Page:The Proletarian Revolution in Russia - Lenin, Trotsky and Chicherin - ed. Louis C. Fraina (1918).djvu/116

 of Milyukov (Moscow, April 22, 191 7), that it had no intentions of renouncing annexations and to confirm in the note to the Allied governments and in the elucidation of the note, the aggressive character of its policy. In warning the people against the empty promises of capitalists the Conference takes pains to point out the necessity of a sharp distinction between a renunciation of annexations in words and a renunciation of annexations in fact, that is, the immediate publication and abrogation of the secret treaties for conquest, and the immediate granting to all nationalities of the right to determine whether they wish to become independent governments or to become part of any other state.

The so-called "revolutionary defense," which in Russia has taken possession of all the nationalist parties (national-Socialists, Laborites, Social-Revolutionists, etc.), as well as the opportunist party of the Social Democratic Mensheviki (Organizing Committee, Tseretelli, Cheidse, etc.), as well as the majority of the non-partisan revolutionists, embodies in itself, by reason of its class position, on the one hand the interests and the standpoint of the wealthier peasantry and a part of the small landlords, who, like the capitalists, draw a profit from their domination over the weaker nationalities; and, on the other hand, the "revolutionary defense" is the outcome of the deception by the capitalists of part of the proletariat and semi-proletariat of the cities and villages who, by their class position, have no interest in the profits of the captalists and in the waging of an imperialistic war.

The Conference declares that any form of "revolutionary defense" is completely intolerable and would actually mean a total break with the principles of Socialism and internationalism. As for the "defensive" tendencies present among the great masses, our party will struggle against these tendencies by ceaselessly emphasizing the truth that any attitude of uncritiral confidence in the government of the capitalists at the present movement is one of the greatest obstructions to an early conclusion of the war.

As for the most important question of the manner of concluding as soon as possible the present capitalist war, not by an imposed peace, but by a truly democratic peace, the Conference recognizes and declares the following:

This war cannot be ended by a refusal of the soldiers of one side only to continue the war, by a simple cessation of warlike activities on tho part of one of the warring groups only. The Conference reiterates its protests against the low intrigues circulated