Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1920-06-26
Shall Chaos or Reconstruction
in Europe Follow the Great
World War?
B0LSHEVlKS FETTER LIBERTY
Theories Leaders of the Movement
lay Down and Put Into Practice,
FLY in the Face of All hu-
man Experience.
Article XIII.
BY FRANK coMERFoRp

'N+CAS VI AeuNSid - bfu-ldSHlO0eu-De
hind the times. We still cling TO the
old superstition that the people
should be the sovereigns, that public
officials are public servants. that the
safest plan of government is that
form of government which is nearest
TO the people. In the United States
each citizen has one vote. He has
vote for the men who make the local
law. the city or village ordinances;
vote for the man who enf0rces the
ordinances the mayor; a vote for the
representatives in the state legislature.
where the laws are made; for the
governor, who enforces the state laws:
vote for the congressman and SEN
ators who enact the national laws and
formulate the national policies; a vote
for the president, who carries out the
supreme law of the land. While it is
true that in the case of the president,
'ye vote for electors who elect the
president, there has not been a single
case wherein an elector has voted
other than he was instructed by the
parties, present platforms, and every
citizen has a 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 TO the conventions which formu-
late the party platforms.
5olsheVik Argument unsound.
she bolshevibs point out that politi-
cal parties do not live up to their
platforms; that candidates for office
default in 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 know that it 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
ana punish them if they fail to obey
our instructions Such is our power
Ii we do not use the power intelli-
gently and effectively it is our fault,
If we are Indifferent to the rights we
possess and fail TO use them, the fault
is with US Therefore, we do not con-
denim a system Of representative gov
eminent because some OF the individ-
uas 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
10 20 on the theory that power dele
gated through many hands viii lose
its corruption just as running water
does. This political theory flies in the
face Of an human experience.
5olshevist Joker"
Il our numbers we have figure
which for many years has enjoyed
peculiar reputation; it is the Jester
z .f,.,r
1t is known in American slang as
"skiddoo' The bolsheviks inserted in
the constitution d joker, and oddly
enough they gave !; the "skiddoo'
number, "23.a It is found in Article ,
Of the constitution:
Being guided by the interest of the
working class as a 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 detriment Of the So
csalist revolution
Here is the big beware sign in the
constitution What does il mean
what fears must come into the minds
of men and women in Russia when
they read this paragraph? The con
stituuon deprives every one, individ-
ualIy and collectively. OF exercising
any rights he or they may have which
are opposed TO bOlShevisln. Did tyr
amy ever impose a more arbitrary,
autocratic ukase? The paragraph CON
cedes that individuals and groups have
rights. and then commands the people
net to dare use those rights, if their
exercise might be detrimental to the
LenIne-T rotsky government The right
to voice thoughts is sentenced 10 81
Ience. Freedom Of opinion IS crushed.
Who Is 10 determine what rights, II
exercised. might be detrimental TO q
socialist revalurion3 The meaning is
as plain as the command is stern, FAN
In line with bolshevism or perish, is
The order, If You disagree with our
plans and methods, "be seen but not
keard."