kin, Washington, D. C., distributed an admirable pamphlet, temperate
and judicial, which compares the Soviet system with the American
constitutional system. This pamphlet written by Hon. Burton L. French,
of Idaho, concludes his discussion as follows:

"In a government that has been heralded so widely as being the most
profound experiment in democracy that has ever been undertaken, we would
naturally expect that the franchise would be along lines that would
recognize all mankind embraced within the citizenship of the nation as
standing upon an equal footing. The United States has for many years
adhered to that principle. It was that principle largely for which our
fathers died when they established our government, and yet that
principle seems foreign to the way of thinking of Lenin and Trotsky as
they shaped the Russian constitution.

PARALLEL 8--THOSE WHO MAY VOTE
RUSSIA 1. The franchise extends to all over 18 years of age who have
acquired the means of living through manual labor, and also persons
engaged in housekeeping for the former.

2. Soldiers of the army and navy.

3. The former two classes when incapacitated.

UNITED STATES
All men (and women in many states, and soon in all) who are citizens and
over 21 years of age, excepting those disfranchised on account of
illiteracy, mental ailment or criminal record.

"Bear in mind the liberal franchise with which the American Nation meets
her citizens and let me ask you to contemplate the franchise that is
handed out to the people of Russia who are; 18 years of age or over who
have acquired the means of living through labor that is productive and
useful to society and persons engaged in housekeeping in behalf of the
former are entitled to the franchise. Who else? The soldiers of the army
and navy. Who else? Any of the former two classes who have become
incapacitated.

"Now turn to the next sections of the Russian constitution and see who
are disfranchised.

"The merchant is disfranchised; ministers of all denominations are
disfranchised; and then, while condemning the Czar for tyranny, the
soviet constitution solemnly declares that those who were in the employ
of the Czar or had been members of the families of those who had ruled
in Russia for many generations shall be denied suffrage.

"Persons who have income from capital or from property that is theirs by
reason of years of frugality, industry, and thrift are penalized by
being denied the right to vote.