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 when arose the mighty wave of the peasant movement; when, in the province of Saratov, in central Russia and in the South, the peasant masses began to awaken, to rise with the demand „More land!“ Did not the government then hurlits punitive detachments over the face of thecountry? And in the province of Saratov, and all over Russia, began the flogging of the peasants who demanded land. How then? Was this, too, not politics? Was the then standing outside of politics? The army was carrying out a well-defined political task.

But of course a shameful, reactionary, anti-popular task.

It was told (and occasionally written) how in the province of Saratov, at the height of the peasant risings, several regiments arrived with the mission to flog almost the entire rural population; in the township of Balashov, Stolypin, one of the big local land holders and at the same time governor of the province, soon after to be named Minister in reward for this prowess,—Stolypin, I say, seated in a pleasant arbour, drinking tea, enjoyed the sight of our own soldiers, possibly themselves peasants, flogging the Saratov peasants by his order.

Is this not symbolic of politics? A Governor, future Minister of the Interior and future President of the Council of State, great land-owner,