january 27, 1918
M Lenin’s policy. Class against class
Petrograd, Jan 24. The third All-Russian Congress of Workmen’s and Peasants’ delegates opened here yesterday. Addressing the foreign delegates, M Trotsky said: “Many efforts and much energy are needed to conquer the capitalist hegemony of Europe, where capital has dominated for generations not only the bourgeois class but that of the workmen also. As regards the struggle against the ancient systems of Europe and America, we have no need to be pessimistic. Our foreign comrades are the precursors of a general and invincible revolt. The movement is slow but sure.“The delegates coming from the countries of the old time Parliamentarism make no protest against the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly. Universal suffrage is out of date. The dictatorship of the proletariat alone will save the country.”
M Lenin, speaking at the Congress of Soviets today, said all Socialists recognized that there must be a transition period between capitalism and Socialism. This transition period was a dictatorship, and proletariat and Soviet authority entered by the road of that dictatorship.
“We stand [he said] for class violence against other classes, and we are unperturbed by the wails of those who are disconcerted by the sight of this violence. It is mere prejudice to think that the simple workman and the simple peasant cannot rule the country.”
The Commissioner of Justice, in an interview, said the imprisoned members of the late Provisional Government would not be brought to trial. They were imprisoned because they constituted a kind of political symbol around which the elements which were discontented with the present Government might collect. They would be released as soon as the existing authority was consolidated. “Our chief enemies,” he said, “are not the Cadets. Our most irreconcilable opponents are the Moderate Socialists. This explains the arrests of Socialists and the closing down of Socialist newspapers. Such measures of repression, however, are temporary. As soon as the acuteness of the moment has passed all the arrested persons can be released. This applies also to the arrested members of the Union for the Defence of the Constituent Assembly.”
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/past-six-days/2018-01-26/register/meatless-day-in-london-kr5tlvdwb
Food queues were numerous everywhere. At an early hour there were long lines of people outside the butter and margarine shops, and the fact that women were prepared to wait two or three hours to obtain half-a-pound of margarine shows how acute the scarcity has become. The queues are still being abused by people who try to get more than their share, and various expedients are being adopted to reduce the evil. In some places an arrangement has been made that all the shops with supplies shall open at the same hour. This puts a check on the type of margarine hunter who, having been served at one shop, joins another queue to augment her purchases. Many shops, too, are refusing to sell to children in order to circumvent the practice of placing two or three members of a family in the same queue. Until compulsory rationing comes into operation it is only by such expedients that harassed dealers can attempt to solve the problem of equitable distribution.
“We stand [he said] for class violence against other classes, and we are unperturbed by the wails of those who are disconcerted by the sight of this violence. It is mere prejudice to think that the simple workman and the simple peasant cannot rule the country.”
The Commissioner of Justice, in an interview, said the imprisoned members of the late Provisional Government would not be brought to trial. They were imprisoned because they constituted a kind of political symbol around which the elements which were discontented with the present Government might collect. They would be released as soon as the existing authority was consolidated. “Our chief enemies,” he said, “are not the Cadets. Our most irreconcilable opponents are the Moderate Socialists. This explains the arrests of Socialists and the closing down of Socialist newspapers. Such measures of repression, however, are temporary. As soon as the acuteness of the moment has passed all the arrested persons can be released. This applies also to the arrested members of the Union for the Defence of the Constituent Assembly.”
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/past-six-days/2018-01-26/register/meatless-day-in-london-kr5tlvdwb
january 26, 1918
Meatless day in London
The fact that yesterday was a meatless day in hotels, restaurants and clubs had no visible effect in relieving the situation at the meat markets. Butchers had great difficulty in getting the smallest supplies for their week-end trade and were unable to give anything but vague promises to anxious customers. The Sunday joint in fact seems to be more uncertain than it was last Saturday, and much of the meat which does get into homes will be chilled beef or frozen mutton released by the Government. The total supplies arriving at Smithfield weighed 625 tons, an increase of four tons over last Friday, but a decrease of 593 tons on last year.Food queues were numerous everywhere. At an early hour there were long lines of people outside the butter and margarine shops, and the fact that women were prepared to wait two or three hours to obtain half-a-pound of margarine shows how acute the scarcity has become. The queues are still being abused by people who try to get more than their share, and various expedients are being adopted to reduce the evil. In some places an arrangement has been made that all the shops with supplies shall open at the same hour. This puts a check on the type of margarine hunter who, having been served at one shop, joins another queue to augment her purchases. Many shops, too, are refusing to sell to children in order to circumvent the practice of placing two or three members of a family in the same queue. Until compulsory rationing comes into operation it is only by such expedients that harassed dealers can attempt to solve the problem of equitable distribution.
The meatless day in the hotels and restaurants worked smoothly and guests seemed to be satisfied. Chefs had turned their attention chiefly to fish, egg, and vegetable dishes. Eggs were served au plat, curried, poached with spinach and as omelettes. Risotto figured on a hundred bills of fare. Salmon was the chief item at many establishments serving a table d’hôte lunch or dinner, but the humbler herring had a prominent place in the meal a la carte.
