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domes and cupolas of the town。 Many of the buildings had been
destroyed during the rising artificially provoked in July； 19l8； and its
subsequent suppression。 More damage was done then than was
necessary； because the town was recaptured by troops which had been
deserted by most of their officers； and therefore hammered away with
artillery without any very definite plan of attack。 The more important of
the damaged buildings； such as the waterworks and the power station；
have been repaired； the tramway was working； and； after Moscow； the
town seemed clean； but plenty of ruins remained as memorials of that
wanton and unjustifiable piece of folly which； it was supposed； would be
the signal for a general rising。
We drove to the Hotel Bristol； now the headquarters of the Jaroslavl
Executive Committee； where Rostopchin； the president； discussed with
Larin and Radek the programme arranged for the conference。 It was then
proposed that we should have something to eat； when a very curious state
of affairs （and one extremely Russian） was revealed。 Rostopchin
admitted that the commissariat arrangements of the Soviet and its
Executive Committee were very bad。 But in the center of the town there
is a nunnery which was very badly damaged during the bombardment and
is now used as a sort of prison or concentration camp for a Labor
Regiment。 Peasants from the surrounding country who have refused to
give up their proper contribution of corn； or leave otherwise disobeyed the
laws； are； for punishment； lodged here； and made to expiate their sins by
work。 It so happens； Rostopchin explained； that the officer in charge of
the prison feeding arrangements is a very energetic fellow； who had served
in the old army in a similar capacity； and the meals served out to the
prisoners are so much better than those produced in the Soviet
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headquarters； that the members of the Executive Committee make a
practice of walking over to the prison to dine。 They invited us to do the
same。 Larin did not feel up to the walk； so he remained in the Soviet
House to eat an inferior meal； while Radek and I； with Rostopchin and
three other members of the local committee walked round to the prison。
The bell tower of the old nunnery had been half shot away by artillery； and
is in such a precarious condition that it is proposed to pull it down。 But
on passing under it we came into a wide courtyard surrounded by two…
story whitewashed buildings that seemed scarcely to have suffered at all。
We found the refectory in one of these buildings。 It was astonishingly
clean。 There were wooden tables； of course without cloths； and each man
had a wooden spoon and a hunk of bread。 A great bowl of really
excellent soup was put down in the middle of table； and we fell to hungrily
enough。 I made more mess on the table than any one else； because it
requires considerable practice to convey almost boiling soup from a
distant bowl to one's mouth without spilling it in a shallow wooden spoon
four inches in diameter； and； having got it to one's mouth； to get any of it
in without slopping over on either side。 The regular diners there seemed
to find no difficulty in it at all。 One of the prisoners who mopped up after
my disasters said I had better join them for a week； when I should find it
quite easy。 The soup bowl was followed by a fry of potatoes； quantities
of which are grown in the district。 For dealing with these I found the
wooden spoon quite efficient。 After that we had glasses of some sort of
substitute for tea。
The Conference was held in the town theatre。 There was a hint of
comedy in the fact that the orchestra was playing the prelude to some very
cheerful opera before the curtain rang up。 Radek characteristically
remarked that such music should be followed by something more
sensational than a conference； proposed to me that we should form a
tableau to illustrate the new peaceful policy of England with regard to
Russia。 As it was a party conference； I had really no right to be there； but
Radek had arranged with Rostopchin that I
should come in with himself； and be allowed to sit in the wings at the
side of the stage。 On the stage were Rostopchin； Radek； Larin and
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various members of the Communist Party Committee in the district。
Everything was ready； but the orchestra went on with its jig music on the
other side of the curtain。 A message was sent to them。 The music stopped
with a jerk。 The curtain rose； disclosing a crowded auditorium。
Everbody stood up； both on the stage and in the theater； and sang；
accompanied by the orchestra； first the 〃Internationale〃 and then the song
for those who had died for the revolution。 Then except for two or three
politically minded musicians ； the orchestra vanished away and the
Conference began。
Unlike many of the meetings and conferences at which I have been
present in Russia； this Jaroslavl Conference seemed to me to include
practically none but men and women who either were or had been actual
manual workers。 I looked over row after row of faces in the theatre； and
could only find two faces which I thought might be Jewish； and none that
obviously belonged to the 〃intelligentsia。〃 I found on inquiry that only
three of the Communists present； excluding Radek and Larin； were old
exiled and imprisoned revolutionaries of the educated class。 Of these；
two were on the platform。 All the rest were from the working class。 The
great majority of them； of course； had joined the Communists in 1917； but
a dozen or so had been in the party as long as the first Russian revolution
of 1905。
Radek； who was tremendously cheered （his long imprisonment in
Germany； during which time few in Russia thought that they would see
him alive again； has made him something of a popular hero） made a long；
interesting and pugnacious speech setting out the grounds on which the
Central Committee base their ideas about Industrial Conscription。 These
ideas are embodied in the series of theses issued by the Central Committee
in January （see p。 134）。 Larin； who was very tired after the journey and
patently conscious that Radek was a formidable opponent； made a speech
setting out his reasons for differing with the Central Committee； and
proposed an ingenious resolution； which； while expressing approval of the
general position of the Committee； included four supplementary
modifications
which； as a matter of fact； nullified that position altogether。 It was then
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about ten at night； and the Conference adjourned。 We drove round to the
prison in sledges； and by way of supper had some more soup and potatoes；
and so back to the railway station to sleep in the cars。
Next day the Conference opened about noon； when there was a long
discussion of the points at issue。 Workman after workman came to the
platform and gave his view。 Some of the speeches were a little naive； as
when one soldier said that Comrades Lenin and Trotsky had often before
pointed out difficult roads； and that whenever they had been followed they
had shown the way to victory； and that therefore； though there was much
in the Central Committee's theses that was hard to digest； he was for
giving them complete support； confident that； as Comrades Lenin and