The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-07-23

of newspaper article only the barest
sketch of the Russian government can
be given.
The first thing we must understand
is that the new Russian government
is really workers republic. It's mot
to. written into the constitution, is
"He who does not work neither shall
he eat" Work is the standard by
which the status of the people is es-
tablished. All soldiers and workers
(hand and brain, city and country
over the age of eighteen years and
regardless of sex, are entitled to vote
and to hold office. Capitalists and
others living from the labor of work
ers are disfranchised and denied all
participation in the government.
Some American labor leaders have
affected to be Mortified by this ar
rangement and have denounced the
Russian republic roundly for it. They
demand square deal" for the socia,
parasites. But they conveniently over
look the fact that in the so-called
capitalist democracies these same pa
rasitic elements disfranchise the use
full workers as far as they are able
to. They set up all sorts of residence,
sex and other ridiculous voting quail
fications that deprive millions of toll
ers of any say in the government
And if it were not for the constant
resistance of the labor movement it
would not be long before the suffrage
would be limited solely to property
holders.
Now the revolutionary Russian
workers have no illusions about these
matters. They have taken the measure
of the capitalists. They know them
for what they are-an unscrupulous
band of exploiters who will stick at
nothing in their greed for mastery
So the workers tell them outright that
their activities are anti-social, and
that if they want to enjoy the rights
accorded decent people they must
abandon their nefarious conduct and
perform some useful work in return
for their sustenance. If they will not
do this then they must expect to be
considered social and political pariahs
The foundation OF the whole Rus
sian governmental system is founded
by the local Soviets. These exist in all
the cities, towns and villages. They
are made up of representatives
of the three great branches Of the
Russian working-class: workers
peasants and soldiers. There are nc
general elections as Americans under
stand the term. The workers selec
their Soviet representatives directl!
at their workplaces, the peasants
theirs at the villages, and the soldier
theirs in the barracks. Officials ant
delegates may be recalled at any tim
by those who elected them.
The work of the local Soviets is t
supervise the social, political and in
dustrial life of the people within thei
respective jurisdictions, bearing j
mind, of course, the superior author
ty Of higher governmental organ
The scope Of their activity range
from the simple work Of village 81
Wet to the complex tasks of the gres
city Soviets. In Moscow, for instanc
the Soviet consists of 21 department
as follows: Justice, Finance, Militar.
Postal, Industry, Fuel, Food (secuI
ing Of supplies), Land, Compulsor
Labor, Public Service (water, light
street cars, etc.,, Education, Labo
Health, Social Welfare, General MAJ
agement (police, prisons, marriage
ieaths, etc.,, Statistical Workers an
Peasants Control Supervisory
Transportation, Building, Food {di
tribution), Extraordinary Commissio
prevention Of counter-revolutionar
activities, etc.,. All these department
are subdivided into bureaus whic
specialize in the thousand and on
activities that 20 to make up the lii
Of great modern city.
By a complicated process, impo'
sible to detail here, the local Soviet
both urban and rural, pyramid then
selves together, securing organizatio
and homogenity to correspond wit
the various geographical, industris
and political divisions Of the countr!
Thus Soviets extend over the volostl
districts, governments and regions
which roughly parallel our wards
counties, congressional districts an
states. Each Of these organization
oversees the activities in its particula
sphere, limited naturally by the func
tons Of the Soviets above and belo,
Il. In every case the higher form o
organization is created by massin
together representatives directly SC
lected from the membership Of tn
one just below. The recall principl
prevails at all stages Of the govern
mental structure. Fl.