The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-04-15


conclusion that to learn what Dol
shevism is / might with wisdom adopt
the scientific method used by the doc
tor Of medicine In arriving at q d.
agnosis. The doctor examines and
gathers the symptoms. the meaning Of
the disease. He then determines what
diseases might produce these symp-
toms. By a process of elimination he
diseards one possibility after another
until at last there is but one disease
left. one thing that the symptoms can
mean.
discovered at the outset that most
OF Us have the habit Of using terms
loosely. Seldom do We give time or
thought TO the exact, real meaning OF
things. The meaning OF bolshevfsm is
too important to the world not to try
to understand it There is a differ.
ence between having the acquaintance
of a word and knowing; the former is
mere Introduction. the latter an In
timacy.
Since the war, when the fastidious
diner YEARLY orders his consOmme
and the waiter brings 1t a bit tardily
or cold. he thinks TO himself, or II
courageous enough to speak his mind,
he calls the cook a bOlshevik. He has
found q word to express his Irritation.
It serves his profane feelings and at
the same time saves his SNUG respect
ability.
See BeIshevism Everywhere.
Once the maid asking for an af-
ternoOn of provoked a knowing smile.
Her mistress granted the request,
charged 1t up to a possible romance
and generally suspected the policeman
on the beat. Since the war it is differ
ent. The maid Is looked upon with
suspicion. Her motives are questioned
The request is considered symptom
OF the new terrible disease, bolshevfsm.
The mistress thinks to herself: The
maid doesn't want TO work any more;
she is down with the epidemic.
The office boy. working the reliable
excuse that his grandmother has died
again, to get an afternoon OF to go
to the ball game. is trying to shirk
work, in the opinion Of his employer.
who formerly. when such an appli-
cation was made from the same source,
chuckled as he granted it, while his
hood days when he used the grand
mother yarn to answer the call Of the
ball field.
Many captains OF industry see the
symptoms Of the new dread in every
movement and thought Of the workers.
The demand for living conditions and
decent wages are grudgingiy received
by minds soured with the thought that
1t is bolShevism.
The hirers Of child labor, looking
hatefuIly at legislation designed to end
child slavery, call the leaders Of child
life conservation bOlshevists. When
doctors and public-spirited men and
women insist that an irreparable In
jury is being done the nation in al
lowing women to work for a period in
excess of the hours they are able to
work without menacing their mother
hood, the prOfteers from woman labor
cry out: 'You are invading the right
Of private contract; your are mad with
bolshevism."
Every Sort OF Definition.
The wag with the wit Of q barber
defined boIshevism as a wild idea sur
rounded by whiskers. The saloon
Keeper OOWISO over ny pIOA4OlhOhB
screams ''bolshevism." The anti-sa-
loon leaders come back with the an
swer. Your personal liberty cry is
only a camoufiage for bOlshevism."
If anyone disagrees with you. don't
grant him the right to an opinion,
don't reason with him-just call him
bolshevik. The word has become an
epithet, popular invective, a slur, an
insult, an outlet for contempt. con-
tumely and hate. Its parenthOod in
fluences our definition Of 1t. Most OF
us see the Russians with the eyes Of
the caricaturists, who for so many
years have portrayed the Russian as
the moujik with high boots. disheveled
hair, wild whiskers, the face Of an as
sassin. the body Of a terrorist in ae-
ton. the suggestion OF long dagger
smeared with hot blood, under his
greatcOat-
If a doctor, making an examination
of all Of the patients in a hospital,
discovered they all had certain symp-
toms in common, such as temperature.
weakness and pain. and because OF
these findings should diagnose the
sickness of all Of the patients as pneu-
monia, the doctor would be regarded
a lunatic. yet there are men in the
world today who are as foolish as such
a doctor would be. They call every
symptom OF unrest, without regard to
it's history, bolshevism.
(Copyright. 1920. Western Newspaper Unio8)
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