V. I. Lenin

Speech At The Extraordinary All-Russia Congress Of
Railwaymen

December 13 (26), 1917

Allow me to greet the Congress on behalf of the Council of
People's Commissars and to express the hope that the organisation of the railwaymen will be conducted on the same
lines as the vast majority of workers and peasants in
Russia. There is no doubt at all that the October Revolution,
carried out by the workers, peasants and soldiers, is a
socialist one. It is opposed by all the forces of the bourgeoisie and the top salaried sections, who have grown
accustomed to the old order and cannot understand that the
revolution is going to remake the old system from top to
bottom. Listen to their loud cries that Soviet power is
repudiated by the majority in Russia. You know the worth of all
this clamour. There is a flood of telegrams saying that troops
are moving on Petrograd, against the gains of the October
Revolution. We throw them into the waste-paper basket, being
fully aware that we shall not have to wait long for a refutation. The top-drawer organisations of the First Peasant
Congress, as represented by the Avksentyevs, said on behalf of
the peasant mass that they were opposed to the rule of tyrants
and usurpers. What we said was: “Let them curse, we shall
see what the peasants have to say when we start confiscating the
landed estates and giving them to the peasants.” As you
see, the Second Peasant Congress has brought victory to Soviet
power. We have established close contacts with the Second Soviet
of Peasants' Deputies. It is with them that we have organised
the Soviet power of workers, soldiers and peasants. We shall
surely find the same attitude among the mass of railwaymen. You
are aware that disruption of railway communications-aggravated
by sabotage on the part of senior officials-is telling on the
country. You are aware that a breakdown of railway communications makes impossible any balanced exchange between
town and country, which is so vital to normal food supplies. Comrades, we need your help to get the railways
going. Only by joining efforts with you can we overcome the
disorder and strengthen the power of the workers, soldiers and
peasants. Soviet power has no other support than that of the
broad working masses. We are sure that the present Railwaymen's
Congress will consolidate the power of the People's Gommissars
by setting up an organisation that will help us in the struggle
for land and peace. In conclusion, comrades, I extend to you
once again our greetings and best wishes of fruitful work. (As Comrade Lenin leaves the hall, almost the entire audience joins in a burst of applause. To general applause, the Congress elects him honorary chairman.)