The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-12-30
Bolsheviki Follow in
Footsteps Of Bureaucracy
~ LEO PASvOlskY
Editor Of the Russkoye Slovo.

II there is any one lesson that the
present stupendous war has taught
mankind definitely SO far. it is that
modern wars are fought and must be
fought not by the governments alone,
but by the peoples Of the various conn
tries engaged in the colossal struggle.
The mechanisms that direct the war
activities of the different nations must
have as complete support as pos
sible, and as free from qualifications as
possible, of every element In the pop
ulation of the given country.
The tremendous armies In the field
have been aptly called armed nations
and this phrase is equally applicable
to everything that is going an Denihu
the battle lines. as well.
Each bellieerent country is, truth,
n nation in arms. for every available
resource must be turned to account Tor
the purposes Of the prosecution of the
war.
This lesson that the war has taught
mankind has found expression in the
various movements for the temporary
welding together of the different ele-
ments of population in each country.
The French "Union Sacre.' and the
similar class and group alliances IN the
different countries are but the manifold
manifestations Of this spirit. They point
clearly to a realization on the part OF
the thinking men OF the world that the
vast national enterprises upon which
almost all the countries of the world
are now intent cannot be carried on
successfully, unless there is unity and
harmony among the. various elements
whhk under ordinary circumstances
miEM or might not be at strife.
Russia no less than all the other
countries has come to a realization of
this truth. Even under the old regime
when the party in power represented
but a very small part of the popula-
ton, the landed gentry and the profess
sonal bureaucracy. there was a con-
slant and strong tendency on the part
Of the population to unite for common
effort in the conduct Of the vast enter
prise-the war. The old regime was
too near sighted politically to perceive
the necessity of accepting this state Of
affairs. 1t presumed to be able to stand
alone, still as before to occupy the COM
handing position in the conduct of the
great state affairs. and the inevitable
logic of events swept the bureaucratic
regime out of power.
The government that succeeded it
based its power especially upon it's
recognition of the need of coalescing,
of welding together all of the creative
forces of the country for the purposes
of performing the common task. Not
single party in democratic Russia,
not even the Socialist ones, presumed
that it is possible for any one party, or
any one group to rule the country and
to direct it's manifold and difficult
work of the present time, work that is
so fraught with dangers and almost
insurmountable hardships. The par
ties. split on minor difficulties. realized.
in their majority, that Russia must
have Il government, uniting and rep
resenting the whole country, and not
for il is the whole country that must
any particular group of it's population,
unite it's efforts in order to solve it's
numerous and complicated problems.
Only one part differed from this
Only one party presumed itself capable
Of taking over the whole governmental
authority. of constituting by itself
without any aid from the other parties
a mechanism of government that would
rule Russia. This party was the party
of the Bolsheviki, which had its wish
which succeeded in establishing itself
as the party in power at the Russian
capital.
But history. whether of the past or OF
the present, does not run differently
for Russia than it does for other coun-
tries. And even in Russia's own recent
history one finds sufficient grounds fol
believing that such a policy as that
pursued by the Bolsheviki, is doomed
to failure.
If the bureaucracy, deeply rooted in
traditions of centuries, with it's long
and fast grip upon the psychology OF
the masses, could not realize the dicta-
torship Of a single group over the whole
population at time of such tremen-
dous stress as that produced by the
war, how would it be possible for the
Bolsheviki, swept upon the pinnacle
of power by the wave of favor of the
tickle masses, to retain their position
when they, too, represent but a very
small group OF population. the prole-
tariat, which, in agricultural Russia, is
indeed. not very numerous?
The Bolsheviki refuse to read the
lessons of history, just as the bureau
crazy closed it's eyes upon them. They
too. refuse to recognize the fact thai
a nation in arms, whether seeking
war or peace. must he represented
as a whole in the management of the
great enterprise that causes it's diff
ferent elements to unite in the com
mon effort. And the same logic of
events that swept away the rule of the
bureaucracy, will also sweep the Boil
sheviki out of power.
For the war makes inevitable the
realization that Russia must be united
and ruled by the national will of the
whole people. and not by any one class