, 1921-05-12
THE RECORD OF BOLsHEvIsM

WASHINGTON. May 8. - THE
Russian soviet system OF military
control over capital and labor has
failed-failed completely" says the
Republican Publicity Association,
through its President. Hon. JOna-
than Bourne, Jr. THE principles
utterly unsound because they ignor-
ed the forces controlling human &C.
ton. They assumed that self-inter-
est could be set aside as an actual
ing influence and that men could be
driven to do the will OF self-consti-
tuted dictators. The experiment has
been disastrous in its results but I'M
d%oubtedly has been worth while, as
Russia could probably not have
learned its lesson in economics by
any other means.
THE Lenine-Trotsky regime un-
dertook to confiscate property and
conscript labor, denying men the
continued enjoyment of their savings
and commanding them to engage in
the occupations for which the die
tators deemed them best fitted or In
which they were most needed. Con-
fiscation Of property was easy In the
first instance, for men readily gave
up their property in order to save
their lives. But they accumulated
no more property to be turned over
to the communists, and this source
OF revenue for the soviet was cut
off. Consumption OF labor succeed
ed no better. So long al an armed
guard stood over them, men worked
with a fair degree If diligence at
what they were assigned to do, but
maintaining an armed guard Is an
expensive method and, the character
Of work secured was far from salts
factory. Gradually men found mea
of evading work and local authori-
ties relaxed in enforcement of
soviet requirements.
THE Bolshevists overthrow n
form Of militarism only to establish
another which worked no better. In
fact. 1t was less satisfactory as meas
ured either by commercial results or
by happiness and contentment
among people. Men who had the
ability t direct large enterprises
and who had created employment
for labor by saving and investing
their money, were driven from active
operations. Men Of superior ability
were assigned to mental tasks. In
stead of winning honor, success was
rewarded by humiliation, II not
worse. Farmers we're expected to
continue to produce crops although
the fruit OF their toll was taken
from them without compensation. !
Labor was expected to give up its
liberty-its right to choose the occu- !
patton it would follow and the en-
ployers in whose service 1t would en-
gage.
"If the Bolshevist leaders had
men OF infinite wisdom and
with men OF similar charac-
ter for their subjects, such a scheme
might succeed. But in the hands of
men of selfishness and ambition. in
in business as we'll as
government, the plan was certain to
fail. For neither the lahorer nor the
ca pitalist-for neither the man of
ability mol the man of no
attainments. did the future
hold any hope so long as the Len
ion halted because their was no
II the fruits Of production, and pow
srty and want and retrogression pre-
allied throughout the land.
AHe Cullou oldleS 10 ulcdlSllSu
no such regime as that, but
here are people who advocate a
Of confiscation OF property
a dictatorship over labor danger
,usly akin to that which the Boil
have put in force. One class
would have the railroads conducted
without profits to the n or
by appropriations from
he public treasury to cover deficits.
class would deny to indi-
the right to earn . living
without first subjecting themselves
the mandates OF the radical labor
eaders. Policies such as these, II
pursued to their natural end, lead
to conditions similar to those
hat exist in Russia today. The
light to enjoy the legitimate rewards
If ability and energy and thrift Is
4 prerequisite to human progress
human happiness. Americans
nave profited by the Russian demon
of the results Of failure to