most likely to over- 

 reach the aim and leave it behind us. 

 Therefore our nearest and primary ob- 

 ject must be the organization of the 

 masses. 



"It is only the organized masses that 

 march to their goal not as dreamers, but 

 as people engaged in the erection of a 

 new State, with full knowledge of the 

 work at hand. Remember, that the ulti- 

 mate result depends on our perseverance 

 and power of self-control. 



"You must not be dismayed by talk of 

 a counter-revolution. No counter-revo- 

 lution is possible, for the simple reason 

 that there is no imbecile who will dare to 

 rise against the will of the entire army, 

 the entire peasantry, the entire labor de- 

 mocracy, and the will of entire Russia. 



"We will attain all, provided we can 

 grapple with the only danger facing us, 

 provided we can battle with those who 

 will take a notion of reaching out a hand 

 from outside, and thus help the hidden 



