ger that was threatening the Constituent Assembly at the
hands of the Bolsheviki. They did not yet dare to assert themselves openly.
They had to gain time to strengthen their power. They hastily followed up
peace pourparlers, to place Russia and the Constituent Assembly, if this
met, before an accomplished fact.

They hastened to attract the peasants to themselves. That was the reason
which motived the "decree" of Lenine on the socialization of the soil,
which decree appeared immediately after the _coup d'etat_. This decree was
simply a reproduction of a Revolutionary Socialists' resolution adopted at
a Peasants' Congress. What could the socialization of the soil be to Lenine
and all the Bolsheviki in general? They had been, but a short time before,
profoundly indifferent with regard to this Socialist-Revolutionist
"Utopia." It had been for them an object of raillery. But they knew that
without this "Utopia" they would have no peasants. And they threw them
this mouthful, this "decree," which astonished the peasants. "Is it a law?
Is it not a law? Nobody knows," they said.

It is the same desire to have, cost what it may, the sympathy of the
peasants that explains the union of the Bolsheviki with those who are
called the "Socialist-Revolutionists of the Left" (for the name
Socialist-Revolutionist spoke to the heart of the peasant), who played the
stupid and shameful role of followers of the Bolsheviki, with a blind
weapon between their hands.

A part of the "peasants in uniform" followed the Bolsheviki to Smolny. The
Germans honored the Bolsheviki by continuing with them the pourparlers for
peace. The Bolshevist government had at its disposal the Red Guards, well
paid, created suddenly in the presence of the crumbling of the army for
fear of remaining without the help of bayonets. These Red Guards, who later
fled in shameful fashion before the German patrols, advanced into the
interior of the country and gained victories over the unarmed populace. The
Bolsheviki felt the ground firm under their feet and threw off the mask. A
campaign against the Constituent Assembly commenced. At first in _Pravda_
and in _Izvestya_ were only questions. What will this Constituent Assembly
be? Of whom will it be composed? It is possible that it will have a
majority of servants of the bourgeoisie--Cadets Socialist-Revolutionists.
_Can we confide to such a Constituent Assembly the destinies of the Russian
Revolution? Will it recognize the p