ernments, even with those then attacking Russia."

It may well be imagined that a reply in this
style infuriated the Mensheviks who consider
themselves more or less affiliated to the parties
epresented at Berne. What, they shrieked, Kaut-
sky not a socialist? To which their opponents
replied, "The Government which Kautsky sup-
ports keeps Radek in irons in a gaol." But to
me the most interesting thing to observe was that
Chicherin's reply was scarcely more satisfactory
to some of the Communists. It had been sent off
before any general consultation, and it appeared
that the Communists themselves were widely di-
vided as to the meaning of the proposal. One
party believed that it was a first step towards
agreement and peace. The other thought it an
ingenious ruse by Clémenceau to get "so-called"
socialist condemnation of the Bolsheviks as a basis
for allied intervention. Both parties were, of
course, wrong in so far as they thought the Allied
Governments had anything to do with it. Both
the French and English delegates were refused
passports. This, however, was not known in
Moscow until after I left, and by then much had

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