The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1920-11-06
RISE or RUSSlA,S
e.: B0LSHEVlKi REGIME

B0LSHEVlKI REGIME
(By J. W. T. Mason, Written for
the United Press.)
New York, Nov. 6.-The 'bolsheviki
have been in power in Russia since
8, 1917. Their revolution
began November 7 with the sudden
seizure of the official telegraph news
agency in Petrograd and the state
bank. The next day the Petrograd
garrison joined the movement and
the government passed into the hands
of Eenine and Trotzky, following
the flight of Kerensky: &c.
Bolsheviki means Maximalists. The
bolsheviki got their = name because
they insisted on the immediate ap-
plicatiep Of the Maximalist socialist
program, of communism. Kerensky,
who had come into power as a mod
crate socialist after the overthrow of
the Romanoffs, opposed the Lenine-
Trotzky. Maximalist program. That,
however, was not the cause of his
overthrHW.% ,Kerensky was the friend
of theSa1Iies: He wanted to keep
Russia IN the war; The Russian peo-
pie, however, were 'War-weary.,, The
Bolsheviki promised quick peace
and that was the fundamental reason
why Red rule. started in Russia,
{ The J Bolsheviki quickly began nc
gotiations with Germany for a sepa-
rate peace. The Germans insisted on
imperialistic,t terms. Trotzky and
Lenine, wanted to resist, but they
had not the power. &c. on February
II, 1918, the Bolsheviki brought
about peace as it had been pro-
claimed before. They declared the
war was at an end and ordered de-
mobilization on all fronts. At the
same time they said they would sign
no peace terms with Germany. This
puerile attitude of hiding from insur-
mountable difficulties marked the
Bolsheviki throughout it's existence.
The German army started leisurely
march on Petrograd and on March
3, 1918, the Bolsheviki signed peace
on Germany's terms.
~ Meanwhile there were iLcipient up
risings against the Bolshcviki. They
were easily put down because the
Russians so ardently desired peace.
But the Bolsheviki were in a weak
minority numerically. At no time
have them much exceeded half mil
lion active workers. To prevent
themselves from being outvoted in
any test of strength with any other
Russian party, the Bolsheviki dis
solved the constituent assembly at
Petrograd by armed force on, JAN
uary 20, 1913. Thereafter, through
out their administration, the Boil
sheviki governed without any legis-
lature to control 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 Petrograd and they also
wanted to be nearer Russia's food
centers. In this they showed good
judgment, for, under the inefficient
administration Of the, soviets, Petro-
grad suffered from disease and faA1-
inc more than any other part Of
Russia. =, ~ LII, ~
Once in Moscow the Bolsheviki in
PRODUCED complicated electoral sys-
TEN whereby final power was lodged
in the hands Of dozen fanatics. The
ipers sonnet of this group changed from
time to time, except that Lenine and
Trotzky were always the leaders.
They retained the support of the
workingmen and peasants by legaliz-
ing the seizure of all factories and
land from the rightful owners. The
factory hands agreed to the principle
of communism and consented to the
states administering the occupied
plants. The peasants, however, fat
ly refused to accept communism.
Once the land had been taken from
the great profteers the peasants di-
vided it up among themselves. They
declined to recognize state owner
ship and insisted upon the peasant
proprietary system. This was con-
trary to the Bolsheviki theory, but
sI,enipeFand Trotsky dared not thwart
tkS peasants. -
The state administration of indus