The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-05-20

power. 1hlS BODY In the government
of Russia takes the place Of our con-
gress, our president and the cabinet.
1t has the supreme legislative and ex-
ecutive power. Do the people have
vote for these all-powerful congress
men? Certainly not. The AIl-Russian
congressman are elected by the city
soviets and by the soviets Of the prov-
inces, who were elected by the city
and rural soviets, the rural soviets
having been elected by the Locals rural
sOviets, whose members were elected
by the people.
Congress Not Governing Body.
The All-Russian congress Ia n very
large body. The first congress met I'm
1917. 1t numbered about 100 dele
gates. The eighth congress Is now
Oanuary, 1920 in session and the
present membership has grown to over
two thousand. 1t is a big, cumbersome
body, unfit for deliberative purposes.
1t is more Of a mass meeting, q plat
form for the relief of those who have
speeches burdening their chests. The
congress never sits for more than q
week. 1t was never intended to be an
organ of government The cOnsdtu-
ton tells the story.
Section % reads: The All-Russian
congress shall elect a central execu-
tive committee of not more than 200
members" This takes the government
another step from the people.
Section 80 says: when the Al-Rus-
sian congress is not In session, the
central executive committee Is the su-
preme power Of the republic" But we
have not reached the end Of the jour
ney from the people to the seat OF
power.
Section 35 reads: 'HThe central ex-
Gil of peoples commissars who
shall manage the affairs Of the Rus
sian Socialist Federal Soviet Repub-
Hc."
But let US read on:
Section 81: 1.-The council Of peoples
commissars is intrusted with the gen
eral management Of the affairs Of the
republic"
Section 50: For the accomplish
ment of this task the peoples com
miSsars shall issue DEGREES, resolu-
lions, orders, and In general take all
steps necessary for the proper and
rapid conduct Of government affairs"
Section 40: ''The central executive
committee has the right to revoke or
suspend all orders and resolutions Of
the council of peoples commiSsars."
But a mote" to this section Of the
constitution reads: Measures reQuir-
ing immediate action may be enacted
directly by the council Of peoples
commissars."
Without Voice In Government
The council Of peoples commissars
is II in number. The people had no
voice in. selecting the peoples COM
missars; they were not given a choice
in picking the central executive com
mittee they were not allowed to vote
for the All-Russian congressman; In
the rural districts the poor peasants
were not even allowed to vote for the
men who selected the enswho In turn
selected the congressman
At the head Of the Sacred Seven.
teen" is the chief Of state, Lenine. Al
his right hand sits Trotzky, commissar
of force in charge of II e army and
navy. When think of the part the
people play in this newest form Of
free" government and the distance
they are kept from their cGuntry's
affairs, cannot help but see then
through this constitution as though
were looking at them through the
wrong end Of a pair Of opera glasses
Truly it is a long way from the
people to the throne OF Lenine. The
people make only the first and shert
est step. There are five long and Inn
;portant steps between the poor peas
ants" and the power, and three be
tween the city voters and the real gov
:ernment of Russia.
The bolshevik government is a gov
eminent of oficeholders, for odacehold
:ers and by oficeholders. 1t Is Lin
coins formula reversed. I have heart
it said that democratic government II
failure because political ofhceholder'
do not truly represent the people
There is some truth In the statement
system is not at fault. cannot un
derstand the logic for the faith that
government which provides three o
five additional sets of oficeholders be
tween the people and the government
will make things better.
Title Conveys Much Meaning
The title peoples commissar Is ful
of meaning. 1t is obese with power
The title is copyrighted In the con
stitution-
In December, 1913, Lenine ad
dressed a letter to4the American work
,ing1nen in which he said:
LET incurable pedants. cramme
full of bourgeois democratic and pal
liamentary pretudices, shake thei
heads gravely over our soviet; lie
them deplore the factt that We Eave n
direct elections"
I suggest that Lenine put the soVte
plan before organized labor In tn
United States and ask the union car
carriers of America to- give mp dire<