1

Lenin dwells on the concrete accusations brought against the Council of People’s Commissars. The Council of People’s Commissars learned of Muravyov’s order{28} only from the newspapers, since the commander-in-chief is granted the right to issue by his own authority those orders that brook no delay. In view of the fact that this order contained nothing contradicting the spirit of the new power, but its wording could lead to undesirable misunderstandings, the Central Executive Committee annulled it. Further, you criticise the decree on land. But this decree meets the demands of the people. You reproach us for being schematic. But where are your drafts, amendments, resolutions? Where are the fruits of your legislative creativity? You were free to create. But we do not see them. You say that we are extremists; well, and who are you? Apologists of parliamentary obstruction, of what was previously called pettifoggery. If you are dissatisfied, convene a new congress, act, but do not speak about the breakdown of power. Power belongs to our party, which rests on the confidence of the broad masses of the people. Let a few of our comrades have taken a platform having nothing in common with Bolshevism. But the Moscow working masses will not follow Rykov and Nogin. Comrade Proshyan said that in Finland, where the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries were in contact with the masses, they considered the closest cooperation of the entire left wing of revolutionary socialism necessary. But if here the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries do not join us, they thereby only show that here they have suffered the same fate as their predecessors—the defencists. They have become divorced from the people.

2

Lenin and Trotsky, citing the example of party congresses and the necessity of submitting to party discipline, declare that they will take part in the voting.