The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-08-07
LIBERTY OF
BOLSHEVIKI
No Laws In Russia but Manifestos
and Proclamations are Used
for One to Keep
Moving.
by Frank J. Taylor, United Press
Staff Correspondent

by Frank J. Taylor, United Press
Staff Correspondent
NEW YORK, Aug. THAT Russia
nnder the Dictatorship Of the under
dog is not exactly q land of liberty
Is one Of the first discoveries of the
foreigner visiting Moscow.
The bolsheyiks. like to call Russia
the free comnunistic republic" AS
a matter of fact, there are no laws,
as they are known in other lands.
But in their place there are several
million manifestos, or proclamations,
that have heen issued by various
soyiets.
Nobody knows just how many
there are. nor has anybody taken the
trouble to write them all down. Any
soviet can issue manifestos, and all
OF them are prolific In exercising the
privilege. Usually new manifestos
are posted up on walls or are pub
1ished in some paper.
If you act contrary to one OF these
manifestos, and commission catches
you-a commissaire is bolshevik
officiaI-a tribunal settles your case.
The tribunal is made up of three
bolsheviks. 1t bothers not about
either laws or manifestos, there
being none Of the former and too
many Of the latter The tribunal
simply decides what II thinks ought
to be done to you, which may be
anything from pardon for killing a
man. to being shot at sunrise for
stealing loaf Of bread, and it is
done-that is bolshevik justice.
In soviet Russia, you are entirely
at liberty. according to the boil
shaviks. However, you cannot co
any of the following things:
You can not be at large without a
permit to live issued by the commits
saires. You need that for the ri"ht
to breathe.
You can not buy q pair of so his,
p shirt, or any kind Of clothes or
merchandise. 1t is forbidden for
stores to sell or people 10 buy mtr-
cnandtse. They are supposed to w'dt
until it is issued
1t is forbidden to leave town, or
travel anywhere, except on official
business. Individuals can not 20
from one town TO another on private
business or because they want to
travel
into new house, unless the com
missaire assigns you to new quar-
ters You have to go where he says.
Hotels do not exist They are con-
fiscated for headquarters.
II is forbidden to quit your Job, If |
you do not like it. You are consid- /
cred an enemy of the government If
you strike. The government can
mobilize you to any job it wishes, |
just as though you were soldier :
You can not have a bank account, I
own bicycle or automobile, own !
firearms unless You are boshevist. /
or be the sole proprietor of anything !
of commercial value.
Otherwise, YOU are perfectly free
with a few more exceptions.
The bolshevik idea OF liberty was F.
impressed upon the United Press
correspondent when he first arrived
in Moscow. He was under guard
and was taken first to the police
station. There, among all the mil
lions of manifestos, the police com
missaire could not find any which
outlined regulations regarding
foreign press correspondents who
came into soviet land through the
back door-the Lithuanian front.
The police commissaire decided to
pass the buck to the foreign office
secretary. why have foreign
office II it can't decide whether
foreigners we catch here have any
right to live or not?" he asked.
Under guard, but otherwise I'M
heraidea and unsung-as well as m
washed, unshaved, and unclean from,
the long train trip-the corresnon-
oent was ushered before the foreign
secretary, whose first act was to
neap tirade OF abuse Of all entente
Ahos upon the bead OF the only