The special correspondent of The Times who made a tour of towns putting rationing schemes into operation found that strong views were held as to the inadequacy of the existing methods of distribution.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/past-six-days/2018-01-29/register/full-moon-air-raid-last-night-0cr6m2p5q
The special correspondent of The Times who made a tour of towns putting rationing schemes into operation found that strong views were held as to the inadequacy of the existing methods of distribution.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/past-six-days/2018-01-29/register/full-moon-air-raid-last-night-0cr6m2p5q
january 29, 1918
Full-moon air raid last night
The first air raid of the year on London took place last night. The last raid occurred on December 18, so that the capital had been free from the unwelcome attentions of enemy airmen for just on six weeks. The December raid, as The Times then observed, took the public somewhat by surprise. The same cannot be said for last night’s raid. On the contrary, the surprise has rather been that we have been left alone for so long a time. The last raid occurred when the moon was quite young, with a slight mist hanging over the river. The present raid, on the other hand, almost coincided with the full moon which fell on Sunday, and the atmosphere was perfectly clear. It was, too, considerably colder last night than it had been for some time past.
Again, the December raid began at an early hour. The warning came just as business people were preparing to go home, with the result that large numbers were kept in town for several hours. The warning last night came later, so the majority of people had reached their homes. The consequence was that much fewer people were to be seen congregating for shelter than on the previous occasion.
In other respects last night’s raid followed much the same course as its predecessor. As soon as the police warning was given the public made for the shelters, which are now well known to them, and congregated without panic or disorder in the tubes, subways, and basements of large buildings, which serve on such occasions for protection. Nobody, of course, cares for these raids, and the consequent interruption of arrangements which they involve, but on the whole the crowds last night were quite good-natured, and accepted the situation with philosophic calm.
The two or three enemy machines which succeeded in penetrating the defences were attacked by British aeroplanes. One enemy machine was attacked by our airmen, and the rapid exchange of machine-gun fire was heard while flashes of guns could be seen. The raider appeared to break off the contest, and was subjected to a severe bombardment from the anti-aircraft guns. Eye-witnesses declare that the enemy craft seemed to be in difficulties and was forced to descend to a comparatively low altitude.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/register/running-fight-at-10-000-feet-mxgwl9pts
From our special correspondent in Essex. The bald statement contained in the official communique on Monday night that one of the raiders had been brought down in Essex covers an interesting story. The raider, which was a Gotha, carrying three men, was on its way back to the coast, when it was picked up on the outskirts of London by a young British airman in a small one-seater plane. He gave chase immediately. When first sighted by our airman the Gotha was some 10,000ft up. A running fight towards the coast followed, the pursuer and the enemy exchanging shots continuously. This lasted for about 20 minutes, during which the altitude was very considerably lowered. On arriving in the neighbourhood of a village, the Gotha, then about 800ft up, was hit and dropped to the ground. It did not, apparently, burst into flame until near the earth, when it blazed out, so that the country all round was lighted up. The fire burnt for some two hours, and in its earlier stages was accompanied by a series of explosions. The Gotha was completely consumed, and the three men in it were killed. The British airman did not alight, but, having disposed of this Gotha, he shot up again in pursuit of other raiders, which were making for the coast.
In other respects last night’s raid followed much the same course as its predecessor. As soon as the police warning was given the public made for the shelters, which are now well known to them, and congregated without panic or disorder in the tubes, subways, and basements of large buildings, which serve on such occasions for protection. Nobody, of course, cares for these raids, and the consequent interruption of arrangements which they involve, but on the whole the crowds last night were quite good-natured, and accepted the situation with philosophic calm.
The two or three enemy machines which succeeded in penetrating the defences were attacked by British aeroplanes. One enemy machine was attacked by our airmen, and the rapid exchange of machine-gun fire was heard while flashes of guns could be seen. The raider appeared to break off the contest, and was subjected to a severe bombardment from the anti-aircraft guns. Eye-witnesses declare that the enemy craft seemed to be in difficulties and was forced to descend to a comparatively low altitude.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/register/running-fight-at-10-000-feet-mxgwl9pts
January 30, 1918
Running fight at 10,000 feet
Latest information shows that two groups of raiders crossed the Essex coast, and one group the Kent coast, practically simultaneously about 8pm. The two former detachments proceeded towards London on parallel courses across Essex. A number of machines of the RFC went up. Two of our scouts encountered an enemy aeroplane over Essex. After a brief fight at close range, the raider took fire and fell in flames to the ground 10,000ft below.From our special correspondent in Essex. The bald statement contained in the official communique on Monday night that one of the raiders had been brought down in Essex covers an interesting story. The raider, which was a Gotha, carrying three men, was on its way back to the coast, when it was picked up on the outskirts of London by a young British airman in a small one-seater plane. He gave chase immediately. When first sighted by our airman the Gotha was some 10,000ft up. A running fight towards the coast followed, the pursuer and the enemy exchanging shots continuously. This lasted for about 20 minutes, during which the altitude was very considerably lowered. On arriving in the neighbourhood of a village, the Gotha, then about 800ft up, was hit and dropped to the ground. It did not, apparently, burst into flame until near the earth, when it blazed out, so that the country all round was lighted up. The fire burnt for some two hours, and in its earlier stages was accompanied by a series of explosions. The Gotha was completely consumed, and the three men in it were killed. The British airman did not alight, but, having disposed of this Gotha, he shot up again in pursuit of other raiders, which were making for the coast.
Yesterday afternoon he arrived on the spot in a motor-car to have a look at his handiwork. He is a young man, not more than 23 or 24 years of age. According to one observer, it was impossible to see either of the machines in the early part of the encounter, but the fight could be watched by the track of bullets through the air. The Gotha, to judge from the remains, was roughly-made. The framework was almost entirely of wood, very little metal entering into its construction, and it is said by competent observers that our own machines are much better constructed and finished.
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