The daily progressive-miner., 1919-03-25

What is the precise principle of the Soviet at the present time, and what does 1t differ in Russia and Germany Have the intrigues and the tyran- nies of the Bosheviki wrought any change in the Soviet idea Itself. Was the Russian Soviet organized as means of class domination. What has been the spirit behind it's establish the confidence of the Russian masses pr. Samuel N. Harper, Assistant Pro lessor of Russian Language and ln-
 stiutions in the University of Chic cago. mh- tas been making a special sll1y of Russia since 1904, and was there during the ea4ly months of the revolution and has kept in constant touch with Russian affairs since his
 returne, was asked these questions two
 days ago. This matter fthe Soviet
 is very important, he declares, for
 EoIsneVlsm III hussla mas fallen Ill
 what has been from the beginning it's cstensible object-the betterment of
 life and circumstance for the work
 man and peasant. Woven in with it's failure, as not the least of it's crimes, is what it has done to the idea of the
 Soviet in Russia. With that is neces- sariIy connected the status and prin- cip!e of the Soviet in Germany.
 Big Change In Russia
 "The Soviet in Russia has passed through a decided change since its in- cepton of the early days of the reVo- lution." Professor Harper said. "it was originally democratic, co-opera- tive. 1t has been perverted from it's
 original function by the efforts of this small and energetic group, the 6ol- sneVlki, Wno nave cnanged 1t troL'
 an agent Of national cooperation to something to be used by them as an instrument ill their class war. 1t is evident that it is now dscredited by the workment themselves. But 1T 1 1C' Hiai4S, oiiOuid JOO9c SAal Iiio 0S- viet had been Bolshevist in spirit from the beginning. So far as one can tell, it appears that the Soviet there has been started at the point to which
 the Roshevist have brought it ill Rus sia-the point, that is, not of co-op- eration, but of class antagonism and class rule.
 "Authoritatlve Judgment Of the present condition ill Germany dc not feel qualified to express; do not think that any one here can speak au- thoritatively of such a hit-or-miss sit uation as that appears to be, with such quickly changing and contradictory news But from the reports that reach Us it seems evident that the So- viet in Germany is very like what the Eolsheviki have made of it in Russia and therefore very different from the original Russian idea of the So- viet
 q believe that in Germany the spiri. of the Soviets has always been Golshevist can see no signs that the German Soviet has ever expresstd the oriqinal Russian idea. The German Spartacans have been opposed all a. long to the calling of Constituent Assembly. Where the Russian sol- sheviki first urged and then opposed the Constituent Assembly, the Ger man Spartacans have consistently fought the assembly idea and called for the dictatorship of the proletarlat. We must remember that conditions m reqard to an election in Germany are very different from those that obtain ed in Russia. Because the German peo- nle had had so much more political life. it was possible to hold constit- uent Assembly few months after the revolution. In Russia such i'm mediate action was impossible. Elect lon i1srs mad 10 be got ready and other elementary preparations made
 "In those early days in Russia the copearance of the Soviet was some what to be heartily welcomed by the Provisional Government, Now, just what was that Soviet idea! What did it promise.
 "The original. the real Soviet prin-
 cioIe represented the direct partieipa- tion of the peasants, workmen, and soldiers in public life for the deter
 imitation of the new order for the
 country. In it the first provisional gov
 trnment recognizes an organization of peasants, workmen and soldiers that
 would bring the more democratic ele-
 ments throughout the country into
 the task of recognizing the nation af
 ernment recognizes an organization of
 and make certain their interest and