The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-07-02
Article XIV.
BY FRANK coMERFoRp.

BY FRANK coMERFoRD.
The effort to sociaIize politics did
not democratIze politics; 1t was not
intended to. In practical operation, 1t
fulfilled Its purpose, 1t created polit-
ical autocracy.
The greatest power In Russia today
Is the Red army. Without an army q
minority government cannot exist.
Force is the strength and security of
minority rule. Bayonets held the car
on his throne, the same power holds
the Lenine-Trotsky government in au-
thority. Every inducement has been
offered men to join the army and the
navy. This Is the best and almost
the only job In Russia today. The
soldier and sailor Is at least guaran-
| teed good food and warm bunk. He
escapes the danger of cold and starva-
ton. Living conditions are better in
the Red army than in any other occu-
patton.
Section 10 of Article 8 of the consti-
tuition is interesting:
For the purpose of defending the
victory of the great peasants and
workers revolution, the Russian So
cialist Federal Soviet Republic recog-
nizes the duty Of all citizens of the
republic to come to the defense of their
socialist fatherland, and it, therefore,
introduces universal military training.
The honor Of defending the revolution
with arms is accorded only to the
workers, and the nOn-working ele-
ments are charged with the perform
| ance of other military duties"
Only "Reds" Allowed Firearms.
No one else in Russia is allowed to
have or carry arms. This rule is
strictly enforced, and searches have
been made almost weekly in search of
arms. 1t is a serious matter to have
a firearm in Russia if you are not a
member of the army. AS a conse-
quence, the one armed force in Rus
STA today is the Red army. This is
the backbone of the bolShevik govern
ment. The people are utterly help
less, As long as the army is well fed,
warm and well clothed. it will con-
tinue to be the most popular occupa-
ton in Russia.
| Carrying out the general plan of
socializing, the bolsheyik government
stripped army officers of rank. In do
ing this they tried to live up to the
constitution forbidding the bourgeoisie
entering the army, However, this
theory, like many others, did not work
out in practice. Skill in military di-
rectiOn is Indispensable to an effective
military machine. Facing civil war,
with the Red army alone between the
government and disaster Lenine and
TrotZky found it expedient to turn
their backs upon the constitution. 1t
was necessary to have trained men as
officers, and the bOurgeoisie to whom
they had denied citizenship and the
honor Of defending the republic, were
called upon to advise the army.
Albert Rhyse Williams is a devoted
| friend of Lenine's. He was so enam-
ored with the bolshevik movement that
he offered to join the Red army. He
has written a biography of Lenine,
from which 1 quote:
"He Uenine) sent an automobile
with Red guards to the fortress of
] Peter and Paul to fetch part of the
counter-revolutionary staff in prison
| there.
Gentlemen said Lenine, as the
generals filed into his Office, L have
brought you here for expert advice
Petrograd is in danger. VIII you be
good enough to work out the military
tactics for its defenseT They as
scented.
Generals Denied Better Treatment.
"'Here are our forces resumed
Lenine, indicating upon the map the
location of the Red troops, munitions
and reserves. And here are our latest
reports upon the number and DISPOSE
tiou Of the enemy troops. Anything
else the generals desire they will call
| for .-#
''They set to work and toward eve
ming handed him the result of their
! deliberations. Now said the gen.
erals, ingratiatingly, will the premier
be good enough to allow us more COM
Portable quartersT
my exceeding regrets replied
Lenine: some other time, but not just
now. Your quarters, gentlemen, may
not be comfortable but they have the
merit of being safe The STAFF was
returned to the fortress of Peter and
Paul"
I have given this excerpt from the
life Of Lenine, not because the Incl
dent is important, but because it Illus
trates the difference between boIshevik
theory and practice. 1 am not crfti-
cising Lenine's good sense in promptly