TIIE GENISES OF BOLSHEVISM.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 December 1921, Page 1

TIIE GENISES OF BOLSHEVISM.

(Contributed by “X”), (Continued.)

The origin of these sinister forces we are considering may he traced very Inr hack. No doubt the disappearance without- trace (beyond that which may j lie unearthed by the antiquarian), of inupy of the past civilisations of the world, might be traced to tlieir operuI tioa. We only know that certain na- • tions, obviously possessing at one time 1 a high form of civilisation disappeared altogether from the face of the on rill, and that others lapsed to a priIpiljve condition of barbarism. But the practical origin of the particular forces at work to-day may he taken as dating nut from, but after the Russian revolution. This revolution was caused by conditions of autocratic oppression i which bad existed for generations in

a land of serfs, and a privileged land'd aristocracy. It was precipitated by German intrigue in court circles causing Russian soldiers to be betrayed I,ldle they wcie fnitllfi t!y lighting in the cause ol the Allies jo. their yiniiiliy and their "little father” tile Czar, stl'i'ved. bewildered by l heir betrayal in the face of the enemy.' aiql perishing in thousands, the Russian soldieis acre ill a pitiable plight: the peasau.iv wire little or 110 b iter off: the leaders of the army were rendered >' relate by the (fourl intrigues manipulated by the unspeakable Rasputin and the clique under German control. T!i Czar’s influence completely disappeared and the country found itself in tile middle of a great- war without a ruler in whom the slightest reliance could he placed. The inevitable happened : the Czar was deposed, and Kerensky came to the lore as the leader of a De-nim-ratio Russia. This revolution, if it could In' called such as it was prnetieallv a bloodless one. and was merely tin 1 expression of the will, so far as a,-old be asicrtaiiH'd of the whole of the Russian people " ;| s welcomed thr.nnghniit such portions of the world as were arrayed on the side of the .'I lies in tbe orent light for fieedum. Kerensky t.->k slops to all together i> National \"emUy 1 vi'ie-ciitative of the v. bob- ef tie R ussian people. and dirt'eriu-t I rein (lie Duma ill so far as it won hi have exeeutive power. Kerensky also a 1111. 0 I lived that Russia as a rleinocracy -as a Republic would stand liy the pledges Russia had given, vln’ii under the Czar’s regime, to tile '.Hied cause; and would vigorously prosi elite the win against Germany.

Nnty it was just at this point that tfie sinister influences we are considering and which have since had such effect on the world's history manifested themselves. Germany realised that tlie p. rind i.f Russian court intriqne was at an end. and that a Democratic Russia linked up with the other Allied democracies would he a more formidable antagonist than the old autocratically misgoverned Russia. Hence a very astute move was made. There was a political party known ill Russia as the *■ Bolsheviks” or the majority Socialist party with very crude but extremist socialistic and communistic ideas. It was evident to the Germans that ii this party ( -oiild be quickly organised, the millions of ignorant peasantry and soldiers, squirting undor the knowledge that they had boon betrayed Ky their rulers- the only thing probably they did know would bliiiillv follow any leaders who would Promise them plunder or revenge. These unfortunates had had 110 time to realise what freedom meant, or the duties it entailed. Thousands who had been driven half, or wholly mad by the horrors of Siberia and amongst these it must, be remembered wore nut only “political" suspects, or offenders, but also dangerous criminals of all types were ready to hand to spread the most aiuirelii-d and extreme propaganda. It was olilv necessary to I**ll the peasantry that they could seize the land, and the starving and unpaid soldiery that the whole wealth of Russia was theirs Hu,- tile taking, and the immediate object of Germany would be attained. This object was to destroy Russia as a lighting force and the fact that, the means taken to bring this about- would almost eertianly destroy Russia altogether did not quitter in the least. Tll fact this was in the interests of Germany. as a demoralized and economically ruined Russia would not. only probably at some later date offer facilities for German exploitation and subsequent domination, hut the immediate effect would tie to enable Germany to impose its own terms for cessation ol hostilities. (T» lie continued).