it may thus incur, the Greek government is harboring illusions. Before long it will have to yield to the judgment of the Greek workers and peasants and render account for the violations committed not only against them, but also toward the workers and peasants of other countries, in which the Greek army, playing the part of mediæval mercenaries, is shedding its blood in defense of the interests of international capitalism. The Ukrainian Socialist Soviet government is aware of the methods of agitation to which the Greek government resorts in order to encourage the Greek soldiers who refuse to fight against the workers and peasants of the Ukraine. It is acquainted with the nationalistic and religious campaign which the Greek government is conducting in order to slander the Soviet power as persecuting religion and the Greek elements in Southern Ukraine. If they have in mind the Greek speculators and stock exchange brokers, whose system of exploitation includes the coast of the Black Sea belonging to the Ukraine and Russia to fight against them as well as against all exploiters of the Ukraine without distinction of nationality is the principal aim of every Socialist government. So far as the poor Greek fishermen are concerned who constitute the population of the coastlines of the Ukraine and Crimea or the 150,000 poor Greek peasants who live in Transcaucasia, their sympathies are entirely on the side of the Soviet power, and all attempts of the Greek bourgeoisie to divert the attention of the Greek fishermen and landless peasants from the class struggle, by means of panhellenic propaganda, have thus far been and will remain futile. Nevertheless, the Greek government, not sufficiently cognizant of these circumstances, not only continues to interfere with the affairs of the Greek peasants and workers of the Black Sea coast, but it even has the audacity to fit out special missions which it intends to send to the Ukraine and Southern Russia for the purpose of stirring up nationalistic passions and civil strife. Thus for example, through their efforts the agencies throughout Europe have published the following telegram emanating from Constantinople:

"With the sanction of the Holy Synod the Greek government decided to send to Russia, simultaneously with its troops, which are completely ready to embark, three bishops, four archimandrites, and forty priests, with a coterie of clergymen who are well versed in the Russian language and who possess the gift of oratory. The aim of the expedition is to exercise a religious influence over the Russians."

It is by no means the intention of the Ukrainian Socialist Soviet government to take note of the blissful ignorance in which both the Greek government and the Holy Synod yet remain as regards the new intellectual level of the "Moujiks" of the Ukraine, who have been robbed and fooled for centuries by the Greek monks who used to come from Mount Athos or Constantinople and who fooled and robbed them in the name of Christ. But in order to avoid any misunderstanding, the provisional government of the Ukraine deems it its duty to warn the Greek government that it declares the eloquent bishops, archimandrites and priests, with all the clergymen who accompany them, to be agents provocateurs and spies who will be arrested and immediately arraigned before the revolutionary court-martial. The provisional government of the Ukraine at the same time calls the attention of the Greek government that its policy of military intervention in the affairs of the Ukraine must needs affect the destiny of the Greek bourgeoisie residing on Ukrainian territory. President of the Ukrainian Provisional Workers' and Peasants'

Government:

People's Commisary for Foreign Affairs,

RAKOVSKY.

Kharkov, February 26th.

Document No. 14

OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN SOVIET RUSSIA AND

POLAND

("Soviet Russia," October 25, 1919 issue, page 11-12)

THE POLISH SOCIALIST PARTY TO THE COMMUNIST PARTY
OF RUSSIA

"Izvestia," Moscow, April 15, 1919. To the Central Committee of the Communist Labor Party of

Russia:

"We deem it our duty, making use of this opportunity, to convey to the Central Committee of the Communist Labor Party of Russia a detailed formulation of the position taken by the Polish Socialist Party, which is the expression of the views and tendencies of the broad masses of the Polish proletariat.

1. We consider the full sovereignty and independence of Poland a necessary condition for the success of our class struggle for Socialism, an indispensible presupposition for the develop

ment of Polish culture and, consequently, of the culture of the Polish proletariat as well. We shall consider any attempts on the part of the Soviet troops at an invasion of Polish territory as an encroachment upon the independence of the country and shall repel such attempts with firm determination.

2. The same refers to the attempts at interference on the part of the Soviet government in the internal affairs of Poland. Such attempt is, beyond contradiction, the fact of the formation of a Polish Soviet government in Vilna, as well as the assistance rendered by the Russian Soviet government to the Communist Labor Party of Poland. We categorically insist on the liquidation of the pseudo-Polish government now existing in Vilna, of which the Polish working class knows nothing, and which it had absolutely no share in producing.

