Concerning Those Former Officers who are Still in the Camp of the Whites

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The attack upon Russia by the Poland of the gentry has finally revealed, even to the politically backward elements in the country, that the struggle being waged by the White Guard generals under the slogan of ‘Russia one and indivisible’ was and is a contribution to the plundering and enslavement of the Russian people by foreign aggressors. Under the impact of this fresh lesson, a movement has appeared among that section of the former Tsarist officers who are still in the White-Guard camp, aimed at breaking with the traitorous, anti-national policy of the Denikins and Wrangels and entering the service of the Soviet power in its fight for the freedom and independence of the working people of Russia. According to information received by the Soviet Government, this movement among the former officers in favour of submitting completely to the workers’ and peasants’ power is in many cases being held back by fear of punishment for offences committed in the past against the working people.

The workers’ and peasants’ government therefore considers it necessary and timely to issue this statement:

All those former officers who, in one way or another, contribute to the rapid liquidation of the White Guard forces still remaining in the Crimea, Caucasia and Siberia and who thereby facilitate and hasten the victory of workers’ and peasants’ Russia over the Poland of the gentry will be exempted from any penalties whatsoever for deeds committed by them while serving in the armies of Wrangel, Denikin, Kolchak, Semyonov and so on.

This announcement is published for general information, so that the Soviet authorities, both military and civil, may be strictly guided by it in all appropriate cases.