From The World at the Cross Roads by Boris L. Brasol, 1921

. . . Mr. Norman Hapgood once asserted that Lenin and Trotzky did not receive “fair play” from the Western World. While it is true that so far not one of the civilized nations has recognized the Soviet Government, the reason for it lies in the fact that immediately after the November Revolution of 1917, the Soviet Government itself declared war against the whole universe.

On December 13th Lenin and Trotzky issued an ordinance assigning two million rubles for international revolutionary propaganda purposes. The decree runs as follows :

”Taking into consideration the Soviet authority stands on the ground of the principles of international solidarity of the proletariat and the brotherhood of the toilers of all countries, that a struggle against war and imperialism, only on an international scale, can lead to complete victory, the Soviet of Peoples Commissars considers it necessary to come forth with all aid, including financial aid, to the assistance of the left, internationalist, wing of the workers’ movement of all countries, entirely regardless whether these countries are at war with Russia or in any alliance or whether they retain their neutrality. With these aims the Soviet of Peoples Commissars ordains : The assigning of two million rubles for the needs of the revolutionary internationalist movement at the disposal of the foreign representatives of the Commissariat for Foreign Affairs.”

In accordance with the above decree, Soviet “ambassadors” were sent to all countries with instructions to promote revolutionary propaganda, foment international dissension, and incite class hatred. Thus, Joffe proceeded to Berlin ; Vorovsky — to Stockholm ; Finkelstein (Litvinoff) — to London : Varshavsky (alias Bronsky) — to Vienna, and Ludwig C. A. K. Martens — to the United States. Everywhere these Soviet emissaries stirred up political mischief and after a short sojourn the respective intelligence officers became keenly interested in their activities. In all countries the Soviet “embassies” have become centers of destructive revolutionary propaganda directed against those very governments to which they were “accredited.”

In the United States Mr. Martens’s activities were investigated, first by the Department of Justice, next by the Lusk Committee and finally by the United States Senate. It was found that he had a group of professional . . . agitators in his employ. Mr. Gregory Weinstein, Santeri Neuberger (Nuorteva), Issac Hourwich and Abraham Heller acquired wide notoriety both in their work for the consolidation of all rebellious elements in America, and in their tireless efforts to mislead American public opinion as to the aims and means of the Bolshevist movement. In addition, Mr. Martens posed as the “commercial representative “ of the Soviet Government, while agitation for the resumption of trade relations with the Bolshevik was financed through him by Soviet funds from Moscow.

Sweden, England, Germany and Switzerland were quick to suppress the activities of the Bolshevist emissaries, all of whom were cordially invited to leave the respective countries without delay. As to Mr. Martens, he has just left the United States.

However, the main endeavors to organize revolutionary propaganda on an international scale began in December, 1918, when the first International Communist Congress was summoned in Petrograd. Apfelbaum, in an address of greetings to the delegates, among other things stated as follows :

”At present everybody knows [?] for what purpose the war was precipitated. It started with the object that a certain group of capitalists would be enabled to seize as much lands as possible in Asia, America and Africa. [ . . . ] Everywhere the peoples reach the same occlusion : Anything but the repetition of this horror. When, however, the question is proposed what should be done in order to avoid such an horror, the answer will be everywhere the same : Down with the bourgeoisie, long live the Soviet power all over the world !”.

Mr. Apfelbaum concluded his address with the assertion that world revolution has become a matter of the near future, after which he exclaimed :

”Long live the Third Immortal and Eternal International !”¹

Incendiary speeches were delivered by the delegates from the different countries, urging the Soviet Government of Russia to assist the working masses to lift the banner of social revolt. . . .

    ¹ Translation from Russian ,”Soviet Russia and the Peoples of the World,” pp. 8, 9, and 10, published by the Petrograd Soviet of Workmen’s Deputies, 1919.  This remarkable pamphlet is practically unobtainable outside of Soviet Russia.

Boston : Small, Maynard & Co., 1921, pages 303 – 307