https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/register/purging-the-russian-assembly-6jj9z8jph
december 15, 1917
Purging the Russian assembly
The attitude of the Bolshevists in regard to the Constituent Assembly is the question of the hour, and interests the world here more than the renewal of negotiations at the front or the Civil War in Southern Russia. The Bolshevist leaders are by no means unanimous. Sharp differences have already manifested themselves in the Council of the People’s Commissioners. Lenin, Trotsky, Zinovieff, and the more militant members are said to advocate thoroughgoing measures, such as the withdrawal of all Bolshevist members. Such a step would practically put an end to the Assembly, while the formal act of dissolution, which would be highly unpopular with the country, would be avoided. Others have protested strongly against such a course, declaring that the mass of the nation, and especially the peasants, would never forgive the Bolshevists for doing violence to a body elected by universal suffrage.
Everything has been done to intimidate the Deputies. The Tauris Palace was filled with armed “Red Guards” and soldiers and sailors, who raised every impediment in the way of the Deputies, but stopped short of actual violence. One Deputy, addressing some soldiers who glared savagely at him, asked the cause of their hostility. “You Deputies and intellectuals,” the man replied,” can do nothing but talk, talk, talk. When two of you meet you talk for hours. When you are 400 you will talk for ever. You will not convince each other, or take wise decisions. Then bayonets will be employed for the good of the country. We will drive out the talkers and make reason prevail by force.”
Today the rule of bayonets was inaugurated — rather sooner than the soldier anticipated. When the Committee of the Assembly met this afternoon Lieutenant Blagonravoff, Commandant of the Tauris Palace, entered the Committee room at the head of an armed posse of Red Guards and compelled them to disperse. This proceeding would seem to indicate that, as usual, the militant extremists have gained the mastery in the Bolshevist camp. So far the tactics of the Government have been to concentrate public hostility on the Cadet Party rather than the Assembly. Now, however, the Assembly itself has felt “the revolutionary mailed fist”.
Today the rule of bayonets was inaugurated — rather sooner than the soldier anticipated. When the Committee of the Assembly met this afternoon Lieutenant Blagonravoff, Commandant of the Tauris Palace, entered the Committee room at the head of an armed posse of Red Guards and compelled them to disperse. This proceeding would seem to indicate that, as usual, the militant extremists have gained the mastery in the Bolshevist camp. So far the tactics of the Government have been to concentrate public hostility on the Cadet Party rather than the Assembly. Now, however, the Assembly itself has felt “the revolutionary mailed fist”.
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