Saturday January 8, 1905 - The Apartment of Maxim Gorky

Pavel Medvedev was a dreamer with an artistic flair. He always acted as if he was the smartest man in the room and in his estimation he usually was. There were few he would consider intellectually equal to himself. Of the assembled crowd the only man in the room that he considered his intellectual peer was Maxim Gorky. Gorky’s accomplishments as a writer could not be dismissed.

Medvedev associated with the intelligentsia to stroke his own ego. To hear them gossip and pontificate about issues they knew nothing about always left him feeling smarter. To draw people into debate and then run circles around them, using clear logic, until they threw their hands up in defeat brought Medvedev great satisfaction.

There would be no such debate tonight, although the evening would provide a different form of entertainment. A Menshevik and leader in the factory labor movement had been summoned. Dimitri Kuzin had just arrived. Medvedev felt pity for the fool of a man. First, he had made the mistake of getting involved in party politics. Second, he had chosen poorly. Who in their right mind would want to associate themselves with a party that identified itself as the minority. Clearly that had not been thought through properly. In addition where were the dynamic leaders of the Menshevik party? The Bolsheviks had their faults and they were many but there was no disputing that Lenin controlled the party and lpublished something new regularly.

Third, who in their right mind would work for a living? There were far too many endeavors in life to explore to waste time on a factory job. Yes, this Kuzin was a fool, he hadn’t even said a word yet and Medvedev already had him figured out. Since Kuzin was a fool, the only reason to be at this gathering was for the drama. The workers wanted to march. The government wanted no gatherings. Both sides stood firm in their commitment.

The monarch versus his maids and man servants. The autocrat versus the average man. The fight hardly seemed fair but that is what made it so enticing. Medvedev cared nothing for either party. The nihilist in him rooted for bloodshed. Life could be dreadfully dull at times. Nothing like a good massacre to spice things up a bit. What was it to him if a few of the lowest strata got their skulls crushed? It would provide months of evocative discussion. Better yet what if the David in this story could make the Goliath shake? Just imagine the scandal in the court if the autocrat Nicholas II had to grant concessions. These could quickly become exciting times.

After the introductions were completed the meeting began in earnest.

“So you intend to go through with this march tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“You know the Tzar isn’t in town.”

“It is a short train ride. He could return before the scheduled time.”

“The government has declared the march illegal.”

“We seek only to present a petition to the Tzar. Why would that be illegal?”

“It strikes at the heart of the autocracy.”

“The tzar is the father of the land. He should want to hear the supplication of his children.”

“Are you not scared of violence?”

“The workers will not resort to violence.”

“What about the soldiers?”

“We have no control over them. But why would they respond to this march with violence?”

“Do you think they will not?”

“We will not be violent so in turn there is reason for them to respond to the march with violence.”

“And if the Tzar won’t see you will the workers remain peaceful?”

“We will not be violent. If the tzar cannot see us tomorrow he can supply another time when we can see him.”

“What if he doesn’t want to entertain such a large crowd?”

“We have guaranteed the inviolability of his person. This was stated in the letter to Sviatopolk-Mirsky. But as a last resort let him receive a delegation from us, even in Tsarskeo Selo, but only a real delegation selected by us, headed by Father Gapon, to speak with him personally and not through officials.” Said Kuzin.

Medvedev listened and had to admit that the requests Kuzin made were not unreasonable. At least they would not have been if this was London or New York City, but this was Saint Petersburg. There was no Theodore Roosevelt, Arthur Balfour, or King Edward VII sitting in power. There was Nicholas II and his autocracy. Medvedev wondered what Russia would have been like if there had been a Magna Carta or Declaration of Independence created after times of trouble instead of the Romanov dynasty. As much as he would have liked to entertain the thought he quickly pushed it away. Such fantasies were made for the weak in mind and that was not Medvedev. Influencing the fools around the Tsar to hear the peasants petition however was an endeavor worthy of his attention. Kuzin had done enough to convince him that the petition should be heard.

Medvedev spoke. “The march must go forward. We must ensure the government permits it. Who do we need to speak to tonight?”

“Pavel I never took you for a socialist.” Someone quipped.

“I never knew Pavel to take a stand on any issue. He blows like the wind switching stances at a whim.” Another man responded.

“You know me too well. But in this instance my conviction is sincere. I will join the marchers tomorrow and I will do everything necessary tonight to ensure it is allowed to proceed.”

“You will become a modern day Sisyphus.”

“How so?”

“Getting this March approved will be like rolling a stone to the top of a mountain. As soon as you think you have reached the peak, you will find your stone has rolled back down to the base of the mountain.”

“Then we had better get moving we only have a precious few hours to secure our objective.”

“Well Kuzin, you have converted this fellow to your cause. However he does not speak for all of us. No doubt there are others in this room who share his conviction but have not yet voiced it. I however do not. Seeing that I will not be able to prevent this march I will put forth an effort to prevent it from devolving into a riot.

“We have no intention of violence.”

“Kuzin I know you believe what you say and if all men were like you I could feel confident that no violence would come from the workers. However not everyone is like you. There are dark elements who seek violence. Your march will give them a pretext for rioting.”

“No red flags will be allowed. Revolutionaries will not be allowed. We can police our own.”

“Even if 200,000 people march?”

“Even if 500,000 march.”

“You don’t know what you’re speaking about. Imagine 200 convicts intent on robbery embedding themselves in your march. Would they not be able to exploit the mob and cause mischief?”

“No, they will not. You misunderstand our purpose. You view us as enemies. We are friends to the tzar. We would die for the tzar if he could answer our petition. This is the greatest opportunity to strengthen the bond between Tsar and people. We may be simple people and looked at with derision among your ranks but we are devoted to our God and our Tsar.”

“As a Menshevik you surely cannot believe in God or the tzar.”

“I am here speaking on behalf of Father Gapon and represent his views.”

“So you yourself might be a subversive element inside the march?”

“I stand firm beside Father Gapon.”

“But surely you want to see the Tzar removed from power.”

“If he proves capable of listening to his subjects there is no need for revolutionary actions.”

“Don’t you see the march itself is a revolutionary act?”

“No, it is an opportunity to strengthen the country.”

“It is an open challenge to the regime.”

“If the regime feels threatened it is due to their own incompetence and they deserve what they get. I guess I am a Menshevik still.”

“Putting aside our differences and objectives we both have the same short term goal. Namely making sure no one gets killed tomorrow. Now from my perspective the easiest way to ensure that is to cancel the march.”

“That will never happen.”

“I feared as much. Since that is the case Medvedev is right the safest way to avoid confrontation is by getting the march permitted or at least not violently suppressed. Telephone Minister Sviatopolk-Mirsky and arrange a meeting. Kuzin your are coming with us.”