The Arvada enterprise., 1920-06-03

VETS. Again the people are without
oirect voice In their own government.
The constitution says: 1.-THE All.
Russian congress is the supreme
power" This 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 q
vote for these all-powerful congress-
menf Certainly not. The All.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 local r4ral
soviets, whose members were elected
by the people.
Congress Not Governing Body.
The All-Russian congress is q very
large body. The first congress met 10
1917. 1t numbered about 1900 dele.
gates. The eighth congress Il now
(January. 1920 in session and the
present membership has grown to over
two thousand. 1t Is a big cumbersome
body, unfit for deliberatlve purposes.
1t Is more Of mass meeting, a plat.
form for the relief of those who have
speeches burdening their chests. The
congress never sits for more than
week. 1t was never intended to b an
organ Of government. The constitu.
ton tells the story.
Section % reads: The All.Russian
congress shall elect q central execu-
tive committee Of not more than 200
members" This takes the government
another step from the people.
Section 80 says: "When the All-Rus.
sian congress il not in session. the
central executive committee Is the 81.
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 IS reads: "The central ex.
ecutive committee shall select a coun.
ell Of peoples commlssars who
shall manage the affairs Of the Rus
sian Socialist Federal Soviet Repub.
lic."
But let NJ read on:
Section 81: 1.-THE council Of peoples
commissars is Entrusted with the gen.
eral management Of the affairs Of the
republic"
Section So: 'For the accomplish.
ment Of this task the peoples com.
missars shall issue DEGREES, resolu.
tons, orders, and In general take all
steps necessary for the proper and
rapid conduct Of government affairs"
Section 10: "The central executive
committee has the right to revoke or
suspend all orders and resolutions Of
the council Of peoples commissars."
But mote" to this section Of the
constitution reads: Measures reQuir-
ing immediate action may be enacted
directly BY the council Of peoples
commissars."
Without voiee In Government.
The council Of peoples commissars
Il II in number. The people had no
voice In selecting the peoples COM
missars: they were not given q choice
In picking the central executive COM
mittee: they were not allowed to vote
for the -All.Russian cougressmen; In
the rural districts the poor peasants"
were not even allowed to vote for the
men who selected the men who IN turn
selected the congressman.
At III. head NJ th. "sacrsd s.vsn.
t.en" 4. n. ch,es NJ stat. I.c,ne A.
M. risht hand ATS rrot.kv. commlssar
NJ force IN charge NJ Va amy .nd
nav. When think Of the mart the
neon,e NAV In mi. neve.t form NJ
.free- government and the distance
thew are Kent from THAR countrv's
.srs,rs cannot helm Int see them
through this constitution as though
were looking at them through the
wrong end Of . pair Of opera glasses.
Truly It IL q long way from the
people to the throne Of Lenine. The
people make only the first and short.
est step. There arc i've long and i'm.