In Ukraine all socialist tendencies are represented. The mensheviks, the bolsheviks, the right and the left social-revolutionaries, the maximalists, the barbists, the syndicalists and the anarchists. The bolsheviks and the mensheviks are both Marxians. In consonance with their theories they, principally, sought their following among the industrial proletarians of the cities. All other tendencies mentioned here paid their principal attention to the peasant question, as was natural in an agrarian country like Russia, and for this reason these parties enjoy a greater following among the peasants than the former. With the exception of the right social-revolutionaries, who, like the mensheviks, were in favor of the national assembly, the other parties and organizations stand close to one another, especially in their agrarian program. They are all in favor of the soviet system, but not in favor of party Soviets. In this they differ from the bolsheviks, who by Soviets mean the Soviets of their own party. Thus, there are in Kiev and Poltava, in the cities as well as in whole gouvernements, no Soviets at all, but only revolutionary committees. The revolutionary committees are put in by the bolshevik party, and a\re not elected by the people. In Poltava the Soviets have never been called together. After the Poles had been driven away, the Executive Committee of the Communist Party (bolsheviks) took over the power and organized everything themselves. Not even the communists were called in to the meetings of the Executive Committee, nor called in for meetings of their own. For these communists were workers. The party of communists consists, for the- present, largely of non-workers. After Kiev went over from the hands of the Poles into the hands of the Red Army, no Soviets were elected during the whole summer of 1920, only revolutionary committees being installed. When later, in September, the elections took place, there were over 100 nonworkers out of the 125 communists who were elected to the soviet from the district of Kiev. It was principally Soviet officials, specialists, etc.
These figures speak a plain language. They show us that the Ukrainian Soviet government carries this name, partly without right, as there are important and significant gouvernements which have no Soviets. They show us further that the Communist Party of the bolsheviks is no absolute soviet party, properly speaking, but only an opportunist soviet party. For when it pleases the party it calls in the Soviets, and when the Soviets do not suit them, they send them home.
The other parties and movements are in favor of the Soviets, as the idea of the Soviets came to light through the revolution itself and all revolutionary parties, naturally, had to accept that system. The peasants themselves are in favor of the Soviets. Although the largest part of them do not belong to any party, they still are all for the Soviets. They write on their banners: "Long live the Soviets." The Maximalist Union, who stands for a maximum program, the left social-revolutionaries, the Internationalists and the barbists, the syndicalists and the anarchists are for the slogan: All poiver to the Soviets. No power to the parties.
Against these slogans the bolshevik party stands in opposition. They declare that these paroles are counter-revolutionary and therefore they combat all these parties as counter-revolutionary. Thus it is that the business offices of these parties, their propaganda bureaus and their book stores were closed by the Soviet government. They now continue their work illegally.