The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-06-25

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fight epidemics by campaign of cleanliness or to
fight illiteracy by schools for adults-they always
demand work, strenuous, ardent, exhausting work.
They set the example themselves. They do not
theorize they work. They say to the peasant "Put
your hand to this work or that, if you wish to in
crease the produce of your land help us carry out
this task or that, if you wish to get in due time
manufactured goods in return for your crops" They
say to the workman, Here is work for you make
an effort to do it, if you wish to secure fair lv-
ing for yourself and freedom from bondage for your
class" They say to the Red army man, "We hate
war, just you do, but war was forced on us,
therefore have to see it through, and therefore
keep firm fight to the last ditch The driving force
of the Communists lies in their always setting an
example. Their methods may be harsh and their
manners often high-handed, yet nobody would blame
them for shifting the burden on to others; not even
an enemy would assert that they shrink from work.
In country where inefficiency is habtual and ad.
minstratve lazness was byword, this must have
a colossal influence with the Masses
The Communists never eulogize, never try to
gloss over distressing fact. have the impression
that they sometimes paint the picture too black in
order to alarm and stir the people to greater efforts
What they always do is to put the facts before the
Even >mismanagement and lack Of efficiency is
acknowledged by them in dealing with the people.
They call it the expenses of the revolution" caused
by the transition of the means of production from
social class to another yet they admit the fact
They ready to take suggestions from the ranks.
They call upon the governed to come and control.
Workmen's and peasants control groups have been
organized everywhere, and the doors, and the books
and the machinery Of each branch ofhe administra-
ton are open to them. The Communists have laid
bare before the. country the workings of the stat
mechanism, of the industrial mechanism of the mill
tary mechanism They urge everybody to see, to
learn and improve. They afford to be sincere In
their truthfulness is their strength. In country
where officialdom used to dwell in the clouds and
the work of government" was sacred awenspir-
ing mystery for the ordinary man, this plain, mat
ter.of- fact frankness must be relief.
ENLARGING THE INDIVIDUAL VIEW.
"First persuasion, then coercion" said Lenin. Per
suasion means educating citizens to an understanding
of national affairs. This work of education is con-
Quoted on a stupenduous scale. Groups of people
who never had the remotest idea of state problems
drawn close to the lmelight of national life
and made to realize their part in it and their re-
sponsibiity for its progress. There is hardly corner
in Russia where the educational sweep is not
awakening the most backward to new thought and
new strivings- @Middle" peasants, poor peasants
Red army men, railroad men, peat dfggers, mine
operators, peasant women everybody is made an
object of propaganda, and propaganda in Russia is
a means of making people think in national TERMS.
go and do it yourself" is not the least weapon in
the Communists arsenal. Their practice is to draw
ever groups and layers of people into partici-
patton in the management of national affairs. Lack
of knowledge or experience is obstacle with them
people may learn as they work. Youth is rather an
asset; youth has fear it is not easily discouraged
and it has that divine contempt for traditions which
gives absolute freedom The western observer would
be astounded to find plain backsmiths managing
large industrial plants to see youths of twentyone
in command of army divisions, to discover important
administrative departments under the supervision
Of former peasants AS the crisis in Russia became
acute, as the front demanded the best trained
and most reliable men, the army absorbed ever
larger numbers of productive workers, and as the
resources in mar power of the better quality were
heavily drawn upon,--new men and women from the
masses constantly rose to responsible positions In
the labor unions, in the Soviet organizations in the
of newcomers filled the gap. In a short time many
became experts in their respective realms shoulder
ing responsibility for the public veal ITO make
every housewife manager of the state" is no emp
ty phrase with the rulers Of revolutionary Russia.
Where persuasion fails, coercion is applied. Coer-