The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-01-29

crence 70 the argument that the Amer
'can people know ltttl" about what Is
going ON in Russia ard tn" argument
that It is unfair and uuwis" to pass
e.. 1T Was not necessary" says Mr.
GompcrS for Americans 10 know at al
times Just what were the exact condl-
tions in Germany before passing Judg-
n,cnt on the form of government exist
ing in Germany. II was necessary. OF
coHrse. to know what was the form ut
government and under what rules II op-
Grated We do not have 10 walt Tor IN
formation about the form of government
existing in what is called Soviet Russia
The Information necessary to the pass
INK of Judgment nn B"lshey!sn and the
system Of coN"rnmcnt and "a state
OF society is at hand from sources that
are authentic. The plea of those mis-
guided persons In America who say
wait for facts before passing judgment
Is asking more than an excuse. which II
is hoped will gain time for the Russian
experiment and enable il to spread TO
' P.asaatry pisfrauohissd
Quoting from the new Bolshevtst con
stitution, Mr. Gompers points out that
while the NTH Pan Russian congress de-
clares for a dictatorship of the proletar-
lat and the poorest peasantry. a great
portion OF the peaSantry IS diSfran-
chised and the largest BolshcriSt esti-
mate OF the proletarlat calculates them
peasants. Even a fairly prosperous
wcrkingman, BY this calculation, MT.
Gompers says, Is not proletarlat. Bol'
shevist statistics, he says, how that the
resent the masses OF factory workers
in Moscow. the Bolshevist stronghold.
Labor Unions Throttled
Quoting from Bolshevist official docu-
ments to show the extent Of massed ter
ror by the Bolsheviki. Mr.. Gompers de-
I'll IN
internal Russia at the present time has
absolutely nothing to do with the merits
or deme rits OF the Bolshevist philosophy
Of government" and adds that II should
Jud gment OF any person upon it as
such"
He quotes as the most direct informn-
tion q dispatch from Russia trade union
lists to W. A, Appleton. president OF the
International Federation OF Trade I'm
ions, which declares that Bolshevists
have split up the reserve funds Of trade
unions, throttled the labor press, killed
labor organizations, split up trade un-
IONS as. class. and put down strikes
tion."
In All concepts Of freedom within the
American nation" says Mr.. Gompers.
Sone fundamental principle Is that any
sorry labor. shall not be enforced upon
the working people"
He quotes the amendment 70 the fed
eral constitution. and adds:
That concept and the spirit OF that
amendment have been entirelK reversed
by the constitution of Bolshevist. Rus
sia which provides for and enforces
compulsory labor. The plea to withhold
Judgment Is q last desperate attempt
to win favor from the American people
for . system Of government which by
the confession OF It's own advocates and
defenders is foreign to every concept
Of the American Republic. We know
about Russia. We know about Bolshcv-
ism. We know the piteous story OF cru
city and intolerance and we know the
autocratic concept that underlies tho
minority dictatorship which is hailed to
the world by Its dupcs and advocates as
the most perfect state OF society yet de-
vtsed. We know about II and we con-
denim it completely. finally and for all
time"