Evening star., 1923-05-24
Russia in Grip of Iron Rule
By Communists ''MacI,ine''
Methods Parallel Most Autocratic Regimes
i, of Anciet,t Souereigns, Says Writer
After First-Har,d Study.

they might be led ariyht by their
PETERS 1t is an illust alton OF
extremes meeting that the Russian
communists, superdemocrats, have
adopted the same policy.
Who are the communists? They are
political organization, founded by
Lenin, with branches all over the
world, but numbering in Russia, ac-
cording to the latest returns, 02,0S0.
The population of Russia is just over
l30,O00.OO0. The communist organiZa-
ton could greatly increase it's num-
bers, If it wished. but it prefers to
keep its ranks select. In addition to
the members there are 117.924 candi-
dates and 2S9,S39 young people in the
Juvenile organizations. This gives
total of $4,000.
Nearly one-half of the members are
town workers. one-quarter are gov
ernment employees and under % per
cent are peasants. Nearly per cent
of ! per cent have had university
education. But this less than one
half of l per cent have taken to them
selves nearly all the really high
posts. For this workers and peas
ants republic is run absolutely by
professional and university men.
Obedience Is Exacted.
To be communist YOU must adopt
political theory of faith, more
closely defined than the Westminster
confession or the thirty-nine articles.
you must abandon religion, and you
must pledge obedience to your lead
erS. You must agree to obey the die
tateS of the party, even when they go
against your own conscience: you
must never publicly differ from any
of the rulings of the party: you must
not publish book or pamphlet. with
out the partyS approval. If you own
newspaper, you must surrender il
: a a
you must write what the party bids.
| Today it is not easy in Russia to join
the communist party. You must sub
NIT to long probation, strict exam
ination and severe tests. If you
weaken you are turned out.
The communists have taken the en-
| tire machinery of government into
| their hands. The nominal form of
Russian government is by soviets-
/ councils or committees. First come
| local soviets, elected by open voting
! in different trades unions. These in
| turn elect provincial soviets, which
! in turn choose delegates TO the all
Russian soviet. which meets once a
year, and numinates an executive
| committee and group of peoples
| commlSSars, the chief rulers of the
land. Each soviet has it's committee.
Each committee has it's army of Off
| cialS.
Retain Firm Control.
But these soyietS are in turn abso-
/ lutely governed by the communists.
| They control the elections. Since
voting Is open and the communists
have all the power of the police in
their hands, you may imagine how
| many people would dare to run
! campaign against them. The COM
| munist group. known as the "frac-
tion,' of each representative body
! meets in private and decides what
| shall be done before the soviet as
sembles. The Traction" votes SOL
| idly: it speaks with one voice. The
soviet is simply machine for regis
fractions
There is no concealment about
this. The fractions" usually meet in
the same hall. with the same guards
on the doors. as the full soviet.
The communists do not try to do all
the work of government themselves
On policy they encourage noncom-
munistS to engage in administrat tion.
But every noncommunist in a respon-
sible post has communist control
ling him. Every childrens home
and these children's homes are a big
factor in training youthful world rev.
olutionists-is supposed to have
communist at the head of it,
The communists are gradually plac-
ing their own men in charge of the
universities. The army and the navy
have had to employ old officers. but
as fast as possible these are being
replaced by young. highly trained
communists. The police. of course
are communist controlled and the po-
litical police are absolutely commu-
! mist. There are special communist
troops, the "Gsy-pay-oo" soldiers
who can be relied upon in any emer-
gency. Every newspaper editor is
communist. Great pains are taken to
place great semi-independent organ
izations, like the co-operatives, under
communist control.