Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1920-07-24
Conditions in Russia Under That Form
of Government Not of Sort to
Commend Themselves to
Thinking Men.
Article XVII.
BY FRANK coMERFoRo.

leaders are drunk with power and they
have conducted themselves as drunken
men generally do. Reckless waste, In
tolerant officiOusness, greed for spoiis,
are the record they have made. The
political machine is the same plumber
lug graft organization under com
Tnunism IN Russia that it is under
democracy In other countries. The
soviet government is a political ma
chine, and Communism has not
changed its character or its methods.
1t has simply given It larger oppor-
tunites for spoils. Greater security
IN its corruption.
The "Sociademocratln" prints some
interesting extracts from the bolsheyik
budget for 1919.
According 10 this newspaper, the
revenue for the first half Of 1919
amounted to 20.35O. 100000 rubles. and
the expenditures to 507O3 100000 ru-
bles, so that the deficit for the first six
months Of 1919 of soviet Russia
amounted to the enormous sum Of over
10000. 100000 rubles. The acquisition
of foodstufs and necessaries Of life
has cost a deficit of five billion rubles.
and the railways four and a half bill
lion rubIes; thus a half year Of boil
sheyik rule cost more than the total
outlay on the whole war.
Money Expended ReekIessly.
The report II the bolshevik Nemen-
SKY, on the audit OF the central soviet
commission In charge Of all textile fac
tories appeared in the "Soyietskaya
EkonOmicheskaya Zhizn" of February
-. 1919: The finance credit division
Of the central soviet commission re-
eeived up to February l, 1919. 3,400,-
000000 rubles. There was no control
Of the expenditure Of moneys. Money
was advanced to factories Immediately
upon demand and there were cases
when money was forwarded 10 fac
tories which did not exist. From July
I TO December 81. 1918. the central
soviet commission advanced on &C
count or products, to be received
1.34SG19 600 rubles. The value of the
goods securing these advances re-
ceived up to January !, 1919, was only
1437lG0O0 rubles. The negligent way
of doing business may be particularly
observed from the way the central so
Wet commission purchased supplies Of
raw wool Up to January /. 1919 only
129S03 pools Of wool was acquired
whereas the annual requirement is dg-
ured at $500, 600 pools.
THE tremendous stan Of officials
tabOut 5000 persons) employed by the
commission are in the majority Of
cases doing nothing useful Itappears
that there were on the payroll Of this
institution l2I persons who actually
were not In the service Mt all. hut who
were receiving salaries There were
cases whore the same persons received
salaries twice for the same period
The efficiency of the officials is negllgi-
BILE to striking degree"
Such soviet institutions. Ncmeusky
says at the end of his report, are a
beautiful example of de1dening bu-
reaucracy and must be liquidated.
II would seem that the idealistS In
charge of the communist program in
Russia are experts in "graft-ring"
methods. Payroll padding is among
their accomplishments An innocent
hystander might suspect some Of these
soviet officials Of having a leaning
toward private property, particularly
when It is in easy reach.
Their Own Condemnation.
Probably it is fair 10 the bolsheviks
70 stare their case in their own words.
The bulletin of the central executive
committee Cf the sovietS. No. 10 1919
Announces we have created ex-
traordiuary commjsSarje> and extraor-
binary commissions without number
All Of these are, 10 q lesser or greater
degree only Observation-Disclosures,
'The toilins population see i.l the
Squandering Of money right and left
by the commlSsarjeS u1d i'm their 1n-
decent ioudne~s amt profanity during
their trips through the district. jbe
complete absence of party discipline "
Peoples CummiSSur Luuachar~ky.
according TO the "Severnayna Com
muna" Of March -. 1919 declared
1.-THE upper stratum Of the soviet rule
is becoming detached from the masses
and the bluuderS Of the communist
workers are becoming more and more
frequent. ThcSe latter. according ia
statements hy workmen treat tie
masses in a high-handed manner and
are very generous with threats and
reOreSsiCpS"
The soviet machine has had IFS 'rur
in with the workers. The factory
committees have been huIdozed. The
soviets have been brutal in their treat
ment of the proletarjst
'sThe struggle between the Soviet>