The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1919-03-21
BOLSHEVIK ORGANIZERS
REPORTED ACTIVE;HERE
But 1t Pans Out That 1t Probably Is7Only Local
Organization Of International Longshore-
men Association
BY w. o. SAUNDERS

BY w. o. SAUNDERS
Reports that Bolsheviki are
onerating in this city and vicinity
and organizing the colored peo-
nile have alarmed many Elizabeth
CITY business men within the
mast few days. The reports seem
TO be without foundation in fact
One report had it that strange white
man from somewhere in Ohio was
bare a few weeks ago and held a meet
ing with Negro longshoremen and saw
mill hands. The reports said he told
them that Lincoln is dead and Booker
IT Washington dead, but that Bolshe-
1-ism was here to save them.
1 This newspaper has tried to run down
these rumors and finds that they pro-
bably were inspired by the recent or
eanization here of a Local of the In
ternational Longshoremen's Association
The Negro longshoremen in Elizabeth
Civ recently organized a union with
20 members, known as Local No. 1913
of the International 1t is affiliated with
the American fOuSIdI1OA VI AcOOI d1O
belongs to the Hampton Roads. Divi-
sion of longshoremen. This union was
organized, not by strange man from
somewhere in Ohio, but by w. G.
Creekmore of Norfolk, Va; a repre-
sentative of the International Long
shoremen's Association. G. w. House
is president and A. White secretary of
the Elizabeth City Local. Both are
employed at the Norfolk Southern r.
R. freight depot in this city, and both
are Industrious, law-abiding colored
citizens.
Some pieces of Bolsheviki literature
have come thru the mails to persons
in Elizabeth City recently, but so far
as known are of harmless nature. de-
voted largely to protests against the
misrepresentations Of Bolshevism by
American newspapers.
If Bolshevism is half as terrible as
painted by the biased press Of this
country, it thing this country should
arm itself against without delay. But
this newspaper is not convinced that
Bolshevism is such a terrible menace
and reserves it's judgment until more
of the truth about conditions in Rus
sia, the home of Bofshevism, is avail
able. g
Conditions IN Russia are aftogetheF
different from conditions in America.
With the overthrow of the government
in Russia, the landowning aristocracy
of Russia was overthrown. Practically
all the land of Russia was in the hands
Cell oR
atty the title of royalty to the land
was automatically annulled. 1t was
then that Bolshev1sni Irfumphed. The
Bolsheviki said, 1.-The land belongs to
the people; the people shall own the
land collectively; no man shall be ex-
plotted by any other man; all ablebod-
led individuals shall work and every
man, woman and child shall be supplied
with food, clothing and shelter first.
After we have looked out for these
primitive needs of the people. the rest
of the product of our united labor shall
be devoted to education, art, literature,
recreation, amusement and public i'm
provements. No man or group of men
Shall control the surplus products OF
our labor, but our surplus labor shall
be given to projects in which all share
the benefits We shall give first con-
slderation always to the child, the aged:
the inf1rm and the expectant mother
All others must work; those who will
not work shall not live upon the labor
OF those who do
That's the Utopian kind of state of
society the Bolsheviki are endeavoring
to set up in Russia; it is the ideal OF
the immortal Tolstoi, the greatest
spiritual force Russia or any other
country has produced since Christ.
To carry out this communistic or
Anarchistic idea of society, the Bolshe-
Wiki set up what are known as Soviets:
or councils of soldiers and workingp1en
These Soviets are nothing more terrible
than old fahioned town-han meetings
IN which all the people of a respective
community have a voice.
1t seems that the attempt to set UP
this sort of state in the biggest coun-
Try on earth in this bloody and chaotic
age is fraught with all sorts Of diff
culties and disorders. There are mil
hons in Russia who don't want that
sort of thing. There are 81 varieties
OF Socialists in Russia, each variety
having a scheme of it's own. There are
several groups of Anarchists, each con-
lending for something more radical and
feVoluntary than Bolshevism has offer
ed And then there are the survivors
OF the old order to foment trouble.
The result is more or less rioting and
bloodshed. Some of the disorders cab
leo to this country from Russia, sound
as bad to American ears as cabled
account of an American lynching
sounds to European ears. And these
cabled disorders in Russia may be
about as indicative Of the true state
u affairs in Russia, as a cabled account
OF a Georgia 1ynching is Indicative of
the true state of affairs in the United
States.
This newspaper has taken the posi-
ton that if the people of Russia want
bolshevism, that is their privilege and
we have no right to dictate to them or
70 persuade them by force of arms to
ADOPT some other form of government
tiiey don't want. This newspaper would
take the same position toward any Rus
SIAN emissary who came to Elizabeth
III