3. The question of the boundaries of the Polish Republic we wish to solve by way of self-determination of the population living in the disputed territories and, in the first place, in Lithuania and White Russia. We insist upon the withdrawal from these territories of all foreign troops and the carrying out of the people's vote under the conditions of full political freedom. The will of the working class of Lithuania, alleged to be already expressed in favor of a union with Russia on the basis of federation, we consider as a fiction, because of the fact that no popular vote had been held in Lithuania and White Russia.

Being convinced of the fact that the Russian Workers' Party will not be indifferent to the opinion of the Polish proletariat, we are sending fraternal greetings to all workers and all Socialists.

The Central Workers' Committee of the Polish Socialist Party: M. NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI.

B. THE RUSSIAN SOVIET GOVERNMENT TO THE POLISH

REPRESENTATIVE

March 24, 1919.

To the Citizen Delegate Extraordinary of the Government of the Polish Republic:

DEAR SIR, ALEXANDER YANOVICH: The letter of the Central. Workers' Committee of the Polish Socialist Party to the Central Committee of the Communist Labor Party of Russia, which was handed to me, and to which the latter has called my attention,

touches upon some questions in regard to which I consider it necessary to express myself in the name of the government of the Russian Republic. I beg to request of you that my declarations be brought to the knowledge of the Polish Republic and of the Polish people.

With reference to point one of the letter of the Central Workers' Committee I must declare that no attempts at invasion of the Polish territory by the Soviet armies were or are being contemplated, and the protest of the Central Workers' Committee is a result of absolutely false information.

With reference to point two of the same letter I declare that, so far as my knowledge goes, no Polish government is in existence in Vilna, and that in this case again the Central Workers' Committee has undoubtedly been misinformed.

As regards point three, relating to the eastern boundaries of Poland, we find it fully expedient that in this matter a vote of the toiling people should be taken in the respective territories under the condition of the withdrawal of foreign troops, and we shall defend this standpoint before the Lithuanian-WhiteRussian Republic, while the details of this plan may be elaborated during further negotiations of the interested parties with our co-operation, and we think that no difficulties will be encountered on the part of the Lithuanian-White-Russian Republic.

I beg of you, dear sir, to accept the assurance of my highest

esteem.

CHICHERIN,

People's Commissaire for Foreign Affairs.

Document No. 15

DECREE RELATING TO CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS
(Soviet Russia, October 11, 1919 issue, page 16)

Decree of the Soviet of Commissaries of the People, Dated 4th of January, 1919

Freedom from Military Service on the Ground of Religious Convictions

(1) People who on account of their religious convictions are unable to undertake military service are obliged, in accordance with the decrees of the National Tribunal, to substitute for it an equal term of service to their fellow creatures by such service as work in hospitals for contagious diseases, or some other work of public utility to be chosen by the individual concerned.

(2) The National Tribunal in deciding questions as to the substitution of civil work for military service is to be assisted by "The Joint Council of Religious Groups and Communes of Moscow," for each individual case; the Joint Council to report as to whether the religious conviction concerned makes military service impossible, as well as on the sincerity and honesty of the applicant.

(3) In exceptional cases the Joint Council of Religious Groups and Communes may have recourse to the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, with a view to securing complete freedom from service, without the substitution of any other service, if it can be shown that such substitution is incompatible with religious convictions; the proof to be taken from writings on the question and also from the personal life of the individual concerned.

Note.- Steps to secure freedom from service may be initiated by the individual concerned or by the Joint Council, and the latter can require the case to be tried by the National Tribunal of Moscow.

(Signed) President of the Soviet Commissaries:

LENIN.

Commissary of Justice:

KURSKY.

Chancellor of State:

BONCH-BRUYEVITCH.

Secretary:

FOTNIEVA.

Dated from The Kremlin, Moscow, January 4, 1919. (Translation of the Original on Opposite Page.)

Document No. 16

UKRAINIAN SOCIALIST SOVIET REPUBLIC

PROLETARIANS OF ALL COUNTRIES, UNITE! DOWN WITH THE POGROM-MAKERS!

COMRADES. The czarist government, which protected the interests of the capitalists and landed proprietors, always resorted to Jew-baiting for the purpose of strengthening its power.

The czarist government organized hundreds of Jewish pogroms; it spent millions of the people's money for the purpose of arousing national animosity.

Through the oppression of nationalities it endeavored to divide the toiling masses of different nationalities, and hindered