Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-08-19
RUSSIAN RELIEF.

EEH.8N = otA@ SAAlS ANSA0NAI Va. ASAN AkOW 90
an enthusiastic Socialist followed the using of pub
lie appeals for charity as the basis for the circula-
ton OF SocIalistic propaganda. At stated times in
tcnsive campaigns were conducted for the collec-
ton Of funds for the relief of the needy in the city.
Badges, tags, etc, were used in this work assis COM
mon in such cases. On such occasions this Social
list hadprepared other badges, setting forth his con-
] tention that such restitution as existed was due to
the wrong organization of society and that the
course to pursue was not that Of relieving the I'M
mediate needs of the sufferer, but a complete sreor-
ganization of society which would prevent such
restitution. With these badges he would decorate
himself and others who were willing to wear them,
but he never reached, the point of explaining Just
what would happen to those who were in immediate
need Of assistance if his plans should be carried out:
Those who are inclinedsto be captious and ar
gumentative might quite appropriately pursue a
similar policy toward the relief which is being at
tempted for the sufferers in the Socialistic state of
Soviet Russia. They might demand that the shoe
be put on the other foot. They have abundant EVIL
1ei5ce that the destitution now existing in Russia
due%to evil political tendencies coupled with
wrong economic policies more than to any other
single thing. They might demand that relief be
withheld from starving Russians and that the gov
eminent at Moscow should be admonished to set
its house in order, tosreorganize itself on q sane ba-
sis, dismiss its armies of mercenaries which it uses
to hold in check and terrorize the population, re-
store to the individual the things which it has de-
stroyed security and freedom of action for his per-
son and security in the possession of the property
which he has lawfully acquired, This done, Rus
sia would speedily rehabjlitate herself and her
starving millions could be fed that is, those of them
could be fed who lasted long enough to see the new
regime under way.
That course would be entirely warranted as a
carrying out of the methods which have very fire.
quently been employedbyf Socialism in this country.
That such methods are not followed is due to the
fact that human sympathy has not been entirely
stilled by considerations of economies. There is in
this country and elsewhere strong desire to relieve
THE suffering in Russia, no matter what its cause,
and that suffering will be relieved to the extent of
the possibilities, regardless of the future political
acts of peoples and governments. In the admins
~tration of that relief however, Secretary Hoover
who is in charge of the work has announced his de-
termination that no conditions shall surround it
which will embarrass its administrators in handling
1T. The Soviet government through its various
agencies has sought to use the relief work as a
means for the perpetuation of-its own power. It
Shas sought to establish conditions, to- arrange for a
basis Of control in order that it may designate those
to whom relief shall be given and the conditions
under which it shall be provided. Mr.. Hoover's
answer to this is a fat negative. He will have none
Eof II. He will have tbe work administered by his
own commission or he will not have it administered
at ali. Having found their plea ineffective the
Communistic leaders will acquiesce in his decision.
Nothing could be farther from. their desire than to
have carried out the kind of policy which the Grand
Forks Socialist a few years ago found SO attractive