The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-10-01

at is precisely those masses who. even in
the most democratic bourgeois Republics were
equal according to the law but with the help of
various SHIFTS and tricks were kept away from
participation in political life and from making
use OF democratic rights and liberties are at
present (under the Soviet regime Ed drawn
into permanent unhindered and at the same
tline decisive participation in the democratic
administration of the State" CLenin volume
49, page 44-Russian edition.
Lenn speaks of the democratic administration
OF the State by the dictatorship of the proetariat
Comrade Trotzky, however, replies" to the Amer
lean delegation that democracy" can serve only
as mask of the bourgeoisie Comrade Trotzkv
does not approach the question of democracy from
the class standpoint; he remains on the level of
tnose considerations democracy in eenerap'
winch Comrade Lenin chastised on several occas
IONS '
Z Comrade Trotzky, who in his answer to the
american delegation land also apparently towards
IinSeI) mas not theoretically cleared up the ques-
ZION OF proletarlan democracy in the Soviet Union
has naturally given an entirely Incorrect and dc
torted picture of the actual political conditions il;
the Soviet Union.
In the first place, Comrade Trotzkv gave a unite
inadequate answer to the following question of the
american delegation: is the day approaching when
SOVIET Russia will grant the workers as we'll as
those who not in agreement with the nolicv If
the government freedom of opinion in public life ?"
Comrade Trotzky dealt only with the question of
the bourgeois parties and passed over in cornJete
silence the indirect assertion that in the Soviet
ohuon there exists no freedom of opinion" for the
workers, as formulated in the question of the dole
gaUon. Comrade Trotzky who passed over this as
pect OF the matter thereby gave the enemies of the
dictatorship OF the proletarat occasion to continue
TO spread the malicious calumny which obyiousIv m
some extent caused uneasness even to the Nom,
pers OF the American delegation who nut sucb a
question ~
fbo foot ~
convince these members of the delegation that tbe
assertion that the workers in the Soviet Union have
no freedom of opinion" is slanderous invention
WITH US more than so millions of the working popu-
laton, from the age of 10 and without distinction
OF sex nationality have the right tn na,+;cino+.
IN the Soviet elections. Of this number over 5Oez
that is over 30 millions workers and peasants took
acCNe part IN the campaign at the last election
Our elections do not consist in the electors simnlv
cropping voting paper into ballot box: with ms
tne electors take active part in the meetings at
wnch the reports the activity of the Soviets are
oe1vered and discussed at which their activity is
supJected TO an ali-round criticism, at which the
electors take part by making practical nronosafs
for improving the work of the Soviet for CORRECTING
failures and shortcomings and at which thew dis
cuss the canddatures of persons put forward ON tbe
nsIs. over ~ million workers and peasants made
use OF their election rights at the last Soviet elec
uons at such meetings on the basis of the prolet-
arlan democracy. The numbers of those actively
participating IN the elections is increasing every
year; There is no bourgeois country that can show
anything like it.
In our country there are ten million workers and
employees organised in the trade unions That ;s
number that has not been reached by the trade
union movement in any bourgeois country The per-
cehtage OF organised workers and EMPLOYEES with
us is the highest-it amounts on the average 20
9o9o. During the trade union elections and on the
occasion of the regular reports of the trade union
organs the members express their opinions mite
freely and thereby realize proletarian democracy.
Without doubt, for the bourgeois and anti-pro-
ietaran parties the advocates of the overthrow of
the power OF the workers and the re-establishment
OF capitalism, there exists with us no freedom of
OPINION" That, however has nothing whatever TO
40 with the freedom of opinion of the workers For
TINS reason there exists in country proletar,an
ana not a bourgeois democracy; democracy for the
poor ana not for the rich; for the workers and
toiers in town and country and not for the car
itasts and big landowners
Secondly, Comrade Trotzky declares that under
the regime of the Soviet Union "discontent, ia the
driving force. In the general formulation in which