The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-07-22
Shall Chaos or Reconstruction
in Europe Follow the Great
World War?
80LSHEvIKS FETTER LIBERTY
theories Leaders Of the Movement
Lay Down and Put Into Practice,
Fly in the Face Of All HUI.
man Experience.
Article XIII.
BY FRANK coMERFoRp.

BY FRANK coMERFoRp.
All the world except the Jolshevill
rulers OF Russia is old-fashoned-be
hind the times. We still cling to the
Old superstition that the people
should be the sovereigns, that public
ofhcials are public servants. that the
safest plan of government is that
form OF government which is nearest
10 the people. In the United States
each citizen has one vote. He has IA
vote Tor the men who make the local
laws, the city or village ordinances;
a vote for the man who enforces the
ordinances, the mayor; vote for the
representatives in the state legislature,
where the laws Are made; for the
governor who enforceS the state laws
a vote for the congressman and sen
ators who enact the national laws and
formulate the national policies; vote
for the president, who carries out the
supreme law of the land. While it is
true that in the case of the president,
we vote for electors who elect the
president, there has not been Il single
case wherein an elector has voted
other than he was instructed by the
people. We come together i'm political
parties, present platforms, and every
citizen has chance TO register his
opinion Of men and measures. The
citizen has a right TO vote at primary
elections and register his choice for
the party candidates and for the dele
gates 10 the conventions which formu-
late the party platforms.
Bolshevik Argument Unsound.
The bosheviks point ont that poIiti-
cal parties do not live up TO their
platforms; that candidates for office
default I'm their promises after they
are elected; that representative de-
mocracy is frequently not representa-
tive of and responsive to the people.
We know that there is some truth in
this criticism, but we knew that 1t is
our fault. We have the power to ex-
press our wants, to record our will.
We also have the power to punish our
betrayal. We can recall from Office
recreant public servants; we can add
to our legislation and take over the
power to initiate laws, and compel the
reference of legislation hack to the
people before it can become operative
as law. Our public officials are only
our agents; we hire them, we pay
them we can fire them, disgrace them
and punish them If they fail to obey
our instructions. Such is our power.
IL we do not use the power intelli-
gently and effectively it il our fault.
Ii we are Indifferent to the rights we
possess and fail to use them, the fault
is with us. Therefore, we do not con-
denim system Of representative gov
ernmeut because some of the individ-
uals who make up the government are
unfit and unworthy of the rights they
enjoy.
The bolsheviks appear TO favor a
change In the method Of governing
the people. The plan they have adopt
ed is based on the theory that the
people must not be trusted. but that
the officeholders can. Bolshevism is
government from the top down, rather
than from the bottom up. They seem
to go on the theory that power dele
gated through many hands will lose
its corruption just as running water
does. This political theory flies in the
face of all human experience.
Golshevist "Joker."
In our numbers we have a figure
which for many years has enjoyed
peculiar reputation; it is the Jester"
Of numbers. 1t is the number "23."
1t is known In American slang as
"skiddoo." The bolsheviks inserted in
the constitution a joker. and oddly
enough they gave 1t the "skiddoo"
number, "23." 1t is found in Article .
of the constitution:
being guided by the interest of the
working class as whole, the Rus
sian Socialist Federal Soviet Repub-
lie deprives all individuals and groups
of all rights which could be utilized
by them to the detrimeht of the So
cialist revolution"
Here Is the big beware sign In the
constitution. What does II mean ;
what fears must come into the minds
of men and women In Russia when
they read this paragraph? The con
stitution deprives every one, individ
ually and collectively. of exercising
any rights he or they may have which
are opposed to bolshevism. Did tyr
amy ever impose more arbitrary,
autocratic ukase? The paragraph con-
cedes that individuals and groups have
rights. and then commands the people
not to dare use those rights, If their
exercise might be detrimental to the
Lenine-Trotsky government. The right
to voice thoughts is sentenced to 81
lence. Freedom of opinion Is crushed.
Who Is to determine what rights, If
exercised. might be detrimental to a
socialist revolution? The meaning Is
ms plain as the command Is stern. Fail
In line with bolshevism or perish, Is
Ill.