Page:Lenin - Against the Plague of Nations; An Address to Thinking People on the Polish Question (1920).pdf/3



The so-called League of Nations has become in reality a plague of nations. Born of the hatred engendered by four years of world war, ruled by the unscrupulous, moribund servants of greedy imperialism and capitalism, this organization is doing its utmost to prolong the sufferings of humanity. This so-called League of Nations is sending to slaughter British workers in Mesopotamia and India, French workers in Syria, Polish workers in Russia, and Turkish nationalists and Greeks thruout Asia Minor. It is starving to death the innocent children of Vienna, even the Lord Mayor of the City of Cork in the Tower of London.

Above all, this Plague of Nations is blockading, starving and fighting openly and secretly the peasants and workers of Soviet Russia. The anti-Bolshevist Polish nationalists, Pilsudski and Paderewski, have openly stated that it was this Plague of Nations ("League of Nations") which prevented them from concluding early peace with Soviet Russia. It is this same Plague of Nations again which is threatening Soviet Russia with new ultimata and injecting itself between the Poles and Russians at the present peace parleys at Minsk. It is this same Plague of Nations which is sending munitions, officers and aviators to the Polish front, thus clearly demonstrating the "neutrality" of that decrepit imperialism. Great Britain, the most elusive and most powerful member of the League, is being kept at bay by its revolutionary working class organizations demanding immediate lifting of the blockade and recognition of Soviet Russia. This explains the wavering and double-cross attitude toward Soviet Russia on the part of Lloyd George, who is supporting General Wrangel with ships and munitions while asserting His Majesty's neutrality towards that German baron bandit.

Italy has been forced by its working class revolutionary organizations to abandon all attacks against Soviet Russia and virtually to recognize the Soviet Government of the peasants and workers of Russia.

France remains the sworn enemy of every progress, especially in Russia. Her generals, her officers, guns, munitions and airplanes have been fighting the Soviet armies on the Polish front ever since the beginning of the present offensive of Poland against Soviet Russia. France has recognized General Wrangel as the government of All Russia. France is bent upon destroying the Soviets by starvation, hatred and violence.

There are still other governments supporting Poland morally and immorally, with empty words and promises.

These wanton onslaughts against the peaceful Republic of Soviet Russia have aroused the workers of the world to the highest pitch of indignation. They have become conscious of the fact that poverty,