battleships are completely demoralised....

In the face of a storm of popular disapproval the plan of evacuation
was repudiated.

Meanwhile the Congress of Soviets loomed over Russia like a
thunder-cloud, shot through with lightnings. It was opposed, not
only by the Government but by all the "moderate" Socialists. The
Central Army and Fleet Committees, the Central Committees of some of
the Trade Unions, the Peasants' Soviets, but most of all the
_Tsay-ee-kah_ itself, spared no pains to prevent the meeting.
_Izviestia_ and _Golos Soldata_ (Voice of the Soldier), newspapers
founded by the Petrograd Soviet but now in the hands of the
_Tsay-ee-kah,_ fiercely assailed it, as did the entire artillery of
the Socialist Revolutionary party press, _Dielo Naroda_ (People's
Cause) and _Volia Naroda_ (People's Will).

Delegates were sent through the country, messages flashed by wire to
committees in charge of local Soviets, to Army Committees,
instructing them to halt or delay elections to the Congress. Solemn
public resolutions against the Congress, declarations that the
democracy was opposed to the meeting so near the date of the
Constituent Assembly, representatives from the Front, from the Union
of Zemstvos, the Peasants' Union, Union of Cossack Armies, Union of
Officers, Knights of St. George, Death Battalions, [*] protesting....
[*See Notes and Explanations.]
The Council of the Russian Republic was one chorus of disapproval.
The entire machinery set up by the Russian Revolution of March
functioned to block the Congress of Soviets....