The conservative majority voted to consider war and peace first, the land question next, and finally a federative republic, thus postponing the fatal issue. With this, the Bolsheviki demanded the right of intermission for party caucus. It was granted. Two hours passed. Nothing happened. The members of the Right grew impatient. The Chairman reopened the meeting, and Skobeleff, former Minister of Labor, demanded the appointment of a commission to investigate the bloodshed of the day. Representatives of the Left filed back to their seats. A Bolshevik member read a statement declaring that the majority of the Constituent Assembly had refused to accept the demands of the People’s Commissaries, which were the demands of the toiling masses and the economic revolution, and in so doing had become a counter-revolutionary body. With that the Bolsheviki left the hall. The Left S. R.’s, headed by Marie Spiridonova and a handsome young revolutionist named Komkoff, remained to offer a resolution that the Constituent Assembly recognize the peace steps of the People’s Commissaries. The delegates refused. Instead, they passed a resolution asking, in the name of the Constituent Assembly, that all countries at war come to an agreement for a general democratic peace. A sudden commotion arose. Two men were on their feet, hurling ugly names at each other. One drew a revolver. Some one grabbed him and pressed him quickly into his seat. The difference of opinion was a personal one. For a terrible minute the crowd sat breathless. The guards in the balcony, thinking a real fight was about to begin, loaded their guns. Quiet returned in a flash, and the chairman went on with the meeting; but the incident had not helped to loosen the taut nerves. The Left S. R.’s got up quietly from their seats, and departed from the convention as the Bolsheviki had done. For half an hour the meeting continued. A resolution proclaiming the Federated Republic of Russia was passed. The question of nationalization of land without compensation was introduced. Before the discussion had progressed far, the guard ordered the meeting closed. “I was appointed to defend the Constituent Assembly,” said the commissary of the palace. “This meeting has now become simply a party caucus, and we suggest that you retire to the headquarters of the Right S. R.” The guard yawned. President Chernoff demurred. The guns once more began to assume ominous positions. “Why should we wait? We should arrest all! We should kill the counter-revolutionist Chernoff!” came in angry murmurs from factory workers and soldiers. The delegates looked from one to another. Some one moved a resolution to adjourn until five that afternoon. It was promptly adopted.