The Arvada enterprise., 1920-06-17
Article XXI.
BY FRANK coMERFoRp.

~ AsSsS Sss~sse
BY FRANK coMERFoRD.
The first great hypocrisy Of the boil
shevik government was Its pretense at
establishing equality. Caste and class
reminded the Russians Of suffering.
The soviet government, through the
peoples c0mmissars, issued the follow
ing decree:
"All designations, such as merchant.
nobleman. burgher. peasant; titles.
such as prince, count, etc., and dlstinc-
tons of civil ranks, privy, state and
other councillors, are abolished, and
one designation Is established for all
the population Of Russia-citizen Of
the Russian Republic.
Article 4 Of the constitution makes
bare the inslncerity Of the decree. 1t
does more. 1t gives evidence of the
great felony committed against the
freedom Of the Russian people by Le-
nine.
These three classes shall have the
right to hold office and to vote. They
are made citizens of Russia by the
constitution:
First. All Russians that are eighteen
years Of age and who have acquired
the means Of living. through labor that
IL productive and useful to society,
and also persons engaged In house
keeping for the former.
Second. Soldiers Of the army and
navy.
Third. Members Of the former two
classes, when incapacitated.
But the contribution goes further;
It tells who shall not hold ONCE and
shall not vote:
First. Persons who employ hired la.
Dor in order to obtain profit.
Second. Persons who have an In
come. such as interest in capital, rents.
receipts from property. etc.
Third. Private merchants, trade and
commercial brokers.
Fourth. Monks and clergy Of all
denominations.
Fifth. Employees and agents Of the
former police. the gendarmery, and
the cars secret service; also MEM
bcrs Of the former reigning dynasty.
Sixth. The demented or mentally de.
fcient.
Seventh. Persons who have been de-
prived by q soviet Of their rights of
citizenship, because Of seIfishness, or
dishonorable offenses, for the period
fixed by the sentence.
Makes OffieehoIders Oespots.
Section Z affords great opportunity
for construction; the sovlets are given
power to disfranchise citizens, because
OF "seifishness or dishonorable Of
fenses." Who is to say what shall con-
stitute these offenses? The courts? No
The people? No. The political Office
holders? Yes. When we remember that
the first thing that the bolsheviks did
when they came into power was to
drive from the soviets every one who
disagreed with the bolshevik plan of
communism, at once and by force. 1t
Is easy to understand the terrible pow
er given in this phrase and the tyran-
meal use that may be made OF 1t. Every
difference Of opinion with their meth
VuS VI Rluu6 WOulO UC = oCahsh ouu
dlshonorable offense In the eyes Of the
bolshevik rulers, and the foolhardy dis
senter could be stripped Of his citizen
ship, and, no doubt, would be. This
section writes the death warrant of
freedom Of opinion; 1t gives to the So
VETS 4 bludgeOn with which to beat
q man out Of citizenship who ventures
an opinion at variance with the i'm.
posed order. It makes the citizen the
servant, the oficeholder the master;
It II government upside down.
In note to Section O. Of Article 4
Of the constitution, we learn the local
soviets may. with the consent Of the
peoples commissars. flower the age
qualification for voters"
What . splendid opportunity this
Joker In the constitution offers for
political jockeying. II the central pow
er discovers It 10 about to lose con-
troll Of village or rural soviet, It has
the power to nip the uprising In the
bud. The peoples commissars can A.
range with the minority 10 the soviet
In question to reduce the age limit and
give the vote to young boys and girls.
When II 10 remembered that The con.
stitution directs the peoples commits.
sar Of education to introduce In all
schools and educational institutions Of
Russia the study and explanation and
Justification Of the bolshevik constitu.
ton, Il 10 not hard to understand that
vounR people into whose minds have