Each day of war is for the people only a day of unnecessary suffering and misfortune.  Having dethroned the Czar, the Russian people have selected for their first problem the ending of the war in the quickest possible manner.

The Council of Workmen’s and Soldiers’ Deputies has appealed to all nations to end the butchery.  We have appealed to the French and the English, to the Germans and the Austrians.[18] Russia wants an answer to this appeal.  Remember, however, comrades and soldiers, that our appeal will be of no value if the regiments of Wilhelm overpower Revolutionary Russia before our brothers, the workers and peasants of other countries, will be able to respond.  Our appeal will become “a scrap of paper” if the whole strength of the revolutionary people does not stand behind it, if the triumph of Wilhelm Hohenzollern will be established on the ruins of Russian freedom.  The ruin of free Russia will be a tremendous, irreparable misfortune, not only for us, but for the toilers of the whole world.

    Comrades, soldiers, defend Revolutionary Russia with all your
    might!

    The workers and peasants of Russia desire peace with all their
    soul.  But this peace must be universal, a peace for all nations
    based on the agreement of all.

What would happen if we should agree to a separate peace—­a peace for ourselves alone!  What would happen if the Russian soldiers were to stick their bayonets into the ground to-day and say that they do not care to fight any longer, that it makes no difference to them what happens to the whole world!

Here is what would happen.  Having destroyed our allies in the west, German Imperialism would rush in upon us with all the force of its arms.  Germany’s imperialists, her landowners and capitalists, would put an iron heel on our necks, would occupy our cities, our villages, and our land, and would force us to pay tribute to her.  Was it to bow down at the feet of Wilhelm that we overthrew Nicholas?

Comrades—­soldiers!  The Council of Workmen’s and Soldiers’ Deputies leads you to peace by another route.  We lead you to peace by calling upon the workers and peasants of Serbia and Austria to rise and revolt; we lead you to peace by calling an international conference of Socialists for a universal and determined revolt against war.  There is a great necessity, comrades—­soldiers, for the peoples of the world to awaken.  Time is needed in order that they should rebel and with an iron hand force their Czars and capitalists to peace.  Time is needed so that the toilers of all lands should join with us for a merciless war upon violators and robbers.

But remember, comrades—­soldiers, this time will never come if you do not stop the advance of the enemy at the front, if your ranks are crushed and under the feet of Wilhelm falls the breathless corpse of the Russian Revolution.