The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-11-06

would not have stood the smallest
chance of being appreciated or un-
derstood by Tom, Dick and Harry
sufficiently to be chosen as parish
beadles. Most of them were thor
oughly disliked and feared by their
respectable neighbors. Instead of
being elected, they occurred. Ma
ture keeps on selecting them
When they occur in the United
States they are vilified, ridiculed,
jailed and even electrically chair
ed.
When they occur In Russia they
are added to the Communist party;
and the communist party and no.
.IbOdyaelse rules Russia. by electing
and appointing to the administra-
tive bodies and departments the
committees and chairmen and sec
retaries who carry out the policy
of the Supreme Economic Council.
This is Russia's original contri-
button to science and social organ
ization. Unpopular Americans,
from Henry George to Judge Ben
Lindsey and Judge Henry Neil,
have urged most of the sugges-
tons on which Russians are ex-
perimenting; but this solution OF
the problem of democracy, with its
foundation in natural history
mankind and mysterious ways OF
providence, leaves America a CEN
, fury behind Russia.
It's highest possibilities will moi
be REALIZED until the field of selec'
ton is widened to the uttermosI
by raising the general level of cul
ture to a point at which no capa
Bile person shall be disqualified BY
ignorance, poverty or lack of op
! portunity.
: The Ablest Government"
But even at present. when full,
qualified persons are so scare,
that marginal members of tn
5 communist party are weeded on
at the rate of Is per cent per an
mum, the usRsian government i
. the ablest and the most enlight
I ened in the civilized world. Tru
. it easily might be that withou
any very extraordinary eminenct
but the worse mess we make O
: public business i nthe west, tn
: more reason has the east to b
i thankful for small mercies.
: This is desperately puzzling
the simple minded westerner VIII
7 believes that the Mosaic rule of
: life for a life and the biblical pr
u phecy that "to him that hath sha
e be given and he that hath NJ
~ from him shall be taken even TIL
IS which he hath" are laws of Go
He feels as if he is among ms
y men who insist that black is viii
ii and that two and two make five
/ But the madness works in Ru
L STA. There are no millionaires n,
e ladies and gentlemen there.
20 Priests are so scarce that unle
III you go into a church where tn,
e. are actually officiating you W
q not notice their existence. The
ed are no streets of luxury shops al
e, no mendacious commercial adve
On tisements; but nobody seems
e; penny the worse.
BY There is no idOlatry: the S,
us der and his officer hobnob
ne terms of perfect equality off dut
oy yet discipline is strict in the RI
up sian army. Children are citize
&C. with civic rights. A beaten CHI
OF may summon its parent for !;
ne sault; and marriage, thought CO
70 pulsory on couples who live
III gether, is dissoluble on strict CT
e0 ditions as to provision for childl
lg- at the will of either party; |
10 family life goes on much as
no does among reasonable and kim
ore people elsewhere.
The Safety of Possessions
ON Private property is high trea!
in yet personal possessions are
ra- more secure than they are in L
in don or Chicago. If YOU are a C
sys italist, a private trader or succe
viii full farmer, you never know
IN moment at which you may
the turned penniless into the street
is make a living like any prolet;
an, or even hailed before a sec
in tribunal for examination WI
be may end in death taking you
is awares; yet private trade and
ing dividual farming go on to the
mo extent needed to cover the gro
not which the flowing tide of comm
in ism has not yet reached.
Eminent statesmen have no
DOL vate property and receive salal
ons at which country bank mana
and would turn up his nose; but Il
eve condition might well be envied
5 a the Presidents, Chancellors
eat Premiers of the west.
If you doubt it, offer St
n Mr.. Hoover's job and emolume
set and sc ewhat he will say to Vol
ing Liberty is laughed at as be
;ch- geoise superstition. But in N
it. cow you can wear what you /
list while in New York, to which Iii
idu- ty welcomes all mankind with
the waving torch, no man can e
and choose the sort Of hat he is
of wear.
.au- In short, nothing in Russia ]
any duces results that respect,
Irch Americans have been taught to
the pect. Foolish, respectable Am
ttel cans try to save the credit of t
teaching by denying the facts
oitt. maintaining that the truth n
be in accordance with the Ba
triolic logic.
Of But sensible, respectable Am
Co. cans viii conclude that there n
ho cov,nafhiuC urnnC with Z