loggerheads with the Central Committee, he retains
everybody's respect because of the real heroism with which
he conquers physical disabilities which long ago would have
overwhelmed a less unbreakable spirit. Both Radek and
Larin were going to the Communist Conference at Jaroslavl
which was to consider the new theses of the Central
Committee of the party with regard to Industrial
Conscription. Radek was going to defend the position of the
Central Committee, Larin to defend his own. Both are old
friends. As Radek said to me, he intended to destroy Larin's
position, but not, if he could help it, prevent Larin being
nominated among the Jaroslavl delegates to All-Russian
Conference which was in preparation. Larin, whose work
keeps him continually traveling, has his own car, specially
arranged so that his uninterrupted labor shall have as
little effect as possible on his dangerously frail body. Radek
and I traveled in one of the special cars of the Central
Executive Committee, of which he is a member.


The car seemed very clean, but, as an additional precaution,
we began by rubbing turpentine on our necks and wrists and
angles for the discouragement of lice, now generally known
as "Semashki" from the name of Semashko, the Commissar
of Public Health, who wages unceasing war for their
destruction as the carriers of typhus germs.I rubbed the
turpentine so energetically into my neck that it burnt like a
collar of fire, and for a long time I was unable to get to sleep.