In a decisive
development, the Garrison Conference renews the policy of the Soviet from the
April Days: orders that have not been countersigned by a representative of the soldiers
section of the Soviet are not to be obeyed. The Central Executive Committee tried
to suppress the announcement of the meeting for this purpose, but it was
successfully sent to all the units of the city garrison via a technology called
a “telephonogram.” Apparently the device made a phonographic recording of the
message, which could then be sent over the telephone as often as necessary.
The Conference
consisted not of Bolshevik politicians, but of representatives from the units
of the garrison itself. It took a muster-roll of these units on the question of
coming out in case of an insurrection. Only one cavalry regiment and a military
school were against it. A few other smaller units declared neutrality or
obedience to the Central Executive Committee. The rest, including all the infantry
regiments, would come out, as Trotsky says, “at a word from the Petrograd
Soviet.”
The Central
Executive, denied the opportunity to speak, walked out in frustration. The
garrison had formerly been a source
of strength for them. Now the president put the main question on the table: by
adopting the countersign policy, the garrison placed itself effectively under
the Petrograd Soviet’s control.
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