russia in 1919(1919的俄国)-第13节
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dozen fur overcoats） in the garrets which she closed and sealed； and got
the president of the Soviet to come and put his seal also。 In the end
things were so friendly that he even put a sentinel there to see that the seal
should not be broken。 Then came the news from Petrograd and Moscow
about the Red terror； and the Soviet； after holding a meeting and deciding
that it ought to do something； and being on too good terms with all of us to
do anything very bad； suddenly remembered poor Maria Nicolaevna's
garrets。 They broke the seals and tumbled out all the kitchen things；
knives； forks； plates； furniture； the twenty…two samovars and the overcoats；
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RUSSIA IN 1919
took them in carts to the Soviet and declared them national property。
National property！ And a week or two later there was a wedding of a
daughter of one of the members of the Soviet； and somehow or other the
knives and forks were on the table； and as for samovars； there were
enough to make tea for a hundreds。〃
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RUSSIA IN 1919
A THEORIST OF REVOLUTION
February 13th。
After yesterday's talk with a capitalist victim of the revolution； I am
glad for the sake of contrast to set beside it a talk with one of the
revolution's chief theorists。 The leather…worker illustrated the revolution as
it affects an individual。 The revolutionary theorist was quite incapable of
even considering his own or any other individual interests and thought
only in terms of enormous movements in which the experiences of an
individual had only the significance of the adventures of one ant among a
myriad。 Bucharin； member of the old economic mission to Berlin；
violent opponent of the Brest peace； editor of Pravda； author of many
books on economics and revolution； indefatigable theorist； found me
drinking tea at a table in the Metropole。
I had just bought a copy of a magazine which contained a map of the
world； in which most of Europe was coloured red or pink for actual or
potential revolution。 I showed it to Bucharin and said； 〃You cannot be
surprised that people abroad talk of you as of the new Imperialists。〃
Bucharin took the map and looked at it。
〃Idiotism； rank idiotism！〃 he said。 〃At the same time；〃 he added； 〃I
do think we have entered upon a period of revolution which may last fifty
years before the revolution is at last victorious in all Europe and finally in
all the world。〃
Now； I have a stock theory which I am used to set before
revolutionaries of all kinds； nearly always with interesting results。 （See
p。118。） I tried it on Bucharin。 I said：…
〃You people are always saying that there will be revolution in
England。 Has it not occurred to you that England is a factory and not a
granary； so that in the event of revolution we should be immediately cut
off from all food supplies。 According to your own theories； English capital
would unite with American in ensuring that within six weeks the
revolution had nothing to eat。 England is not a country like Russia where
you can feed yourselves somehow or other by simply walking to where
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RUSSIA IN 1919
there is food。 Six weeks would see starvation and reaction in England。
I am inclined to think that a revolution in England would do Russia more
harm than good。〃
Bucharin laughed。 〃You old counter…revolutionary！〃 he said。
〃That would be all true； but you must look further。 You are right in one
thing。 If the revolution spreads in Europe； America will cut off food
supplies。 But by that time we shall be getting food from Siberia。〃
〃And is the poor Siberian railway to feed Russia； Germany； and
England？〃
〃Before then Pichon and his friends will have gone。 There will be
France to feed too。 But you must not forget that there are the cornfields
of Hungary and Roumania。 Once civil war ends in Europe； Europe can
feed herself。 With English and German engineering assistance we shall
soon turn Russia into an effective grain supply for all the working men's
republics of the Continent。 But even then the task will be only beginning。
The moment there is revolution in England； the English colonies will
throw themselves eagerly into the arms of America。 Then will come
America's turn； and； finally； it is quite likely that we shall all have to
combine to overthrow the last stronghold of capitalism in some South
African bourgeois republic。 I can well imagine；〃 he said； looking far
away with his bright little eyes through the walls of the dark dining room；
〃that the working men's republics of Europe may have to have a colonial
policy of an inverse kind。 Just as now you conquer backward races in
order to exploit them； so in the future you may have to conquer the
colonists to take from them the means of exploitation。 There is only one
thing I am afraid of。〃
〃And what is that？〃
〃Sometimes I am afraid that the struggle will be so bitter and so long
drawn out that the whole of European culture may be trampled under
foot。〃
I thought of my leather…worker of yesterday； one of thousands
experiencing in their own persons the appalling discomforts； the turn over
and revaluation of all established values that revolution； even without
death and civil war； means to the ordinary man； and； being perhaps a little
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RUSSIA IN 1919
faint…hearted； I finished my tea in silence。 Bucharin； after carelessly
opening these colossal perspectives； drank his tea in one gulp；
prodigiously sweetened with my saccharin； reminded me of his illness in
the summer； when Radek scoured the town for sweets for him； curing him
with no other medicine； and then hurried off； fastening his coat as he went；
a queer little De Quincey of revolution； to disappear into the dusk； before；
half running； half walking； as his way is； he reached the other end of the
big dimly lit； smoke…filled dining room。
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RUSSIA IN 1919
EFFECTS OF ISOLATION
February 14th。
I had a rather grim talk with Meshtcheriakov at dinner。 He is an old
Siberian exile； who visited England last summer。 He is editing a monthly
magazine in Moscow； mostly concerned with the problems of
reconstrucition； and besides that doing a lot of educational work among
the labouring classes。 He is horrified at the economic position of the
country。 Isolation； he thinks； is forcing Russia backwards towards a
primeval state。
〃We simply cannot get things。 For example； I am lecturing on
Mathematics。 I have more pupils than I can deal with。 They are as
greedy for knowledge as sponges for water； and I cannot get even the
simplest text…books for them。 I cannot even find in the second…hand
book stores an old Course of Mathematics from which I could myself
make a series of copies for them。 I have to teach like a teacher of the
middle ages。 But； like him； I have pupils who want to learn。〃
〃In another three years；〃 said some one else at the table； 〃we shall be
living in ruins。 Houses in Moscow were always kept well warmed。
Lack of transport has brought with it lack of fuel； and water…pipes have
burst in thousands of houses。 We cannot get what is needed to mend them。
In the same way we cannot get paints for the walls； which are accordingly
rotting。 In another three years we shall have all the buildings of Moscow
tumbling about our ears。〃
Some one else joined in with a l
