The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-06-18

direct voice In their own government
The constitution says: "The ALI
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
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 rural
soviets, whose members were elected
by the people.
Congress Not Governing Body.
The All-Russian congress Is very
large body. The first congress met 10
1917. 1t numbered about 1900 dele
gates. The eighth congress is no"
(January, 1920 in session and the
present membership has grown to over
two thousand. 1t is big, cumbersome
body, unfit for deliberative purposes.
It is more OF a mass meeting plat
form for the relief of those who have
speeches burdening their chests. The
congress never sits for more than a
week. 1t was never intended to be an
organ of government. The constitu-
ton tells the story.
Section % reads: The All-Russian
congress shall elect central execu-
tive committee of not more than 2O0
members" This takes the government
another step from the people.
Section 80 says: "When the All-Rus-
sim congress is not in session, the
central executive committee is the su-
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 35 reads: THE central ex-
ecutive committee shall select coun-
ell Of peoples comm!ssars who
shall manage the affalgs Of the Rus
sian Socialist Federal Soviet Repub-
lic."
But let us read on:
Section 81: The council Of peoples
| commissars is intrusted with the gen
eral management of the affairs of the
| republic"
Section 80: "For the accomplish
! ment of this task the peoples com
| missars shall issue DEGREES, reSolu-
tions, orders, and in general take all
rapid conduct Of government affairs"
Section 40 "The central executive
committee has the right to revoke or
| suspend all orders and resolutions of
the council of peoples commssars."
| 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 Voice in Government.
The council of peoples commissars
voice in selecting the peoples com.
| missarS they were not given choice
| in picking the central executive CON-
mittee they were not allowed to vote
| for the All-RuSsian congressman In
the rural districts the poor peasants"
we're not even allowed to vote for the
men who selected the men who in turn
selected the congressman.
| At the head of the Sacred Seven
teen is the chief of state, Lenine. At
his right hand sits Trotzky, commissar
| of force in charge of 4 = army and
navy. When | think of the part the
people play In this newest form of
free" government and the distance
4 they are kept from their country'S
affairs. cannot help but see them
1 through this constitution as though /
were looking at them through the
wrong end of n pair of opera glasses
Truly ii Is long way from the
people TO the throne of Lenine, The
people make only the first and short
est step There are five long and i'm
portant steps between the poor peas
ants" and the power, and three be-
tween the city voters and the real gov
eminent of Russia.
! The bolshevik government is gov
| ernment of officehoders, for offlcehold-
ers and by officehOIders. 1t Is Lin
coln's formula reversed. I have heard
Il said that democratic government is
failure because political officeholders
do not truly represent the people.
There is some truth In the statement.
but the people have a remedy; the
system is not at fault. l cannot I'M
derstand the logic for the faith that a
government which provides three or
FIVE additional sets of officeholders be-
tween the people and the government
will make things better
Title Conveys Much Meaning.
The title peoples commissar Is full
of meaning. 1t is obese with power.
The title Is copyrighted In the con-
stituti0n.
In December, 1918, Lenine ad-
dressed letter to the American work.
ngmen In which he said:
LET Incurahle pedants, crammed