During the time that has elapsed since 1917 a few people have come from Russia carrying information with them which has, however, only been of a general nature and political in character. Such information because of its vague nature served to create a false impression about Russian conditions, until at present a sharp controversy is manifest between the various elements of the radical movement. In the light of the present day knowledge concerning Russia, even if it is slight, it is beyond doubt that much of the information previously circulated in America about Russia is misleading and some of it basely false. Who needs to be reminded of the many tales circulated about Russia, in which the conditions of the workers there have been O. K.d and in which they have been reported as masters of their destinies? Generally the whole text of the news that have been circulated seemed to concern itself with describing the impossible qualities of certain Russian leaders. What a strange coincidence it is that the real extent of the power wielded by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Russia is never referred to and yet such a power could not have escaped the notice of a sincere investigator.
It is quite likely that the description of Russia in this book will be greeted in various ways. By some as a source of comparative knowledge; by others in a spirit of rage. Vilification and praise will follow in its wake.
The Communists of America are now busy constructing a great bogy with which they can silence and scare away the critics of their program. They call this bogy "anarchist/* "counter-revolutionary," etc. These tactics are peculiar to parties of a political nature, but they are mere puffs of wind .wjhich "stureth Jiot even the leaves."
[fragment illegible in the scan of the first edition]
Souchy is truly an "internationalist". Properly he is a member of the German syndicalist movement, but his activities in the European labor movement have taken him to most of the countries of Europe, and whenever there is an important meeting or a conference of the progressive forces of European labor one can nearly always look for Souchy's name on the list of delegates. The authorities of all countries keep their eyes on him and he has been deported from several countries, notably from Scandinavia. He was a delegate to the Second Congress of the Communist International at Moscow in 1920 and also participated in the conference that organized the Provisional Council of Trade and Industrial Unions, the forerunner of the present R. L. U. I. In these conferences he opposed, on philosophical grounds, the political theories that dominated these conferences. The investigation of conditions in Russia as set down in this book was made in the same period as his attendance to the above mentioned bodies. (1920).
In this book will be found a chapter dealing with Machno who has been variously represented in this country as a bandit, murderer, anarchist and a friend of the upper classes of the Ukraine peasants. It is. certain that around this particular person there will always be a fierce dispute as to his real motive. His importance as a figure in the Russian revolutionary period will always base itself on the fact that he had a large following among the peasants of the Ukraine. Historically his intentions and what he sought to accomplish will always be an open question. In short he will always have friends and enemies. The author of the book — Souchy — pictures him in a favorable light. He sees him as a friend af the lower classes of peasants as against the higher element of that class, even to the extent of carrying on open warfare against the
Soviet Government. Perhaps he is justified by his observations in this stand. Be that as it may, his opinion is his own, but his record of this historical figure is as much entitled to consideration as those who tell a different story.
The writer of this introduction was a delegate from the I. W. W. to the first Congress of the Red Labor Union International at Moscow and personally witnessed a stormy debate at the closing session over Machno which developed from the following" circumstances :
During the first days of the sessions a movement was launched by the syndicalist delegates of France and Spain to secure the release of some anarchists who were then in Russian prisons. As a result of a petition which was signed by many of the delegates, an interview was arranged between some of the leading figures of the Russian Soviet government (Lenin was present) and a committee of delegates who had signed the petition. At this meeting an agreement was reached that everything possible would be done to have them released under the condition that they would leave the coun