The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-08-31

ment TO put into effect the extrems
program Of sweeping radical social
reforms, but not at once.
AS to the wisdom and necessity OF
these reforms there is no dispute IN
Russia. All OF the political parties
that cut any ice proclaim and affirm
them. Anybody that should question
the mwould be- viewed as curiosity.
them would be viewed as curiosity.
persons that dispute axioms and self.
evident facts. But they are changes
that in this country would be deemed
the impossible dreams Of fanatics.
You can see, therefore, why the new
Russian democracy will never be pop.
ular with the American reGctionary
and his obedient press. You can ses
why all the agencies he controls are
buslly engaged in forecasting the fail.
ure Of the Russian democracy and try
ing, in his funny little sniping way,
to bring It about.
The American reactionary's view Oh
democracy is a state wherein the
farmers and the workers, although con
stituting the majority Of the popula.
ton, leave everything to the better
classes, to the corporation, the rail
roads and their attorneys,
1t is also q state wherein the pOo.
pie are content 70 stop with the forms
Of political democracy-merely vita
the forms.
That isn't the Russians idea Of It.
He wants to see the farmer and the
workingman, in their shirt sleeves,
running the whole machine.
And he wants to see democracy car
ried into everything-politics, govern
ment, industry, society, the church,
education; everything.
He is not much impressed with this
better class idea, He doesn't see
where 1t fits into the democratic
scheme. He has never been able to
take very kindly to the theory that
what is needed in every country is
some powerful leader that will take
in hand the common, untaught crowd
and show them what is what. He is
not at all disturbed by the fact that his
country at present has no leader and
is not likely to have one. His idea Is
that in democracy the only leader is
the thought Of the whole people, and IL
we are going into the leader business
we should never have fired our kings.
He says that the ideal state Of So.
ciety is not one where one man tells
the lest what to do and think, but
where every man thinks and acts Tor
the common good.
This is the reason for his complete
Indifference to such things as Con
stantinople and warm water port
for Russian commerce. To his mini
the world has been insanely overcon
Cerned about such things, and that 10
why we have wars. He says that in
normal or sane or partly sane state o.:
human society it would make no dit
ference what colored flag flew over
Constantinople, the commerce Of the
world would pass freely. And in nor.
nal state OF society, it would make no
difference who owned the island Of
Ballyhoo, its products would be for the
benefit and support Of the human race
This is the kind OF a society he Is
aiming at, and so far as | have been
able to learn he will not stop until he
has tried it, anyway.
And it will have industrial democ,
racy no less than political.
That is to say, practical cooperation
instead of competition.
The so.called conservatives are as
much in favor of that as any Of the Ex
IRENE Left.
All Russia is for it.