Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-06-10
PROBLEMS FACING
STRICKEN WORLD
RUSSIANS MISLED BY LENlNE
Claim That seIsheVik Government Es-
tabiishss Equality PaIpsbly False
osspctic Power Put in Office
holders Hands.
Article XXI.
BY FRANK coMERFoRD.


The first great hypocrisy of the Dol
shevik government was Its pfetense al
establishing equality Caste and class
reminded the Russians of suffering
The soviet government, through the
peoples commissarS, issued the follow
ing decree:
'All designations, such as merchant,
nObleman, burgher, peasant; titles,
such rs prince, count, etc, and distinc-
tiOns of civil ranks, privy, state and
other councillors, are abolished, and
one designation Is established for all
the population Of RusSia-citizen Of
the Russian Republic.
Article of the constitution makes
bare the inSincerity Of the decree. 1t
does more 1t gives evidence Of the
great felony committed against the
freedom of the Russian people by Le-
nine.
These three classes shall have the
right TO hold Office and to vote. They
are made citizens OF Russia by the
constitution:
First. All Russians that are eighteen
years Of age and who have acquired
the means of living, through labor that
Is productive and useful to society,
and also persons engaged in house
keeping for the former.
Second. Soldiers of the army and
navy.
Third. Members of the former two
classes, when 4ncapacitated.
But the constitution goes further;
it tells who shall not hold office and |
shah not vote: -.
First. Persons who employ hired Ia
Dor in order to obtain profit
Second. Persons who have an in
come, such as interest in capital, rents,
receipts from property, etc.
Third. Private merchants, trade and
brokers.
Fourth. Monks and clergy of all
Fifth. Employees and agents of the
former police, the gendarmery, and
he czar's secret service; also men,
,ers OF the former reigning dynasty.
Sixth. The demented or mentally de.
icient.
Seventh. Persons who have been de-
'rived by a soviet of their rights of
citizenship, because of seIfishness, or
Offenses, for the period
xed by the sentence
Makes otfieehoIders Despots.
Section I affords great opportunity 7
Or construction the sOviets are given I
over to disfranchiSe citizens, because ,
f "setHshness or dishonorabIe Of f
snSes." Who is to say what shall con Il
ritute these Offenses? The courts? No,
he people? No. The political office /,
0lderst Yes. When we remember that $
le first thing that the bolSheyiks did f
hen they came into power was to d
rive from the SOviets every one who a
Isagree1 with the bolshevik plan of Fl
at once and by force, il g
easy to understand the terrible pow fl
: given in this phrase and the tyrnn- "
cal use that may be made Of 1t. Every ! Il
fference of opinion with their meth II
Is or plans would be selfish and Il
offense in the eyes of the h.
,lshevik rulers. and the fOolhardy dis In
inter- could be stripped of his citizen Il
lip, and, no doubt, would be. This D,
ction writes the death warrant of a
eedom of opinion it gives to the So in
els a bludgeon with which to beat bl
man out Of citizenship who ventures tn
opinion ut variance with the I'M ca
sed order 1t makes the citizen the
rvant. the Officeh0lder the master;
is government upside down. dc
La note to Section "a of Article 1 ri,
the constitution, we learn the local lie.
viets may, with the consent Of the te
Ople's commlssars, "lOwer the age If
ALLEGATION for voters" Sa
What splendid opportunity this stl
ier In the constitution offers for co
litical jockeylng II the central pow 10,
discovers II Is about to lose con un
Il Of village or rural soviet, 1t has co
z power to nip the uprising In The we
d. The peoples commissars can ar no
age with the minority In the Sovie, IN
question to reduce the age limit and all
e the vote to young boys and girls. Th
zen 1t Is remembered that the con rul
tuition directs the peoples commits. Wi
: OF education TO introduce In all vol
tools and educational institutions OF the
ssia the study and explanation and mo
tification OF the bolshevik constitu- ent
n. It Is not hard to understand that po,
ing people into whose minds have an,
m driven and drilled reverence the
bolsheyism and It's methods, could the
expected to vote for and support ern
bolshevik program tco
naef Ckfizana OiafrapnbIead