Collected Works of V. I. Lenin - Vol. 16 - From Marx to Mao

178V. I. LENINthem (the Octobrists) do this directly and openly. Let themfrankly accept the slogan of the Rights; ‘Down with the rightof the popular representative assembly, long live the ministerialantechamber!’ There is no doubt that the majorityis working to bring about a time in Russia when constitutionalillusions will completely vanish, leaving a black realityfrom which the Russian people will draw the appropriateconclusions” (quoted from the report in Rech, April 1).This treatment of the whole question based on exposingthe hypocrisy of the government and the Octobrists and ondestroying constitutional illusions is the only correct Social-Democraticway of presenting the interpellation onthe violation of Article 96 of the fundamental laws in theThird Duma. In connection with the proceedings in theDuma this is the aspect that must be brought to the fore inour Party agitation, at labour meetings, in our study circlesand groups, and, finally, in private conversations withworkers who do not belong to any organisation. We mustexplain the role of the workers’ party, which is exposing abourgeois Black-Hundred fraud inside the bourgeois Black-Hundred Duma itself. Inasmuch as it was not possible insuch a Duma to treat the question with complete clarity or tostate in full detail the revolutionary Social-Democraticpoint of view, it is our duty to amplify what our comradessaid from the tribune of the Taurida Palace and popularisetheir speeches, so that the masses can understand and appreciatethem.What is the gist of the history of the violation of Article96? This article occurs in Chapter Nine “on laws” and specifiesthe exceptions from the general rule, cases when theordinances and instructions of the military and navaldepartments are submitted directly to the tsar withoutpassing through the State Duma and the Council of State. 89New expenditure requires grants approved by the StateDuma, that is the purport of this article.A year ago the estimates of the naval general staff werebeing discussed in the State Duma. A heated dispute aroseas to whether the confirmation of these estimates wassubject to the jurisdiction of the State Duma or not. TheRights (the Black Hundred) said no, maintaining that theDuma had no right to interfere, that it could not dare en-