Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-05-24
socIALIsM,s AIM

q
of the Russian soviet's Specialization
Of women Decree" adopted recently at
Saratov, in all the seriousness of an
anarchistic-socialist con.
veltion.
1t is the law in Russia now, If indeed
Russia can be said to have any law.
1t aboiishes the ceremony and instftu-
tion of marriage, it mocks the estab-
ished and recognized marriage vow
and strikes at the fundamentals of So
ciety and of life ITSELF
It Is the embodiment and the result
of the atheism which socialism
teaches; it is the application in mass
form of that free love of which radi-
Gals and parlor socialists in America
talk SO glibly and which they embrace
individually when the ties Of married
life become onerous.
1t is the natural result OF a preach
ment which ignores laws and religion.
It is Russia's practical demonstration
of such theories as Professor Thomas
Of Chicago taught in his university
classes and popular lectures until
his indiscretions brought him public
disgrace. 1t is the practical demon.
stration, too. of the selfsame theories
which Grace Lusk incorporated into
her queer code of free love. which has
brought her before jury for trial on
the charge of murder.
At the bottom of all the institutions
kof society and government in the
world there is the basic foundation Of
religion. 1t is religion that civiliza-
ton is built upon. 1t is religion that
conscience, of the man or of the mass,
is built upon. Take away religion and
the whole structure falls.
Socialism is Infamous because 1t
would take away religion. That is the
basis of its idealist" theories, and in
Russia, where the world sees the only
exhibition of socialism rampant, it has
taken only a year for all the boosted
reforms and ideals Of the "conserva.
tive" socialists creed to be submerged
under q wave of atheism and non.
religion. That is what has happened
in Russia. A year ago, when Keren.
sky was mounting his platitudes, and
socialists all over the world were
pointing to his so-called government
as the apex Of their desires, bolshev-
ism-which is socialism's unfettered
form-was knocking down the few
weak obstacles between chaos and
moderate socialism. The day for Ker-
ensky's fall came, fastened by his own
weakness and socialistic folly, and the
last of the obstacles fell. Bolshevism
was enthroned, chaos succeeded
semblance of ORDER religion was an
nulled-and the result is the soviet's
formal proclamation which, II carried
out all over, the world, would make
the human race race Of imbeciles.
And this is the decree Of that gov
eminent for which socialists here IN
America have demanded formal recog-
milton as the government of Russia. 1t
is we'll to bear this in mind; indeed,
it is vital that Americans keep the
facts before them. Many who call
themselves socialists, here in America,
cannot countenance socialism's athe-
ism and extremist crimes, but they
vote for socialist candidates for ONCE,
they repeat the fallacious arguments
of socialism IN public, they work for
the spread Of socialism's lesser the.
cries, because they are deceived by
the promises OF universal equality
Just as ignorant Russia was deceived.
If, through their efforts. socialism anl
anarchy should obtain the upper hand
in American government. the chaos
which would result could not be pre-.
vented nor ended by the moderate"
socialist.
Socialism. in any form. strikes lat
the baeis Of American institutions,
American life and American govern.
ment. 1t strikes at that faith in
Divine Being which finds expressions
in the Declaration Of Independence
and In the other great state papers
which have marked epochs in world
history since Christendom and civiliza;
ton succeeded barbarity.