Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-08-25
ARTICLE Xxx.

Aside from the all-prevailing curl
osity as to the possible overthrow OF
the bolshevist regime one OF the
most frequent questions asked by for
eigners about Russia is, How Is the
country governed?" In this article
on Russian conditions today l shall
try to explain just how the country Is
run.
II governed" is taken in the sense
of ruled the answer is very simple
namely, by the seven-man executive
of the Russian Communist party
known, for short, as the Politbureau
political Bureau), with some slight
assistance from the larger body from
which the big seven are chosen, the
Central Committee, now numbering
So, of the same party.
in permanency, is responsible to the
Central Committee, which meets only
occasionally. but in practice the Polit-
bureau Is the tail that swings the
committee dog and virtually supreme.
exercising the executive and legisla-
tive power and having its hand upon
the administration of justice.
1t is true that If you ask a boil
shevist to explaia the Russian system
of government 10 probably will give
you a different answer, going into
all the constitutional intricacies OF
the federalistic Soviet system and
discussing not this all-highest ruling
body OF the bolshevist party, but the
various Soviets, ministries and ex-
ecutive committees constituting the
nominal government OF the Union OF
Sociaiized Soviet Republics and its
component subdivisions. But this is
bunk, and a frank bolshevist Is apt
to reply as have done
Politbureau Yields Big Power.
The All-Russian Central Executive
Committee, the various "kommissari-
ats" under their respective commits
sars" or ministers. the district Sow
cts, etc, exists and functions, but the
voice of authority, the ruling and
directing hand, Is that of the Polit-
bureau, sometimes working directly
or, for FORMS sake, through the Boil
shevist Central Committee The Rus
sion papers are very frank about this
Daily you can read Of orders given to
the ministries and local authorities
not by the executive of the formal
government, but by the authorities OF
the Russian Communist party.
Who are this mighty bolshevist
seven, or since Trotsky Is at present
being given the cold shoulder by his
fellow members of the Politbureau
perhaps six" would be more suit
able designation. AS chosen by the
recent Communist Congress on a cold
slate prepared and put over by the
ruling bolshevist autocracy, they are
using their bolshevist names, not
those received by birth-Stalin, Zino-
view, Kamenev, Tomsky, Rykov, Bulk
harm and Trotsky. Trotsky's name
and position need little description
both because he is, now that Lenin
Is gone, the best known bolshevfst
abroad and because his influence upon
the Politbureau Is virtually nil, ow-
ing to his quarrels with his COL
leagues. He is the youngest of all In
bolshevism, with few years party
service.
Stain is a Georgian from the Cau-
casus. whose name was assumed to
cover his complete absence Of Russian
blood. He Is regarded as the most
energetic, dominant figure of the Po-
litbureau, though the mantle Of domi-
nancy by Lenin has not and never
will fall on his much narrower
Zinoviev, the St. Petersburg boss,
was for years companion. secretary
and personal follower of Lenin. He
is tho Peck's bad boy Of bolshavism,
with an uncomfortable tongue and q
faculty for splitting the diplomatic
beans, but, next to Trotsky, he is the
most magnetic, convincing speaker
among the leading party lights. and
enjoys additional prestige from his
long and close association with Lenin
ToRsky the "Big Boss.'
Tomsky is the big boss" in the
bolshevist federation labor movement
Kamenev Is the local party leader
in Moscow and brother-in-law to
Trotsky, from whom he and his wife
are bitterly estranged. He fancies
himself as a financial genius, but his
finances disagree with him.
Bukharin, editor Of the party organ
Pravda, and an Intellectual type, has
Just been promoted to the Politbu-
reau to fill Lenin's place.
Rykov Is mentioned last in order OF
reputed influence in the Polttbureau
although he was chosen as chief to
succeed Lenin. His election, instead
Of Stain, Kamenov, or Binoviev, the
big three Of the seven, Is usually at
tributed to the necessity Of having q
man Of real Russian blood to head
Russian bolshevism. Purists say that
even Rykov cannot qualify in this re.
spect, descending through his grand.
father from ono Of the Finnish tribes
centuries resident in Russia, but thi.
oughly assimilateA In Russia that tht
criticism is rather carping.
The Septsmvirafe OF the Politbureai
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