The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-16

dictatorship OF individuals for de-
finite processes of work.
the court is 10 he used as a
means of training in discipline that
will consider the responsibility for
the pangs of famine and unemploy
ment and fose VINO are responsible,
that is. those who fail TO produce
bread for men and fuel for industry
arc to be punished without mercy
no matter wha, the conditions are un
der which hey stop, While this auto
cratic rule IS going on the public press
IS to be Systematically repressed.
There must he no criticism OF the
dictator or dictators Nothing must
reach the attention OF the masses ex-
cept that which has been prepared for
them by the au,ocrats who have set
themselves up like the German mill
tarists as being snpermen.
II am sure that no sane American
whose mind has not been perverted
by self-interest would for a moment
think of displacing the orderly pro
cesses of progress of, for and by the
people which our institutions provide
for this will scheme of autocracy bas-
ed upon the assumption OF superior
knowledge of the needs and wants OF
the proletartat and which takes no
cognizance Of the possibility of the die
succeeded by other dictators with
different viewpoint.
These IN brief are the reasons that
led me to make the statement referred
ito The excerpts mentioned are as
! follows, the page numbers having
reference 10 the rage of the pamphlet
quoted from:
Page 20: The resolution of the
last Moscow congress OF the soviets.
1 l.
problem at present, the creation OF
efficient organization" and higher
discipline. Such resolutions are now
: readily supported by everybody But
that their realization requires com
pulsion AMI conpulsion in the form
OF a dictatorship, is ordinarily not
pretended: And yet. it would be
/ the greatest stupidity and the most
absurd opportunsm TO suppose that
the transition from capitalism TO
Socialism is possible without compul-
sion and dictatorship
Page 80 Either a kornilov die
tatorship tif kornilov be taken as the
Russian type OF a bourgeois Cavaig
nae}, or dictatorship OF the pro-
ietariat--no other alternative is pos
sible for a country which is passing
through an unusually swift develop
ment with unusually difficult tTAnAi-
tions and which suffers foA deo-
perate disorga nization cuoa1nA n a.
most horrible war,
Necessary Adjan1A
Page 80: ON the other h1z8A Il
is not hard TO see that during any
transition from capitalism to Socialism
a dictatorship is necessary for two
main reasons or in two main direc-
tions, In he first place. il is impos-
sible to conquer and destroy capital
ism without the merciless suppression
of the resistance OF the exploiters who
cannot he at once deprived of their
wealth, of their advantages in organ
ization and knowledge. and who will,
therefore. during quite long period
inevitably attempt to overthrow the
hateful Ito THANH authority Of the
poor. Secondly. every great revolu-
ton, and especially a Socialist reyo-
luton, even II there were no ex-
ternal war, Is uncomfortable without
an internal war with thousands and
millions OF cases OF wavering and of
desertion from one side to the other.
and with state of the greatest un-
certainty. instability and chaos And,
OF course, all elements Of decay of the
old order. inevitably very numerous
and connected largely with the pretty
bourgeoisie flor the pretty bourgeoisie
is he first victim Of every war and
every crisisi cannot fail to "shoW up"
during such 4 profound transforma-
ton. And these elements OF decay
cannot show up" otherwise than
through the increase of crimes. ruff
fianism, bribery, speculation and other
indecencies. 1t takes time and an iron
hand to get rid Of this
Page 81: This hfstortcAf expert
ence OF all revolutions, the universal
historical-economic and political
lesson was summed up by Marx in his
brief. sharp. exact and vivid formula:
the Dictatorship OF the proletartat.'
Page 81: But dictatorship y
great word. And great words must
not b used in vain. A dictatorship 10
an iron rule. with revolutionary dar-
ing and swift and meTciless In the sup
preston of the exrloiters ~ well as
OF the thugs (hooligans). And our
rule 10 too mild. quite frequently rec.
sembting lam rather than iron.
Page Is; The most conscious van.