The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-11-02
PoAWiat Vanguard the International Working Glass;
The Red Aymy--and
the Army of the 3. S.

ers in the enterprises in a given
ward or section as we'll as all mem
bers of the Red Army whose bar
racks are located in this locality.
Workers and soldiers nominate both
civil and army deputies. Then the
whole assemblage, soldiers and civ
ilians, vote together. Thus, the
soldiers of the Red Army are closely
knit together with the civilians in
their participation in the affairs of
the Seyiets.
The American soldier is complete
ly disfranchised upon his entrance
into the army.
Education in the Red Army
Before the revolution one of the
most backward countries in Europe,
with millions upon millions of to-
tally illiterate adults and children,
the Soviet Union has utilized the
Red Army to good advantage in
spreading EDUCATION. In cases of
complete illiteracy the soldiers first
three months of service is devoted
entirely to learning to read and
write. That he may write letter
to his people at home is always a
spur to him, and his first letter is
an event. Peasants invariably are
sent to the large cities where they
may learn by experience and thru
contact about the industries of the
cities. Thru this system, the peas
ants get a broader perspective of
the problems of their government
and are urged thereby to do all that
they can to hasten the construction
of the socialist state.
The American soldier is given ed
ucation up to the eighth grade of
common school. The instructors are
never competent men but usually
gold bricks" men who have found
drill and fatigue too hard for them
and who have pulled strings or done
some judieinus hand-shaking to get
a soft berth. Technical education
is also on the same level in the
U. S. Army.
Discipline in the Red Army
The Red Army aim has conscious
discipline based upon an understand
ing of the reasons for the existence
of discipline in. the army. The sol
diers are taught to know what it is
that they are in the army for, and
learn what their role is in defending
the conauests of the October revolu-
tion. They are aware that their
work is not done until all the toiiers
of the world are free as they are.
The contrast between the Red
Army and the U. S. Army is in the
fact that the U. S. Army is taught
worship of fetishism, is taught dis
cipline thru fear of punishment
rather than an understanding of
what role they are to play. The
army officers dare not teach the
American soldiers what their role
is to be. Should they do SO, the
army would desert almost enmasse.
Every effort is expended to keep the
American soldier in ignorance Of his
despicable role as the oppressor Of
colonial peoples and the subjugator
of the workers of his home country.
If Red commander gives an or
der that the soldier thinks is unfit
or unjust, the soldier will (if the
order is not of a direct counter
revolutionary nature) obey the order
and then report the matter to his
next highest commander. This is
encouraged among all soldiers. He
is taught that the reason for the
order to be carried out, is in order
not to create chaos and dis-unity
of action in the army. The Ameri-
can soldier is forced to obey because
"his superior has given command"
During the hours of duty 70
hours), the relationship of the Red
soldier and his commander is on a
purely business-iike basis. After
duty, the private and the command
err may be seen having tea together
at the same table, playing chess, 60
ing to the show together, etc. They
may belong to the same club if
their hobbies are similar. The pri-
yate may be the chairman or the
organizer of the Nucleus in which
his commander may be merely an
active member. They are Com
rades in every sense of the word
and inequality of rank does not in
terfere.
| The American soldier is complete
ly separated from his officers by
carefully preserved class lines. The
officer sis member Of exclusive
society while the soldier is not al
lowed to form or join clubs of any
sort except possibly religious ones.
There is no comraderie or good fell
lowship between officers and men
| in the American Army and yet the
discipline of the Red Army is vastly
superior to that Of the U. s. Army.
The Red soldier is free, think
ing, actively participating member
Of society who is conscious Of his
important role in society.
The American soldier Is an en-
shaved tool Of the capitalist class
held in his place by the fear Of
brutal punishment from his officers
who are his class enemies and never
fail to show 1t at every opportunity.
Soldiers of the Red Army realize
that they are fighting not only for