Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-04-11
VICIOUS PRINCIPLE
There are proposals of various. kinds for

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ton of the Soviet plan to national government. These
range from the ultimate process which is now a vogue
iii Russia of placing control Of everything in the HANDS
Of the soviets, to the various notifications looking to-
ward the representation of such groups in parliamentary
and other governing bodies.
The Soviet seems to be Of Russian origin. It Is
sometimes described as the expression in government
of the ancient spirit of Russian democracy, and being
merely a continuation, or enlargement of the plan Of
local self-government which has been practiced in sec
tons of Russia for many generations under the form Of
the mir or commune. These communes existed in the
rural districts. Agriculture in the sections where they
prevailed, was conducted on a different basis from that
familiar to U.S.: The home Of the farmer was not on his
farm. but in the little village in the center OF the farming
district. There. the farmers lived with their families and
live stock, and from their homes they went each day to
cultivate their fields. Control Of the fields varied, but in
almost all sections where this plan prevailed some form
of communistic enterprise existed. Frequently the land
Itself changed hands from year to year, the acres being
epportioned by the local governing body which exer-
cised a supremacy over the operations of the year. and
the handling of the products. The system was in part
democratic and in part paternalistic. because, while the
people through the commune controlled their own local
operations, it was UNDERSTOOD that they did so by the
grace of the car who was lord Of all.
/ The Soviet is not a development of this system. 1t
first came into view in Petrosrad after the revolution of
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the city, committees claiming to be representative OF
the industrial workers Of the city asserted that they
constituted the real government. They gave no recog-
milton to the agricultural population, and the relations
between the two! were the reverse of friendly. The
Soviet Of today is the logical development Of this move
ment in the cities. It represents a demand on the part
of a few individuals in the great centers to control all
the affairs Of a government regardless OF the rights.
the. welfare and the wishes Of all others. 49, Such. CO.
operation as exists between these groups and the peas
antry is forced upon the psasantry, and their yielding
to it is q srudsing and unwilling one.
Wherever the Soviet principle is manifested it must
be considered with these facts in mind, and whether the
Soviet claims to be the government or claims the right
~ an organized body to participate directly in the gov
eminent the principle is a vicious one, and the practice
can not be carried on without debasing and ultimately
destroying real democratic government. There is no
proper basis upon which the representation Of any single
class into which populations are divided ought to be
recognized in governmental affairs. The democracy is
al inclusive: it operates for the common interest, and
rights which are not shared by all others is fatal to all
just government. There is in progress in Germany an
effort to create what may be termed a third house in
the government, composed Of the representatives Of those
who choose to call themselves the workers Of the coun-
try Efforts are being made in England to provide for
what may be termed an advisory body representing the
same group. In all Of these things the same mischievous
principle is at work. Its expression would be least mis-
ehievous in the plan proposed in England if that plan
were extended to such other groups as might seek to
participate in the same manner, the farmers, the manu-
facturers. the physicians, the lawyers, and 80 on, but to
admit that any particular group has political rights
which are not possessed by all other groups is a denial
" all fundamentals Of democracy. go