The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-04-09
shall Chaos or Reconstruction in
Europe Follow the Great
World War?
MEN TURNING TO BoLSHEvlsM
Something Profoundly Disgusting In
the Constant Repetition Of Word
Which Seems to Convey Such
a Sinister Meaning.
Article XII
BY FRANK coMERFoRD.

back from the French front. had
known him for many years. Before
the United States entered the war he
was one of the many impatient at our
delay. He believed that It was our
duty to join the fight when the ruth
less submarine campaign torpedoed
the Lusitania, sending to cold, wet
graves American women and children.
| distinctly remember his face as he
read the headlines In the papers tell
ing of the murderous slaughter of
Americans on the high seas. Now
when he greeted me he startled me
with his first words, "The war is over.
I'm a bolshevik." did not know what
the word meant, yet 1t carried to my
mind an impression, and while the i'm
preston was hazy, 1t was clear at
least in one particular. 1t sounded
like the confession Of crime.
He had always been of a quiet, con-
sentative type. Before the war one
would have judged him to be pacifist;
he was even-tempered, mild of manner
and l still think that before August,
1914, he was a pacifist in head and
heart. 1t was only the call of a just
cause, the fight for an ideal in which
he believed, that had made him SOL
der. In this respect he was typical
of 80 per cent of his countrymen.
| had spoken to him the day ne en-
listed, for he was one of those who
volunteered, who might have waited
for CONSUMPTION and claimed a just
exemption. He was in the beginning
of his married life, with two very
young children. BY profession he was
an engineer. Going to war meant
leaving a wife and two babies, leaving
job that promised advancement.
recall his enthusiasm, the Intensity of
his patriotism, his quiet disregard of
the danger to himself. l am sure
that there was little hate in his mo-
rale. He saw danger to the world.
The honor of his country had been
offended against. He was an Ameri-
can, one of those upon whom the duty
fell, so he went.
He bolshevikl Why? / was con-
founded, confused. The only meaning
| gave to his remark was that he. was
an anarchist. The word 'bOlshevik"
sounded red to me. 1t flared of the
torch, photographed disorder, lawless-
ness-it registered blood, violence, as
sassination, force, hate, insanity. I
wondered how this nine-lettered word
had become the vehicle for so many
sensations that disturbed peace of
mind and sounded alarm.
Where had the word come from and
what company had it kept that so
fouled its soul? What did it really
mean-had it a definite meaning
Was it a bug like the "fu" germ? Had
1t come among nations to destroy them
and to the hearts of men to silence the
heavenly message, peace, on earth
| good will to men," Would IT RIM
around the world as a scourge? Was
1t a postscript to the bloody war les,
son. prophesying more anguish and
tears than four years fighting had
brought? Would the world, coming
out of the war bent, now be broken?
Or was it a meaningless myth? Was
the word boyle, a bad joke, a night.
mare pressing heavily on a tired, nery.
Gus worlds head?
Seeking Words Real Meaning.
Or was the meaning that men had
read into the word a lie? Was bol
sheVlsm the message of a new Mes
sian being cried down by the money
changers of our time in the same wa,
their ancestors had silenced the worf
from the Mount and DESTROYED IN,
Message Bearer with the lash and th,
cross? SA''
In every mind was the thought anG
from every tongue fell the word. Rms
STA had given the world word T
mad eneircled the globe. Everywher,
people were speaking the word
FOUND lodgment in every brain, a Iiy
ing place in every language. It's us
had become universal. The old III,
young rich and poor, the learned th
uheducated, the serious, the simnIe
the totler, the artist, the poet. and III
peddler, the tinker and the thinke,
neld the thought and spoke the wore
Men, women and children smoke N
word read the word, and felt N
thought it carried.
To the nine hundred and ninetv.p,,
II was word of ill-omen, n word !
terror and fear To the one In n tbo,
SAND it was word Of hope, liql
Tor the feet of a stumbling world an
the nine hundred and nlnety.nlne sal
mat some of these people called no
sheViSs were dreamers of strano
cream that twisted idealism had mo s
them mad, that the majority Of thos
! VINO profess faith in boIsheyism wo,
sick with a strange, social fever ~,
they We're mischlef-makers. ne'ar. y
welis' criminals, that they songbt
burn the world.
| made up my mind that ,o,,,
learn the real meaning Of tho ~.
/ Tue ulCtiOOnru dcGut.t W.