Page:Grigory Zinoviev - Army and People (1920).pdf/22

 greatest leader of the revolutionary party, one of the founders of the Russian Revolution, and was one of the first in Petersburg, in the seventies of last century, to gather around himself those officers who followed in his steps. From his new biography, which is being printed and will soon come out, it is known now that he carried on a regular propaganda among the officers. One cannot read unmoved the story how, though dogged on all sides by detectives and spies, having invited to his own rooms three officers whom he had hopes of being able to secure for the service of the Revolution, he addressed them in ardent, passionate words, and how he succeded in inducing them to form their particular circle and to take part in the work of freeing our people from Tsarism.

How much easier we have it now in our struggle, if we consider the nature of the present gathering compared with the conditions which that generation had to face; we can call together thousands of officers and soldiers and speak openly of our needs, while forty years ago the best leader of the Russian Revolution had to bring together three officers at a time to have a chance to talk to them. Zheliabov's fiery speech—he was, we must remember, a man not only talented and devoted to the cause, but of a great mind—had such an effect on the three officers that they at once joined hands and swore to remain for ever in the