russia in 1919(1919的俄国)-第1节
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RUSSIA IN 1919
RUSSIA IN 1919
ARTHUR RANSOME
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RUSSIA IN 1919
INTRODUCTION
I am well aware that there is material in this book which will be
misused by fools both white and red。 That is not my fault。 My object
has been narrowly limited。 I have tried by means of a bald record of
conversations and things seen； to provide material for those who wish to
know what is being done and thought in Moscow at the present time； and
demand something more to go upon than secondhand reports of wholly
irrelevant atrocities committed by either one side or the other； and often by
neither one side nor the other； but by irresponsible scoundrels who； in the
natural turmoil of the greatest convulsion in the history of our civilization；
escape temporarily here and there from any kind of control。
The book is in no sense of the word propaganda。 For propaganda；
for the defence or attack of the Communist position； is needed a
knowledge of economics； both from the capitalist and socialist standpoints；
to which I cannot pretend。 Very many times during the revolution it has
seemed to me a tragedy that no Englishman properly equipped in this way
was in Russia studying the gigantic experiment which； as a country； we are
allowing to pass abused but not examined。 I did my best。 I got； I think
I may say； as near as any foreigner who was not a Communist could get to
what was going on。 But I never lost the bitter feeling that the
opportunities of study which I made for myself were wasted； because I
could not hand them on to some other Englishman； whose education and
training would have enabled him to make a better； a fuller use of them。
Nor would it have been difficult for such a man to get the opportunities
which were given to me when； by sheer persistence in enquiry； I had
overcome the hostility which I at first encountered as the correspondent of
a 〃bourgeois〃 newspaper。 Such a man could be in Russia now； for the
Communists do not regard war as we regard it。 The Germans would
hardly have allowed an Allied Commission to come to Berlin a year ago to
investigate the nature and working of the Autocracy。 The Russians； on
the other hand； immediatelya greed to the suggestion of the Berne
Conference that they should admit a party of socialists； the majority of
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RUSSIA IN 1919
whom； as they well knew； had already expressed condemnation of them。
Further； in agreeing to this； they added that they would as willingly admit
a committee of enquiry sent by any of the 〃bourgeois〃 governments
actually at war with them。
I am sure that there will be many in England who will understand
much better than I the drudgery of the revolution which is in this book
very imperfectly suggested。 I repeat that it is not my fault that they must
make do with the eyes and ears of an ignorant observer。 No doubt I have
not asked the questions they would have asked； and have thought
interesting and novel much which they would have taken for granted。
The book has no particular form； other than that given it by a more or
less accurate adherence to chronology in setting down things seen and
heard。 It is far too incomplete to allow me to call it a Journal。 I think I
could have made it twice as long without repetitions； and I am not at all
sure that in choosing in a hurry between this and that I did not omit much
which could with advantage be substituted for what is here set down。
There is nothing here of my talk with the English soldier prisoners and
nothing of my visit to the officers confined in the Butyrka Gaol。 There is
nothing of the plagues of typhus and influenza； or of the desperate
situation of a people thus visited and unable to procure from abroad the
simplest drugs which they cannot manufacture at home or even the
anaesthetics necessary for their wounded on every frontier of their country。
I forgot to describe the ballet which I saw a few days before leaving。 I
have said nothing of the talk I had with Eliava concerning the Russian
plans for the future of Turkestan。 I could think of a score of other
omissions。 Judging from what I have read since my return from Russia； I
imagine people will find my book very poor in the matter of Terrors。
There is nothing here of the Red Terror； or of any of the Terrors on the
other side。 But for its poverty in atrocities my book will be blamed only
by fanatics； since they alone desire proofs of past Terrors as justification
for new ones。
On reading my manuscript through； I find it quite surprisingly dull。
The one thing that I should have liked to transmit through it seems
somehow to have slipped away。 I should have liked to explain what was
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RUSSIA IN 1919
the appeal of the revolution to men like Colonel Robins and myself； both
of us men far removed in origin and upbringing from the revolutionary
and socialist movements in our own countries。 Of course no one who was
able； as we were able； to watch the men of the revolution at close quarters
could believe for a moment that they were the mere paid agents of the very
power which more than all others represented the stronghold they had set
out to destroy。 We had the knowledge of the injustice being done to these
men to urge us in their defence。 But there was more in it than that。 There
was the feeling； from which we could never escape； of the creative effort
of the revolution。 There was the thing that distinguishes the creative
from other artists； the living； vivifying expression of something hitherto
hidden in the consciousness of humanity。 If this book were to be an
accurate record of my own impressions； all the drudgery； gossip； quarrels；
arguments； events and experiences it contains would have to be set against
a background of that extraordinary vitality which obstinately persists in
Moscow even in these dark days of discomfort； disillusion； pestilence；
starvation and unwanted war。
ARTHUR RANSOME。
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RUSSIA IN 1919
TO PETROGRAD
On January 30 a party of four newspaper correspondents； two
Norwegians； a Swede and myself； left Stockholm to go into Russia。 We
travelled with the members of the Soviet Government's Legation； headed
by Vorovsky and Litvinov； who were going home after the breaking off of
official relations by Sweden。 Some months earlier I had got leave from
the Bolsheviks to go into Russia to get further material for my history of
the revolution； but at the last moment there was opposition and it seemed
likely that I should be refused permission。 Fortunately； however； a copy
of the Morning Post reached Stockholm； containing a report of a lecture
by Mr。 Lockhart in which he had said that as I had been out of Russia for
six months I had no right to speak of conditions there。 Armed with this I
argued that it would be very unfair if I were not allowed to come and see
things for myself。 I had no further difficulties。
We crossed by boat to Abo； grinding our way through the ice； and
then travelled by rail to the Russian frontier； taking several days over the
journey owing to delays variously explained by the Finnish authorities。
We were told that the Russian White Guards had planned an attack on the
train。 Litvinov； half…smiling； wondered if they were purposely giving time
to the White Guards to organize such an attack。 Several nervous folk
inclined to that opinion。 But at Viborg we were told that there were
grave disorders in Petrograd and that the Finns did not wish to fling us into
