The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-03-18


vote. The fact thai they were born
in Russia, that their parents and
grandparents were natives to the sell
for centuries. means nothing. These
disfranchised ones speak the Russian
language; 1t is their only tongue.
Their blood has had part in Russian
suffering. The bolshevik constitution
exiles them. They are natives without
country; and why? Because by hon
esty and industry they have saved a
little; because they have tried to get
on. Lenine says such people are filed
with dangerous ambition; they are
climbing the ladder of capitalism;
they are dangerous to the proletariat.
The soldier IL not an employer OF
labor; he cannot be; he is given a
vote. The sailor Is not an employer OF
labor; he cannot be; he is given a
vote.
The constitutional provision defining
citizenship puts a premium on indo-
ience, a penalty on industry; 1t encour-
ages waste; 1t Furnishes economy; 1t
makes the successful an Outcast; 1t
makes of the ne'er-dO-well citizen
frugality. thrift and Industry are
crimes; those who possess these quail
tiles are branded as undesirables;
they are denied citizenship.
No Possible Justification.
Lenine tries to justify all Of this
by saying that In the transition from
capitalism to socialism 1t is necessary
to rule with I'M iron hand. Capitalism
must be destroyed. The system must
be uprooted. Even SO. what right has
Lenine, without the consent of the
majority, to take citizenship from ma
tive Russians? What is his excuse for
it7 Where is the force Of his argu-
ment? Even admitting. for the sake OF
argument, that communism, bolshe-
vism. is a panacea for all the Ills OF
the human race. what right has Lenine
and his minority to force 1t on the
people of Russiaf Conceding his creed
IL for the common good, is 1t not his
hrst duty to make the people see and
understand its virtues, and then, by
and with the majority consent, put the
creed to the test7 To assert that his
program is economic does not change
the fact that his methods are not dem
ocratic. The Lenine system Of dis
franchising the people IL bound to de-
moralize them.
How can a people be free without
learning self-relIance. without trying
self government? PrOclaiming people
free does not make them free. Free
dom IL action. 1t is thinking. 1t Ia the
ability to govern ones self. 1t comes
from experience and exercise in gov
erning ones self. The definition OF
freedom IL self-determination, and the
word "self' is an important part of
the definition. Admitting for the mo-
ment that Lenine Is trying to govern
the people for their benefit, although
! he II not giving them q thinking part
In the government, does 1t not follow
that his methods incapacitate the
people for self-government7 How can
q child learn to walk except BY try
ing, and even though the child STUN
/ bles and falls, IL bruised and hurt,
these experiences nre part Of the edu-
cation In walking.
Real Test 81 Freedsm.
The right to vote IL the test Of free
dom. Rob free man Of his voting
| right and you make Of him something
less than q free man. 1t does not mat
ter whether you treat him well or not.
II you role him without giving him .
say in his own government, you de-
stroy his Independence. Suppose the
constitution Of q debating society, q