The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1920-05-05
NtalI Chaos or Reconstruction
VI Europe Follow the Great
World War;
MSHEViKS FETTER LIBERTY
EhG2Fics Leaders of the Movement
Lay Down and Put Into Practice,
Fly in the Face of All Hu-
man Experience.
Article XIII.
BY FRANK CoMERFoRD.

TfB superstition that the people
sfssEgaG he the soyereigns. that public
9afteiafs are public servants, that the
Dafea E'an of government is that
NGT2 at government which is nearest
R fg5t people. In the United States
sRsrn citizen has one vote. He has
gsN4 Tor the men who make the local
Ea@Sy tte city or village ordinances :;
IA wee for the man who cnfOrces the
%rntAaLfceS, the mayor; Il vote for the
representatives in the state legislature,
H0cfe lie laws are made; for the
Gf'g t's'AsiF, Who enforces the state laws;
q TS4e G0r the congressman and SEN
kscsTS who enact the national laws and
z2nnain1e the national policies; Il vote
AK the president, who carries out the
S1aTGtne law OF the land. While it is
Irae that in the case of the president,
~& vote for electors who elect the
i1rS@lar;1s, there has not been single
4E&e wherein an eIect0r has voted
%iheT SHAN he was instructed by the
$efGde- We come together in political
&Hftes, present platforms, and every
'r&tEen has a chance to register his
2&Ss.@S E men ana measures. The
Sas1eh has a right to vote at primary
sHStttcnS and register his choice for
Tx party candidates and for the dele
gates Sc the conventions which f0rmu-
bEae ithe party platforms.
Eo'sheviic Argument Unsound.
,Ghe bolshcyills point out that politi-
lsai parties do not live up to their
platforms that candidates for Office
19dAass in their promises after they
are &tected; that representative de-
asocFacy is trequently not representa-
live eG ana responsive TO the people
Ss s,flnfw that there is some truth in
EhiS criticism, but We know that it is
oRT fault. We have the power to ey-
press our wants, to record our Will.
We also have the power to punish our
betrayal. We can recall from office
retTeaaf public servants; we can add
IN our legislation and take over the
&s~@r 50 initiate laws. and compel the
reference OF legislation hack to the
DeuQle before it. can become operative
rs iam,. oar public officials are only
MF Agents; We hire them, we pay
tlieni; we can fire them, Disgrace them
mad ptlniah them If they fail to obey
Our Instructions. Such is cur power.
III We do no, use the power intelli-
seatly and effectively it is our fault.
& We are Indifferent TO the rights we
PoSSess and fail to use them, the fault
is with us, Therefore. we do not CON
asnm system of representative gov
ernment because some OF the individ-.
mails who make up the government are
Un6g and unworthy of the rights they
eajay
The boIShevikS appear to favor a
change liz the method of governing
she qeople. The plan they have adopt
nd IS based on the theory that the
pecple must not be trusted, but that
sire stockholders can. Bolshevism is
government from the top down, rather
thnn fr0m the bottom up. They seem
10 so or the theory that power dele
gated through many hands will lose
its corruption just as running water
docs THIS political theory flies in the
Gnte of all human experience.
Rolshevist Joker"
tn our numbers we have q figure
which for many years has enjoyed a
9esDiiar regulations; it is the Jester"
1 numbers 1t is the number "23."
N is. known in American slang as
AtSAIddoO-" The bolsheviks inserted in
the constitution a joker, and oddly
anWNghi they gave it the "skiddoo"
NNmNSTy 81 1t is found in Article 9
NJ the constitution
~Eeing guided by the interest of the
gOrklnG class as whole, the Rus
Eiaa 1eeiaHst Federal Soviet Repub-
lie depriyes all individuals and groups
&f 2is nights which could be utilized
Sy thenY to the detriment OF the So
liaiiSt revolution"
fTtES Is klbc DlS DeNdEc Sigh IN the
constitution. What does ii mean
what fsars must come into the minds
s& uaen and women in Russia when
hey rear this paragraph? The con.
Saitution daprives every one, individ.
lEsiIy ana collectively. OF exercising
my rights ne or they may have which
Ars opposed to bolshevism. Did tyr.
RaHy ever impose more arbitrary
agteerntfG ukase? The paragraph con
ecdes that individuals and groups have
ri sitts, and then commands the people
rot to dare use those rights, if theil
exercise might be detrimental to the
Q.aine- Trotsky government. The righr
snavoice thoughts is sentenced to 81
hnce. Freedom of opinion is crushed
gsh0 is to determine what rights, Il
Exercised, might be detrimental to {
sociahst revolution? The meaning /.
as plain as. the command is stern. Fal
in fine with bolshevism or perish, Il
e order. If you disagree with oul
planS and methods, ''be seen but no
Aaazla.