Now in the background of Russian politics began to form the vague outlines of a sinister power—the Cossacks.
In the Don, something very like a Cossack Republic had been established. The Kuban declared itself an independent Cossack State. The Soviets of Rostov-on-Don and Yekaterinburg were dispersed by armed Cossacks, and the headquarters of the Coal Miners’ Union at Kharkov raided. In all its manifestations the Cossack movement was anti-Socialist and militaristic. Its leaders were nobles and great land-owners, like Kaledin, Kornilov, Generals Dutov, Karaulov and Bardizhe, and it was backed by the powerful merchants and bankers of Moscow.
The Provisional Council was opened by Kerensky with a speech in which he dwelt mainly on the necessity of convoking the Constituent Assembly in the course of the next month, of restoring the fighting spirit of the army, and of putting down anarchy. See more
Kerensky, the Cadets, Breshkovskaya, Plekhanov and similar politicians are conscious or unconscious tools in the hands of Anglo-French imperialism, as six months’ history of the Russian revolution has proved in full.
Soldiers of the Petrograd Soviet are against the plan of moving the Provisional Government from Petrograd to Moscow, as this would mean leaving the capital of the revolution to the mercy of fate. See more
According to the decree of the Provisional Government on the formation of the Constituent Assembly and due to the beginning of the election process, the fourth State Duma is to be dissolved and all authorities of the State Election Council to be considered void.
During the night it went down 9 degrees. The day was clear but fairly cold, especially on the hands. Finally Dir. Gibbs appeared, who told us much of interest about life in Petrograd. At nine o'clock vespers was held for us.