Armed with this I argued that it would be very
unfair if I were not allowed to come and see things
for myself. I had no further difficulties.

We crossed by boat to Abo, grinding our way
through the ice, and then travelled by rail to the
Russian frontier, taking several days over the
journey owing to delays variously explained by
the Finnish authorities. We were told that the
Russian White Guards had planned an attack on
the train. Litvinov, half-smiling, wondered if
they were purposely giving time to the White
Guards to organize such an attack. Several nerv-
ous folk inclined to that opinion. But at Viborg
we were told that there were grave disorders in
Petrograd and that the Finns did not wish to fling
us into the middle of a scrimmage. Then some-
one obtained a newspaper and we read a detailed
account of what was happening. This account
was, as I learnt on my return, duly telegraphed to
England like much other news of a similar char-
acter. There had been a serious revolt in Petro-
grad. The Semenovsky regiment had gone over
to the mutineers, who had seized the town. The
Government, however, had escaped to Kronstadt,

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