Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-29


sembly should decide upon a monarchy
for the future government of Russia
X Il
Russia will probably be a republic.
The exact form of republic is difhcuit
to predict. A president, there probably
will be, and a cabinet. The chances
are that the cabinet will be more nearly
of the French type than of any other.
because the English cabinet is the out
growth of a two-party system. while
Russia has, and will have. many par
ties and because the American fixed
cabinet has found no European imita-
tors.
The next important problem Will De
that of the suffrage. The Russian people
will undoubtedly insist on universal
suffrage of all adults. including men
and women. The advanced thought OIL
the nation is committed to woman suf-
frage. Women have long had recog-
milton in the professional life OF the
nation, and they have already been
promised participation in the cleo
lions to the constitutional assembly.
So that Russia is destined TO De tne
first great nation with universal Wom-
an suffrage. +o-
know something about the system OF
elections that prevailed in Russia up
to the present time. FIVE great cities
elected members directly to the duma'
the other districts elected representa-
tives to ffty-three electoral colleges,
the election of duma members peins
made by the colleges.
In the case of small landowners there
were three steps in the election anu
in the case of peasants there were
four steps. Suffrage was restricted 10
males twenty-five years of age and
older, and in the cities was llmited py
very considerable property qualihca-
tions with persons of large means nav
ing a much larger representation than
persons of small means. The wage
earners were represented indirectly ana
only in case they worked in establlsh-
ments having fifty or more employees,
and the peasants, the workingmen. the
smaller landowners and the poorer city
jewellers were all outvoted in the cleo
toraI colleges by the large landowners
and the wealthy city dwellers
In fact, the poorer people ana the
peasants and workingman would nave
had no representation whatever had
provisions not been made Tor mini
mum representation of these classes.
Thus the old regime in Russia pro-
vided for an elaborate system of dis
proportional representation. When the
new government is organized 1t is prac-
tically certain that all restrictions on
suffrage will be removed, but it is not
so certain that the class system of
elections will be abolished.
The life of the Russian people seems
to be thoroughly established along
group lines. and 1t is very probable
that the final system will provide for
some measure of proportional repre-
sentation for the different groups. 1t
may be added that the peasants. who
In eff
the population of the nation, are not
likely to be given that large pre-
ponderance in the management of the
nations affairs.
The constitutional assembly may pro-
coed on the principle of giving an APP
proximately equal representation to
each of the five classes-the landown-
ers. the professional class. the CONNER
cial class. the wage earners and the
peasants. 1t seems quite probable that
some system of that sort will be to
the best interests of the nation. at
least for the immediate future, for it
is clear that the professional class.
which forms only an infinitesimal part
Of the total population. is in a better
position to serve the nation than any
other single class.
And yet, IL the election was not lin
tied In any way. class solidarity would
probably result In a preponderance of
comparatively unframed peasants in
the parliament
The two great problems that the new
government will have to solve are the
agrarian problem and the educational
problem. To speak of the last one
first, education in Russia has never
been compulsory. Quite on the con-
trary. a very large part of the popu-
lation was kept in compulsory igno-
rance, for the bureaucracy knew that
ignorance in the masses was much
safer than any kind of education. and
certainly safer than education tainted
with progressive ideas.
Consequently, very little free educa-
tion was offered to the people. and the
privilege of teaching them was granted
only to thoroughly dependable indt-
viduals, mostly of the clergy. who
could be counted upon not to spread
any high-f1ung ideas of liberty along
with the alphabet.
AS a result. perhaps 70 per cent of
the Russian people are unable to read
and write. and the new government.
in order to assist the people to in
telligent self-government. will have to
do all in its power to encourage uni
versal education.
The agrarian problem has been the