South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-11-09

-NE4W OftfNs Nov b---1ne Do4-
sheyih have been in power in Rus
STA since Nov. 8. 1917. Their revo-
luton began Nov. with the sud-
den seizure of the official telegraph
news agency in Petrograd and the
state bank. The next day the Pc
trOgrad garrison Joined the move
ment and the government passed
into the hands of Lenine and Trot-
zky, following the fight of keren-
sky.
Bolsheviki means Maximalists.
The bolsheTkigO Z their name be-
cause they insisted on the imme-
diate application of the Maximalisu
socialist program Of communism.
Kerensky, who had come into power
as a moderate socialist after the
overthrow of the Romanots. op-
posed the Lenine-TrOtZky MaximaI-
list program. That. however, was
not the friend of the allies He
wanted to keep Russia i'm the war.
The Russian people. however, were
war-weary. The bOlsheVlki promised
a quick peace and that was the
fundamental reason why red ~Ule
started in Russia.
The b. sheviki quickly began ne
arate peaCe. The Germans insist
ed on imperialistic terms. Trotzky
and Lenine wanted to resist, bur
they had not the power So, on
Feb. IL, 1918, the Dolshevik brought
about peace as ii had never been
proclaimed before. They declared
the war was at an end and ordered
demObilization on all fronts. At the
same think they said they would
sign no peace terms with Germany
This puerile attitude of hiding from
insIrmOuntable difficulties marked
the bolsheyiki throughout its exist
ence. The German army started Il
leisurely march on Petrograd and
on March g, 1918, the bOlshevihi
sisntd peace on Germany's terms.
Meanwhile there were iucipieut
uprisings against the bOlsheviki.
They were easily put down because
the Russians so ardently desired
peace. But the bolsheviki were in
% weak minority numerically At
no time have they much exceeded
half a million active workers. To
prevent themselves from being out
votedi n any test Of strength with
any other Russian party, the bolshe-
Wiki dissolved the constituent as
sembly at PetrOgrad by armed force
on Jan. 90. 1918 Thereafter,
throughout their administration the
bolsheviki governed without any
legislature 10 contrO, them. They
refused TO let the Russian people
vote upon any question concerning
the kind OF government Russia
should have.
In March. 1918, the bolsheviki
transferred the capital to Moscow.
They feared the uncertain temper
of the people OF PeUograd and they
also wanted to be nearer Russia's
food centers In this they showed
good judgment. for under the i'm
efficient administration of the So
VETS, PetrOgrad suffered from, dis
ease and famine more than any
other part of Russia.
once in Moscow the bolshtvikf
introduced q complicated electoral
system whereby final power was
lodged in the hands of Il dozen
fanatics The personnel of tins
group changed from time 20 time,
except that Lenine and Trotzky
were always the leaders They re-
tanned the support Of the working
men and peasants by legalizing the
seizure of AN factories and land
from the rightful owners. The fac
tory hands agreed 20 the principle
of communism and consented To- the
states administering the occupied
plants. The peasants. however.
fatty refused to accept communism.
Once the lana had been taken from
the great prChteers the pea di-
vided il up among themselves. They
declined TO recognize state owner
ship and insisted upon the peasant
proprietary system. This was con
trary 10 the bolsheviki theory. but
LeniEe and Trotzky dared not
thwart the peasants.
The state administration of in
dustry broke down completely. The
bOlshevih would give no encourage
ment 20 administrative skill and APP
pointed inCom petcnts TO high eNeCu-
uvepOsts AT the same time ar
rests and executions were ordered
20 stamp out COunter-revOlutIona
activities by terrorism. Inediciency
developed everywhere except among
the peasants. They fourished as
never before. They had unDre-
cedented quantities Of food for
themselves. They sent ouIy small
Consignments 10 the industrial cen
tiers and kept the major parts at
home They had TO do without
manufactured articles. but they
We're never favored in this respect
under the Czars and did not greatly
feel the privatiou.
A revolt against the bOlsaeviki ir
the industrial centers that would
have overthrow this rule might
soon have been brought about If the
allies had left the Russians 20 them
selves The United states and
Great Britain wished 10 follow this
policy but France objected. insisting
that the bolsheviki must be over
thrown quickly and that this could