El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-06-30
Radical Social Leader and
American Anarchists An
nounce New Programs.

TEW YORK, June 30-Russia' s
M revolution is now profoundly
= influencing every nation on
the globe. II is powerful ferment
working on the masses. Old and new
agitators are using It as an example
to show what can be done to upset
the establishes government.
The Council of Soldiers and
Worllingmen's Delegates" the
strange new creation in Petrograd
which processes submission to but is
more powerful than the government.
has excited proIetariat leaders minds
everywhere.
Robert sminie. famous miner
leader. promises TO establish such
council in England, and Alexander
Berkman, veteran preacher OF anar-
chy, has announced the formation of
one in the United States
The Russian soldiers fighting in
France have initiated their brothers
at home and set up their own little
democratic council 1t is probable we
shall soon hear of such councils in
many other lands. or would have
heard before this had not censorships
interfered.
Berkman Copies Russians.
So far the American Council of
Soldiers and Workmen's Delegates"
seems little more than name
Berkman and his stumping part
ner of many years. Emma Goldman.
have not shown their hands since the
announcement of the project was for
mally handed to the newspapers.
They are now working in secret. fust
as the Russians who organized the
movement did.
What progress they have made is
not known. They are handicapped
by lack OF the long standing and
glazing grievances the common peo-
pie had in Russia-that is, by the al
most universal prosperity of this
country.
The man who preached the plan in
Great Britain. Robert Smile. head OF
the vigorous Miners federation. rules
his million followers with an iron
hand It was he who publicly stated
that the government can be forced to
do anything if the people unite. He
asks the question. why not do what
the Russian people have done?7
Smillie's opponents among labor
leaders urge that whenever an es-
tablished government is overthrown
confusion results. For this reason,
they say, greater difficulty would be
experienced in England in the set
Ting of the food question with a
council like Russia's than without
Bob SmiIlie Powerful.
But the importance of Smillie's po-
sition cannot be denied. He is char
acterized as the most powerful labor
leader in the United Kingdom today.
A great many men have the shadow
OF his power; they may pass resolu-
tons and issue orders through the
unions. But when it comes to deeds,
Bob" Smile is the man.
He can command the devotion of
his million followers: he is trusted
because he never betrayed a single
man; his word is law. And while
leaders Of other unions find their
orders disregarded, as has beer the
case in recent strikes, the miners
will do. as they have done in the past,
what Smile tells them.
Russians In France Celebrate.
When Russian soldiers on the
French front heard of the revolu-
ton. officers as well as men Joined
in the celebration and later aided in
the election Of two plain soldiers to
go to Petrograd as delegates to the
council
The story of the counter-effects Of
the Russian revolution among the
troops Of their brigade. which hap
pened at that time to be resting in
throws an Interesting
light on the mentality Of the Russian q
soldier. When the news hsd spread [
Va tAAf w Ct AAAA wv u carbon ana the
men learned of the part which their
brothers in arms had played in Pet
rograd. they gathered together
soontaneously TO discuss the situa-
ton.
Are Puzzled
The movement was so general that D
the military authorities made no or
POSITION. Moreover. the soldiers did /
Of give any touch of indiscipline to I
heir proceedings. In the regiment 2
-hich was the first to hold a meet 4
lg, they even invited the colonel /
- address them on the situation. |
they asked him to explain what the I.
ted Flag meant that had been
7oisted in Russia and which most of I
their comrades had never seen. The /
colonel declared that he did not know. .
One soldier. Athanasius Chachin. I
'ad been mixed up in the Socialist I
movement before the war He 7
stepped forward from the ranks and I
made a speech in which he explained I
10 his comrades the Significance of 4
The new regime
All the men went over TO the revo- I
luton at once. and the officers. too. Z
iesnite a certain resistance on The 3