The Waikato Times With which is Incorporated The Waikato Argus. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1922. BOLSHEVIK DICTATORSHIP

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15041, 14 September 1922, Page 4

The Waikato Times With which is Incorporated The Waikato Argus. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1922. BOLSHEVIK DICTATORSHIP

. Whatever opinions may have been held in Labour circles generally throughout the world during the earlier, stages of the Communistic experiment in Russia, it is abundantly 'evident that organised'Labour as a whole, in Great Britain and the United States, will now have,none of Bolshevism. During the passing of the last few years Sovietism has played havoc with Russia generally, and observant Labourites in other countries have to-day become convinced that the lot of Labour under the Bolshevik regime in Russia is no whit better than under Tzarism. The recognised leaders of Labour in Great Britain and America have reached a stage of active hostility to Bolshevism, because it negates the principles of independence and a free press so cherished by the Labour movement. A month or- two ago the British Labour Congress proved its dislike of Communistic doctrines'by refusing affiliation to the British'Communist party, and declining to have any connection with the Third (Red) Internationale. What American Labour thinks of Sovietism has recently been set out in an article in the Manchester Guardian by the Grand Old Man of Labour in America, Mr Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labour —an unswerving advocate of Labour interests and a man of sound and moderate views. In the article referred to Mr Gompers slates that "American Labour feels towards the Bolshevik regime in Russia about as it feels towards the regime of the Tsars, and for about the same reasons. American Labour desires now exactly what it desired then—a politically and economically independent Russia. American Labour is convinced that so long as the Bolshevik rogime can maintain itself in power the hope of a politically and K economically independent Russia is futile, and. that, on the trary, the Bolshevik regime is following the policy best calculated to make such independence impossible. It is my opinion that Europe has no adequate appreciation of the intensity with which American Labour feels distrust of and antagonism towards the Bolsheviks. I think I do not over-state the case when I say that the intensity of feeling towards the Bolshevik regime is as great as was the intensity of feeling towards the German militarist dictatorship, and for much the same reason. American Labour can by no possibility compromise in dealing with the dictatorship in Russia. Not only is the American Labour movement an avowed enemy of the Bolshevik regime, but it is a critic of the general policy of Europe in dealing with that atrocious aggregation." Mr Gompers goes on to show that v in regard to Mexico the United States Government took up the policy that no recognition could be extended toward any government which could not establish legitimate claim to existence by authority of the people of the country over which it held sway. The American Federation of Labour was in absolute agreement with that just policy. That policy is to-day being applied in the case of Russia, and the Labour movement in the United States hopes it will continue to be applied. Under such a policy recognition of the "pretender" Government in Moscow is impossible. The Russian people, Mr Gompers goes on to state, have the friendship of the American nation. So far as American Labour is concerned, it is perfectly willing that the Russian people may set up any sort of government they desire, and may seek to express through that government any philosophy of which they approve. What American Labour insists upon is that there should be no recognition of and no dealings with any government which does not exist by the freely expressed sanction of the people over winch it seeks to rule. Thai is the point upon which everything turns. "The Bolshevik power," lie adds, "has conducted itself in a manner which in every respect is entirely in harmony with Hie general idea of a dictatorship, it has maintained, first of all, a complete diclalprship at hohie. It has destroyed every democratic movement ia Russia, and in order to make certain of the destruction of these movements it has wantonly slain thousands who have sought to persist in the effort to promule the democratic ideal, and it lias imprisoned other thousands. If has completely suppressed free speecu and

free press. It has destroyed the Labour movement and the great co-opera-tive movement. There is to-day in Russia no Labour movement, but in its stead there is an organisation of workers in which membership is compulsory and in which every thought and activity are dictated by the Soviet power. There is no free expression and no free action. To seek to be a real unionist in Russia to-day is to be guilty of what the Soviet Government considers a most heinous offence. Inv prisonment or death is the penalty. The co-operative movement, one of the agencies formerly capable of contributing most heavily to the saving of Russia, is now nothing more than an agency of the Soviet power." In recent months, the American leader goes on to slate, the Soviets have sought to create the impression that the Moscow tyranny is losing its severity, is' becoming more tolerant, and is seeking to restore to Russia some of the practices of the outer world. The essential attitude of the Soviet power, however, toward the people of Russia has undergone no change, and the dictatorship is no less complete to-day than it was a year ago. Moreover, it is well to keep constantly in mind the opportunist tactics of the Bolsheviks, and the utter absence within their councils of any ethics or honour in their dealings either with their own people or the outside world. As recently as March 6 of this year Lenin said: "We countered the fight against us by instituting terror—-a threefold terror. If becomes necessary again we will have it once more." Just six weeks earlier Zinoviev said: "We are not going to admit the existence of any independent press. Our press must clearly inform the workers and the peasants." There is in Russia," adds Mr Gompers, "neither that condition of civilised law and democratic expression which makes possible modern life and the successful development and maintenance of agriculture and industry, nor a free press, without which there can be no understanding within Russia either of international conditions or qf the necessities'involved for the maintenance of external relations. It seems strange to have to argue to civilised people the impossibility and futility of desiring or hoping for any sort of relations with such a political and economic montrosity as that which has enslaved all the Russian people and slaughtered and starved millions of them." Such a dictatorship would appeal as little to New Zealand Labour as to American, and it is fairly safe to predict that the example of Russia will be held up for emulation less during the coming election campaign than it was during the contest of 1919.