Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-07-10
COMMUNIST

1t has always been a little difficult to get At Just
what is the economic situation in Russia under Boil
'shevist rule. Most people have some sort Of general,
understanding on the subject, but there are so many
complications connected with it that the exact rela-5
'tionship Of The government toward the private own
ership of property, and its purposes with reference
to the disposition OF that property have been more
nor less vague.
Some phases Of the subject are brought into the
light through the preliminary proceedings at the
Hague conference. Representatives Of the Soviet
government at that conference have made certain
proposals with reference to the dispositiotpo proper
ty which has been "nationalizcd," and which it is
now proposed to restore" This property, formerly
owned by foreign investors, is to be turned over
again to foreigners on terms satisfactory to the gov
eminent, and on the assurance that it will be operat-
ed in a satisfactory manner. The government pro-
fesses not to know, and to be unable to find out, just
who were the former owners of this property, and
that phase of the subject seems to be considered OF
no Importance. Those who may have owned the
property and those who did not are, all alike, invited
to come forward with their offers and the govern
n1ent will use it's own judgment as to what awards
shall be made. In other wordA the communist Or
ganizatid1 has forcibly seized the property Of pri-!
vate individuals it now holds that property; and it
proposes to auction it off regardless OF who may
have owned it in the past. >
The Moscow government is taking an amazing
method to inspire confidence and command credit.
1t has committed highway robbery, and it invites its
victims to come forward and bid for the possession
of the property of which they have been deprived,
to invest other millions in place of the millions of
value which has been destroyed, and to take their
own chances, without guarantees from anybody.
that the same thing will not happen to them again.
At the Genoa conference the Bos1evik repre-
|sentatives presented some fne-spun theories as to
the projection of property rights. whether domestic
or foreign. 1t was pointed out that revolutions
have always been attended by great changes in prop
erty ownership, property having been destroyed in
military movements and seized for military purpos-
es. Russia. having experienced a. revolution, it was
held that this disposed of all titles to property, and
that investors there had suffered merely the losses
which have attended all revolutions. They were
expected to grin and bear it. W
1t is true that revolutions disturb property
rights. But it is one thing for property to be de-
stIoyed and titles to be shifted unavoidably and in
cidentally. and quite another thing for a revolution
to be conducted with the seizure of property as one
of its major purposes. and for a government to be
established on the denial Of private property rights.
and to proceed on the. fat declaration that it recog-
nizcd: no such rights, past or present.
The Bolshev11 authorities want money, goods
and credit. They demand these things Of people
who hold them under titles which are respected
everywhere but II Russia. They offer as security
for the values which they demand to be transferred
to thcm-;ust mott 'ng 1T I'll. They have no apollo
gies to offer for their conduct in the past. They
have no assurances to give for the future. They
have looted in the past. They hold themselves at
liberty 10 loot again.