russia in 1919(1919的俄国)-第7章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Germans in the Ukraine； had been the first President of the Ukrainian
Soviet Republic； but had since been replaced by Rakovsky。 It had been
found that the views of the Pyatakov government were further left than
those of its supporters； and so Pyatakov had given way to Rakovsky who
was better able to conduct a more moderate policy。 The Republic had
been proclaimed in Kharkov； but at that time Kiev was still in the hands of
the Directorate。
That night my room in the Red Fleet was so cold that I went to bed in
a sheepskin coat under rugs and all possible bedclothes with a mattress on
the top。 Even so I slept very badly。
… Page 22…
RUSSIA IN 1919
The next day I spent in vain wrestlings to get a better room。 Walking
about the town I found it dotted with revolutionary sculptures； some very
bad； others interesting； all done in some haste and set up for the
celebrations of the anniversary of the revolution last November。 The
painters also had been turned loose to do what they could with the
hoardings； and though the weather had damaged many of their pictures；
enough was left to show what an extraordinary carnival that had been。
Where a hoarding ran along the front of a house being repaired the
painters had used the whole of it as a vast canvas on which they had
painted huge symbolic pictures of the revolution。 A whole block in the
Tverskaya was so decorated。 Best； I think； were the row of wooden
booths almost opposite the Hotel National in the Okhotnia Ryadi。 These
had been painted by the futurists or kindred artists； and made a really
delightful effect； their bright colours and naif patterns seeming so natural
to Moscow that I found myself wondering how it was that they had never
been so painted before。 They used to be a uniform dull yellow。 Now； in
clear primary colours； blue； red； yellow； with rough flower designs； on
white and chequered back…grounds； with the masses of snow in the road
before them； and bright…kerchiefed women and peasants in ruddy
sheepskin coats passing by； they seemed less like futurist paintings than
like some traditional survival； linking new Moscow with the Middle Ages。
It is perhaps interesting to note that certain staid purists in the Moscow
Soviet raised a protest while I was there against the license given to the
futurists to spread themselves about the town； and demanded that the art of
the revolution should be more comprehensible and less violent。 These
criticisms； however； did not apply to the row of booths which were a
pleasure to me every time I passed them。
In the evening I went to see Reinstein in the National。 Reinstein is a
little old grandfather； a member of the American Socialist Labour Party；
who was tireless in helping the Americans last year； and is a prodigy of
knowledge about the revolution。 He must be nearly seventy； never
misses a meeting of the Moscow Soviet or the Executive Committee； gets
up at seven in the morning； and goes from one end of Moscow to the other
… Page 23…
RUSSIA IN 1919
to lecture to the young men in training as officers for the Soviet Army；
more or less controls the English soldier war prisoners； about whose
Bolshevism he is extremely pessimistic； and enjoys an official position as
head of the quite futile department which prints hundred…weight upon
hundred…weight of propaganda in English； none of which by any chance
ever reaches these shores。 He was terribly disappointed that I had
brought no American papers with me。 He complained of the lack of
transport； a complaint which I think I must have heard at least three times
a day from different people the whole time I was in Moscow。 Politically；
he thought； the position could not be better； though economically it was
very bad。 When they had corn； as it were； in sight； they could not get it
to the towns for lack of locomotives。 These economic difficulties were
bound to react sooner or later on the political position。
He talked about the English prisoners。 The men are brought to
Moscow； where they are given special passports and are allowed to go
anywhere they like about the town without convoy of any kind。 I asked
about the officers； and he said that they were in prison but given
everything possible； a member of the International Red Cross； who
worked with the Americans when they were here； visiting them regularly
and taking in parcels for them。 He told me that on hearing in Moscow
that some sort of fraternization was going on on the Archangel front； he
had hurried off there with two prisoners； one English and one American。
With some difficulty a meeting was arranged。 Two officers and a
sergeant from the Allied side and Reinstein and these two prisoners from
the Russian； met on a bridge midway between the opposing lines。 The
conversation seemed to have been mostly an argument about working…
class conditions in America； together with reasons why the Allies should
go home and leave Russia alone。 Finally the Allied representatives （I
fancy Americans） asked Reinstein to come with them to Archangel and
state his case； promising him safe conduct there and back。 By this time
two Russians had joined the group； and one of them offered his back as a
desk； on which a safe…conduct for Reinstein was written。 Reinstein； who
showed me the safe…conduct； doubted its validity； and said that anyhow he
could not have used it without instructions from Moscow。 When it grew
… Page 24…
RUSSIA IN 1919
dusk they prepared to separate。 The officers said to the prisoners； 〃What？
Aren't you coming back with us？〃 The two shook their heads decidedly；
and said； 〃No； thank you。〃
I learnt that some one was leaving the National next day to go to
Kharkov； so that I should probably be able to get a room。 After drinking
tea with Reinstein till pretty late； I went home； burrowed into a mountain
of all sorts of clothes； and slept a little。
In the morning I succeeded in making out my claim to the room at
the National； which turned out to be a very pleasant one； next door to the
kitchen and therefore quite decently warm。 I wasted a lot of time getting
my stuff across。 Transport from one hotel to the other； though the
distance is not a hundred yards； cost forty roubles。 I got things
straightened out； bought some books； and prepared a list of the material
needed and the people I wanted to see。
The room was perfectly clean。 The chamber…maid who came in to
tidy up quite evidently took a pride in doing her work properly； and
protested against my throwing matches on the floor。 She said she had
been in the hotel since it was opened。 I asked her how sh
