June 12
We have received an advance copy of the "Constitutionalist, for June, the organ of the Constitutional Defence League, which will be available for the public early next week, There is much in it of supreme interest and importance to the world's fight against Bolshevism; also one or two things that we think could have been omitted with advantage. For instance, under the heading "Danger of Gossiping with Strangers" we are told that, Ma female assistants in several fashionable—dressanakers, milliners, and manicurists, ete, in' the C tricts of Shanghai ential and other dis supply information to a certain' Consulate here which they gain from conversi purposely made with ladies occasionally, gentlemen attending, these establishments.
'One finds it very difficult to believe that Comrade Osarnin, or whoever may be officiating now: across the Soochow Creek, likely to get anything vid the dressmakers' which he could not} have got in_much better form elsewhere, Paragraphs of thi Kind are calculated to create scares comparable to the amaz ing and quite untrustworthy one, which ran through Shanghai a few weeks ago, to the serious alarm of several ladies. On the other hand, the "Constitutionalist" throws very useful light on the failure of Bolshevism in Russia as a working—system, particularly as regards the high hopes founded on the good harvest of 1925. The Soviet could not get the foreign goods which the peasant needed for the sale of his produce and he burnt it rather than let it yo for nothing. Why the Soviet failed to get goods from abroad is simply due to the absurd and destructive regulations imposed on any' attempt to do business with Soviet Ru And this apposite remark of Comrade Krassin, Commissar of Foreign Trade, is quoted, After explaining why the Soviet buys foreign goods only in che markets abroad, he adds:—
It is not in our interest to allow foreign firms to trade in our count, and, therefore, we categorically refuse to permit' any foreign firm to establish depots of foreign goods in the territories of the U. 8. 8. R.
The most effective way of combating Bolshevism is, after all, by exposing its practical impossibility. It needs some it agitation to react to the ho committed in its name and there is always the answer: "Such things are inevitable in times of upheaval, as the story of every revolution shows; whatever we Bolsheviks may have done was no worse than what was done in the days of Tsardom, for example in repressing the popular rising after the Japanese war; that the much advertised proletarian pudding is very bad eating, there is an argument to appeal to any man of sense. The sickening cant of the Bolshevists is, perhaps, the most repulsive thing about them. They prate of the tyranny of imperialists and the rights of worke actually the men of Moscow are the only imperialists (in the obnoxious sense) to-day, as wi ness their theft of Mongolia and flagrant encroachments in Manchuria; and the only right for the workers is to submit to the dictation of a minority in Moscow more ruthlessly tyrannous than the world has ever seen. 'A good deal might be done by showing, in contrast with Rus-decline, the rehabilitation other countries, notably of eat Britain. Her strikes and labour troubles are freely ad vertised; not so much the steady revival of her industry, notwithstanding the heavy taxation she bears to pay other nations' debts to America, and the hundreds of vhich she has actually paid off since the wa The "Constitutionalist" contains a record of remarkable activities by the Constitutional Defence League and promises the fullest possible publicity, adding, however: "But it will be obvious that much that is taking place must be withheld from publication for -the time being." With all respect, this} not quite obvious. On the contrary, the very fact that Bolshevism works secretly argument for organizations posed to it coming out in full light of day, Bolshe has everything to conceal, opponents nothing. For same considerations, too. the word "propaganda" "should be used as ttle as possible. It has an evil sound and unpleasant associations. The essence of Bolshevism is lies; the only weapon to use against it is the truth, which never need fear light. The word propaganda inevitably implies suggestion. Th. opponents of Bolshevism deal in facts, which speak for themselves to all who are capable of a little thought. Especially in China is anything savouring of secrecy to be deprecated. "By crafty means," the Bolshevist will say, "the imperialists are trying a new device to ensnare you." What has to be, and can be, shown is that it is indeed the Bolshevists and nobody else who now secke to ensnare China.—Already this fact is understood by more and more Chinese and the Constitutional Defence League may take credit for no small share of the enlightenment. It will, we hope, do still more; but we think that success will come all the more speedily in proportion as its efforts are open and public. Above all, it should be emphasized that the struggle is not limited to any one country. Rolshevism seeks to destroy the world, and it is for the world to stand together in self-defence.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.