Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-05-14
THE SOVIET VS.. DEMOCRACY.

In saying that the labor leaders are trying TO
establish the rule of the soviet instead of the
rule of the people in Albuquerque, we are not
charging them with being Bolsheviki in the sense
in which we have come that word in Amer
lea Most of these leaders not socialists or
radicals. Perhaps none of them are consciously
So But just now. in their anxiety to win for the
discharged firemen and themselves, they do not
examine the political philosophy underlying their
political undertaking.
America believes in the liberty and free
dom of the individual We have representative
democracy, called a republic in which these in
dividuals decide what they think will be best
for them by majortes, voting at the polls IN
duly legaized elections. The rights of minoritles
are protected by constitutional limitations upon
those majOrties
The soviet system believes in he rule of a
class They call it the rule Of the proletariat.
Under this theory of government no one has any
right to a voice in the government except the
workers. All others are excluded. The unions eject
representatives and these are the governing power
This is the soviet. 1t may he a radical soviet
controlled by radical theories, or nor" conSerNa-
tive soviet 1t is the method pursued in selecting
the representatives which is soviet, Bolshcvism IS
quite another matter Its followers do not believe
in private property and hold other radical theories,
The two generally go hand in hand, but not nee
essarily
What the labor leaders are attempting to do
in Albuquerque is to dictate the policy Of the city
hall from the central labor council. When the
commission refused to be controlled by them they
sought its recall. Two members Of the commission,
who carry union cards were not recalled. Under
the law these two members will select the three
new members. if the present members are recalled
Thus the central labor body will take over the
city if the recall is successful.
When the recall was first considered, this fact
was pointed out to the labor leaders and it was
,Inapg Jo ppan IL
ed so that an election would become necessary to
select new commission, in the event of the sue
cess of the recall This they spurned, They saw
chance to take the city government body
and bones.
As time has elapsed and these leaders have
seen that the large conservative element in union
labor is not favorable to the substitution of the
soviet for the democracy and are unwilling to
hazard the control of the political machinery of
the city by the labor leaders these leaders have
sought to change the situation created by their
bold effort to seze the city government.
Mr. Ed swope, labor member of the city com
mission, has suggested to Mr. Ball of the "Peo-
pies" committee and to Mr., McFae of the "Citl-
zens' committee that in the event of success
full recall. these gentlemen each names new
member of the commission and that the two
then select third. He suggests that Mr.. Hughes
(who carries card) could himself then legally
elect these three commissioners
This is not as discngenious it looks. Mr.
Hughes and Mr. Swope. the hold over, are union
men. Mr.. Ball labor LEADER selects a third
member. There then three union men out Of
five with a fourth agreeable to them.
But that is not the basic objection Mr. McRae
quite correctly points out the fact that neither
himself Mr.. Ball chosen representatives
of the democracy of people in Albuquerque From
whence comes their power to choose who shall
govern the people of the city? Mr.. Swope like
Mr.. Ball, thinks in terms of the soviet. 1t does
not occur to them that neither the unions nor the
business have any commission from the peo-
pie to select their city commissioners.
The law says that Mr.. Hughes and Mr.. Swope
shall select the successors of their colleagues,
in the event of the recall. Mr. McRae is quite
right in insisting that no one else can legally
properly do this.
The labor leaders deliberately created this
condition. That they have lost their nerve
is for allowing them to out from
under their bold attempt to take the city,
If the people ready to adopt the soviet
system they should recall the commission and
allow Mr. Swope and Mr.. Hughes to make it
such.