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elements were driven to the background and the leading part was taken by the social democrats and the social-revolutionists. In some places the strike lasted about a month, but on the whole it soon ceased because of the want of organisation and preparation, Arrests and repressions followed one another and active workers were dismissed. The movement was thus crushed. A second attempt to organise the Union in 1906 also failed.
From that time until the revolution in Februar 1917 no organisation of a Union was possible. The tsarist service literally enchained the Post and Telegraph workers corrupting them and killing every tendency towards independence and social work.
The Revolution of 1917 threw off the heavy chains which held the Post and Telegraph workers in bondage and awakened them to life: the masses revived at once, the leaders of 1905 returned and feverish organising work began, inflamed by revolutionary spirit. The creation of the Union went on impulsively, without any plan whatever. The committees took whole responsibility of the administration upon themselves. The work of the Post and Telegraph offices was paralysed.
The leaders of 1905 resolved to convene a Congress in order to direct the construction of the Union according to a definite plan. The Congress was held in May 1917. About 400 delegates were present at it. It lasted for six weeks. This can be explained by the extreme prolixity of the delegates, the lack of organisation and preparation of the Congress. It, however, performed a large amount of work; it fixed the plan of organisation of the Union, left a vast amount of data relating to wage rates, pensions, general improvement of the Post and Telegraph Services, educational work, etc. In politics the Congress followed the programme of the socialist-compromisers, unanimously acknowledging the Provisional Government.
