ng the Bolsheviki, were "the best situated of
all the proletarian internationalists," and that they had "tens of papers,
with freedom of assemblage." In the face of such statements by Lenine
himself, written a few days before the Bolshevik counter-revolution, what
becomes of the charge that the suppression of popular liberties under
Kerensky was one of the main causes of the revolt of the Bolsheviki?

Against the tolerance of Kerensky, the arbitrary and despotic methods of
the Bolsheviki stand out in strong contrast. Many non-Bolshevist Socialist
organs were suppressed; papers containing matter displeasing to the
Bolshevik authorities were suspended, whole issues were confiscated, and
editors were imprisoned, precisely as in the days of the Czar. It became
necessary for the Socialist-Revolutionists to issue their paper with a
different title, and from a different place, every day. Here is the
testimony of Inna Rakitnikov again, contained in an official report to the
International Socialist Bureau:

All the non-Bolshevik newspapers were confiscated or prosecuted
and deprived of every means of reaching the provinces; their
editors' offices and printing-establishments were looted. After
the creation of the "Revolutionary Tribunal" the authors of
articles that were not pleasing to the Bolsheviki, as well as the
directors of newspapers, were brought to judgment and condemned to
make amends or go to prison, etc.

The premises of numerous organizations were being constantly
pillaged. The Red Guard came there to search, destroying different
documents; frequently objects which were found on the premises
disappeared. Thus were looted the premises of the Central
Committee of the Revolutionary Socialist party (27 Galernaia
Street) and--several times--the office of the paper _Dielo Naroda_
(22 Liteinia Street) ... the office of the paper Volya Naroda,
etc.... But the Central Committee ... continued to issue a daily
paper, only changing its title, as in the time of Czarism, and
thus continued its propaganda....

The _Yolya Naroda_, referred to by Inna Rakitnikov, was the official organ
of the Socialist-Revolutionary party. It was raided on several occasions.
For example, in January, 1918, the leaders of the party reported that a
detachment of Bolshevik Red Guards had broken into the office of the paper,
committed various depredations, and made several arrests.[26]