File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎502r] (651/1080)

11
APPENDIX I.
4 ‘ Izvestia,” Published at Askhabad, June 5th, 1021.
The article translated below is rather late in arriving here but is reproduced, nevertheless,
for the sake of the indication it affords of the possible trend of Bolshevik military organization.]
j. b>.' preparation of an Army of one million.
When the working classes of Russia seized dominion they did not possess those armed
forces which alone could defend Soviet Russia from the inroads of internal and external counter
revolution that is, after the first days of the October revolution. And when that Government
of the working classes was confronted by the necessity of defending and consolidating the great
victories of the October Revolution it immediately addressed itself to the organisation of armed
forces from out of the foremost elements of the labour masses.
In the early days, before all the workers of Russia had come to understand the problems
facing Soviet Russia, and, too, before even those serving in the ranks of her forces had learnt
what they had to contend with, we were obliged to organize everywhere Red partizan detach
ments. In consequence of the continuous development of counter-revolution these detachments
Were in the end transformed into a five million Red Army which knew how to defeat all who
advanced against Soviet Russia.
The victories of our Red Army remain in the memories of all men. No other army in the
world, beset by such grievous economic conditions as ours was, would have dared to fight and
conquer its innumerable enemies in the way that the Workmen’s and Peasants’ Army did.
Yet this Red Army was organised only for the dire necessities of defence. It did not re
present the ideals of the new fabric of Communism. For, as a regular standing army it was
very akin to the old Imperial Army or to the armies of the burgeois States.
Our Communist party demanded the abolition of the standing army quartered in barracks,
etc. But on account of the unexpected encroachments of countless enemies on Soviet Russia
in consequence of an absence of armed force, we had to hasten to raise that Red Army which
even now is in existence.
Now since this Red Army has borne on its bayonets freedom for the workers of once Imperial
Russia and has driven back the successive attempts of the counter-revolutionists we can devote
ourselves to the fashioning of a Red Army of another type. The economic ruin of the country
which can, without any bloodshed, nullify the results of our victories, and also the possibility
of invasions by external counter-revolutionists lead us to the necessity of founding such an army
as can defend the Revolution as much on the battle as on the bloodless front. Thus, at the
present moment the Workmen’s and Peasants’ Government is moving towards the formation of
an army which will be as fit and ready for a fight with counter revolution as with economic
ruin.
It may be that such an army is nothing more than a militia.
Of what will this new army consist ? In what way will it differ from the old army, or even
from that wEich exists at present ?
According to the theory on which the militia system is based there should not be one citizen
who does not know the use of weapons or the science of war. There should not be one young
workman or peasant of from 16 to 18 years of age wdio has not been through a preliminary
military training. Every soldier in a militia army must be physically fit—he must have sound
lungs and a healthy body.
For these reasons the Workmen’s and Peasants’ Soviet Government is calling all adult
workers to (here follows a neologism untranslatable by an educated Russian, but perhaps mean
ing universal social labour) and all young men to preliminary military training. The sooner
the working masses are trained in military duties and the young men of the proletariat receive
their preliminary military training, the sooner we shall be able to change over to the militia
system and so to transform our army that it will be strong enough to fight as much on the battle
as on the bloodless front. Hence—All workers to universal social labour (?) ! All young men
to the preliminary training !
The following stations in Transcaspia are quoted as possessing facilities for the repair of
railway vehicles and locomotives :—
Kizil ArvaL —Passenger coaches, goods wagons, locomotives, and oil and water tank
wagons.
Krasnovodsk. —Passenger coaches, goods wagons, locomotives not included.
Kazanzhik. —Goods wagons only,
f Askhabad.—AM roiling stock and locomotives.