New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-06-25
PROBLEMS FACING
STRICKEN WORLD
Shall Chaos or Reconstruction
in Europe Follow the Great
World War?
80LSHEvIKS FETTER LIBERTY
Theories Leaders Of the Movement
Lay Down and Put Into Practice,
Fly in the Face Of All hu.
nan Experience.
Article KILL.
BY FRANK %coMERFoRp.

W nv
All the world except the 5olshevik
rulers of Russia Is old-fashioned-be-
hind the times. We still cling TO the
old superstition that the. people
should be the sovereigns, that public
officials are public servants, that the
safest plan of government Is that
form OF government which Is nearest
to the people. In the United States
each citizen has one vote. He has a
vote for the men who make the local
laws, the city or village ordinances;
q vote for the man who enfOrces the
ordinances. the mayor; a vote for the
representatives In the state legislature.
where the laws are made; for the
governor, who enforces the state laws;
Z vote for the congressman and SEN
atOrs who enact the national laws and
formulate the national policies; a vote
for the president, who carries out the
supreme law of the land. While It is
+ that in the case Of the president.
we vote for electors who elect the
president, there has not been 70 single
case wherein an elector has voted
other than he was instructed by the
people. We come together In political
parties. present platforms, and every
citizen has a chance 10 register his
opinion of men and measures. The
citizen has a right to vote at primary
elections and register his choice for
the party candidates and for the dele
gates to the conventions which formu-
late the party platforms.
eeIshevik Argument unseund.
The bolsheviks point out that polltl-
cal parties do not live up to their
platforms; that candidates for Office
default In their promises after they
are elected; that representative de-
mocracy is frequently not representa-.
tive of and responsive to the people.
We know that there is some truth In
this criticism, but We know that 1t is
our fault. We have the power t. ex-
press our wants, to record our will.
also havesths power 10 punish our
betrayal. We Can recall from Office
recreant public servants; we can add
to u legislation and take owe the
power to initiate laws, and compel the
reference Of legislation hsck to the
people before II can become operative
as law. Our public officials are only
our agents; We hire them, We pay
them we can fire them, disgrace them
and punish them II they fail to ODE;
our instructions. Such Is u power.
II We do not use the power intelli-
and effectively 1t IL our fault.
II we are indifferent t. the rights we
possess and fail to use them, the fault
Is with us. Therefore, we do moi con-
denim a system Of representative gov
ernment because some of the individ-
uals who make up the government are
unfit and unworthy of the rights they
The bOlsbeviks appear TO favor n
In the method Of governing
the people. The plan they have adopt
ed Is based on the theory that the
people must not be trusted, but that
the officeholders can. BOlshevism Is
government from the top down, rather
than from the bottom up. They seem
TO 60 on the theory that power dele
gated through many hands will lose
Its corruption just ~ running water
does. This political theory flies in the
face of all human experience.
eoishevist ecker"
In our numbers We have a figure
which for many years has enjoyed a
reputation; II is the "jester"
II numbers. 1t Ia the number '23."
Il is known In American slang as
The b0lsheviks inserted In
he constitution a Joker, and oddly
they gave 1t the "~skiddOo"
number, ''23." 1t is found In Article .
If the constitution:
being guided by the interest Of the
class as q whole, the Rus
,ian Socialist Federal Soviet Repub-
ic deprives all individuals and groups
IL I'LL TiSuts Wutcu Souiu oC utiiiIeu
" them to the detriment of the So
.ialist revolution"
Here Is the big beware Sign In the
constitution. What does 1t mean: |
What fears must come into the minds
men and women in Russia when
hey read this paragraph? The con-
ititution deprives every one. individ-
tally and collectively. Of exercising
my rights he or they may have which
re opposed to ~bolshevism. Did tyr
Inny ever impose a more arbitrary, |
Iu~tocratic ukase? The paragraph on
edes that individuals and groups have
lights, and then commands the people
Iot to dare use those rights. IL their
xercise might be detrimental to the
,enine-Trotsky government. The right
voice thoughts Is sentenced TO ST.
.nce. Freedom of opinion is crushed. |
Who is to determine what rights. IL
xercised, might be detrimental TO a
ocialist revolution? The meaning is
8 plain al the command Is stern. Fail
4 line with bolshevism or perish. Is
he order. II you disagree with our
lans and methods. be see but moi
]