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V. I. Lenin

CLOSURE OF THE MENSHEVIK NEWSPAPER
UNDERMINING THE COUNTRY'S DEFENCE

ALL-RUSSIA CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DRAFT    RESOLUTION[170]

    Taking into consideration that

    1) the Menshevik newspaper Vsegda Vperyod published an article "Stop the Civil War" on 20.2.19, which proved once and for all that it is counter-revolutionary;

    2) the slogan "Down with the Civil War", openly advocated in the paper at a time when the landlord and capitalist troops, led by Kolchak, have captured Perm as well as Siberia, is equivalent to support for Kolchak and an obstacle to the workers and peasants of Russia winning the war against Kolchak;

    3) the Mensheviks, who in their conference resolution condemned the overwhelming majority of Menshevik party members who have lined up with the propertied classes, i.e., the landowners and capitalists in Siberia, Archangel, on the Volga, in Georgia and the South, are thus now starting to pursue the same policy in fact, while hypocritically denying it in words;

    4) those of the Mensheviks who are not hypocritical friends of the landowners and capitalists are now again displaying the spineless vacillation bringing them to serving Kolchak;

    5) the Soviet Government, right at the time of the last, decisive and sharpest armed clash with the landlord and capitalist troops, cannot put up with people who are unwilling to endure great sacrifices alongside the workers and peasants fighting for their just cause;

    6) such people are again and again leaning towards the Kolchak brand of democracy under which the bourgeoisie and their hangers-on do so well,

    the Central Executive Committee decrees that

    a) the newspaper Vsegda Vperyod shall be closed down until the Mensheviks show by actions their resolve to break once and for all with Kolchak and firmly stand for the defence and support of the Soviet government;

    b) all the necessary measures shall be taken to exile Mensheviks hampering the victory of the workers and peasants over Kolchak to a life under the Kolchak brand of democracy. <"NOTES">

NOTES

  ^{<"en170">[170]} Lenin compiled this draft for discussion by the All-Russia Central Executive Committee on the question of the Menshevik newspaper Vsegda Vperyod (Always Forward ) (the paper was published in Moscow; one issue appeared in 1918, and in 1919 it appeared from January 22 to February 25).
    The minutes of the Council of People's Commissars for February 22, 1919, contain a note from Secretary of the All-Russia Central Executive Committee Avanesov addressed to Lenin: "Have you received the resolution on the Mensheviks?" It appears that Lenin had seen a preliminary draft of the resolution in question and compiled his own draft.
    On February 25, 1919, the Presidium of the All-Russia Central Executive Committee adopted a decision to close down the newspaper. On the following day the plenary session of the All-Russia Central Executive Committee confirmed the decision and unanimously passed a lengthy resolution which incorporated the main ideas of Lenin's draft. On February 27 the decision was published in Izvestia No. 45 over the signatures of Sverdlov and Avanesov.    [p. 447]