New-York tribune., 1919-03-31
The Nature of BoIshevism

In his address Saturday night Mr..
Hughes discussed the principles of Boil
shevism rather than the practices of Boil
shevists
This is we'll. The world is no longer
ignorant as to what the Bolshevsts have
done and are doing. A reign of murder,
Of robbery, of autocracy has been set up
and Russia has been reduced to a misery
more grievous to the average person
than was ever experienced under the
most wicked of the czars. Warfare has
been declared on freedom everywhere,
and according as Lenine and Trotzkv
have power they employ it with ruthless
ferocity. No doubt exists as to the grim
actualities of Bolshevist rule.
But in some quarters remains dispo-
sition to defend Bolshevsm and to ex-
cuse the excesses of its practitioners on
the old ground that the end justifies the
means. In our land we see parior Boil
shevists of the New Republic school lift
ing feeble, cultivated voices in unison
with the rougher accents of the l. w. w.
We have again the incongruous alliance
of Blifl and Black George, of Pecksnif
and Jack the Ripper Some we'll mean
ing persons are, of course caught by the
propaganda. Although they NAV not be
numerous enough to be a menace, it does
no harm to combat evils at their begin
nings.
What Bolshevism is shtuld be clearly
understood. It's distinctive doctrine is
not the abolition Of classes by making
all persons Of one class Democracy also
seeks this and in large degree has real
lied 1t. Democracy also snnitates against
tho social parasite. The principles de-
clarcd for In the Declaration of fndcpcn-
dence and avowed in Jchetson's saying
about equal rights 10 al and special
privileges 10 none have not been i'm
proved on or added to in Russia or any
where else. We live in "a classleas rcpllb-
lie, II We have private property in land
and in other things and property de-
sccnds by inheritance it il because the
majority of our people will it so. What
we inaccurately and loosely call classes
are not true classes but represent mere
ly division Of labor according to personal
aptitudes.
What, then, is Bolshevism? In its
original form it is the doctrine that lead
ership in industry should be elective. In
stead of the managing owner it would
have control with committee or a
superintendent chosen by and respon-
sible to working group. This is indus
trial democracy. The object of industry
being to create distributable goods. and
social benefit being varlously dependent
on the volume of goods created, and thus
distributable, the vital question is wheth-
er production will be accelerated or
diminished under elective industrial lead
ers. Socialism in its various forms. find
ing 1t easier to attract attention bv
dwelling on admitted inequities of distri-
button, has practically ignored the pro
duction problem. But Lenine now admits
it must be faced. Results SO far in starv-
ing Russia do not support the idea that
elective leadership pays dividends to
workers equal to those paid by capital
istic leadership.
Elective leadership in industry de-
stroys the individual initiative which il
energized by selfishness. No profit, no
special reward for skill, and the human
animal becomes slothful and unenter-
prIsing. Such has been the law of human
me- applying to all except small minor
ity OF artists who work for the JOY Of the
work. How withdrawal of the stimu-
ius OF selflshness Affects production is