Just a few days ago, Minister Tsereteli, in his “historic” address, declared that there was no counterrevolution whatsoever. Today, the ministerial publication “Workers’ Gazette,” in its article “Ominous Symptoms,” strikes an entirely different tone.

“Clear signs of a mobilizing counterrevolution are already in the air.”

And for that alone—acknowledging even the most basic fact—we should be grateful.

But the ministerial organ goes on to assert: “We do not know the headquarters of this counterrevolution, nor do we know the extent of its organizational strength.”

So! You claim to be unaware of the counterrevolution’s headquarters? Allow me to help you with your ignorance. The headquarters of the organizing counterrevolution is located within the Provisional Government—in that very coalition ministry which includes six of your comrades, gentlemen! The counterrevolution’s headquarters resides within the hallowed halls of the Fourth State Duma, where Miliukov, Rodzianko, Shulgin, Guchkov, A. Shingarev, Manuilov, and their ilk hold sway—the Kadets who sit in the coalition ministry are, in effect, the right hand of Miliukov and his allies. The counterrevolution’s headquarters is being staffed by certain reactionary generals; it also includes several high-ranking officials who have recently resigned from their posts.

If you wish not merely to lament the counterrevolution but to combat it, you must join us in saying: Down with the ten capitalist ministers… “Workers’ Gazette” further points out that the press is the principal instrument of the counterrevolution, fanning anti-Semitism and inciting the masses against the Jews. This is correct. But what is the conclusion? After all, you are the ministerial party, gentlemen—what have you done to rein in this vile, counterrevolutionary press? As self‑proclaimed “revolutionary democrats,” can you afford to shun revolutionary measures against a press that has gone utterly unrestrained—and is clearly counterrevolutionary in its nature? And further: Why not establish a state-run agency for publishing official notices, thereby depriving the vile, counterrevolutionary press of its chief source of revenue, and thus of its primary means of deceiving the people? Indeed, how can one possibly justify diverting thousands upon thousands of people away from genuinely productive labor just to print “New Times,” “The Little Gazette”{120}, “Russian Will,” and other such reptilian publications?

What have you done to combat the counterrevolutionary press, which has focused all its efforts on vilifying our party? Nothing! You yourselves provided the fodder for this campaign of slander. You were preoccupied with combating the threat posed by the left.

You are reaping what you have sown, gentlemen.

It has been so—and it will remain so—so long as you continue to waver between the position of the bourgeoisie and the position of the revolutionary proletariat.

“Pravda,” No. 84, June 30 (July 17), 1917

Printed according to the text of the newspaper “Pravda.”