The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-04-18

cred with red bunting is on one side.
from 1t supplies are distributed to
each member, several volumes of
bulky reports, lead pencil, and pad
OF paper, not as genrous as the
doodle bags" of American legisla-
lures, which in years gone by, con-
tanned everything from a hairbrush
and fountain pen to an annual rail-
road pass.
Royal Pathway.
The main stairway which guests Of
royalty once eagerly mounted is mar
row as palace steps go and has the
same plain marble balustrade. 1t is
covered with a red carpet, probably
the one which the last Nicholas trod.
AT the top a narrow passageway
on the right goes nowhere, and a
broader one on the left leads into the
former throne room, where the ses-
sions are held. On the wall of the
narrow passageway hangs Yvon's i'm
mense oil painting Of the Battle of
Kulikovo between the Russians and
Tatars. 1t can be seen in it's entirety
only from the opposite side of the
stairway.
Imposing Chamber.
To the right of the small reception
room is the lofty st. George ROOM
largest in the palace, 200 by 20 feet
and 60 feet high, vast room with
out a column to break its expanse of
white marble. A regiment could stand
in that room and airplanes fly over
head.
When the TT. L X. meets, st. George
room is the stenographers' workroom.
Half of it fenced off, with the Russian
for mo Admittance' on the gate.
Down one side are long wooden tables
on sawhorse legs, where bobbed-haired
secretaries write and smoke. On the
other side are separate tables for
members conferences. Smaller tables
half Of the hall. Those wearied with
the session can loaf, smoke, drink tea,
or play chess.
Down few steps from this room
toward the old wing Of the palace is
the ST. Vladimir room and the Red
staircase, the latter once used only
by royalties.
st. Andrews hall, long, narrow,
vaulted, overdecorated room, 100 by
70 feet and 60 feet high, is the legis-
lative seat of the Soviet government.
Once it was the throne room, where
the cars of all the Russias, after Pc
ter the Great moved the capital to st.
Petersburg, came for their second cor
onation, carrying out the tradition that
a Muscovite ruler must be crowned
in Moscow. In those days a throne
stood in the farther end of the hall.
For the first few sessions of the
Tz. I. r., a curtain was dropped In
front of the throne. Later special
installed and a solid partition was
erected to the lofty ceiling in front
Of the throne. In its center, the Soviet
seal of sickle and hammer in red and
gold face the members.
Various Types of Russians.
Where once stood princes and am
bassadors the many types of Russians
now sit. There are peasants and
workmen in belted smocks, others in
white collars, high boots, and low
shoes; OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES profess
sional men; Mohammedans wearing
black astrakhan feZzes; Mongols In
flowing coats and fur caps with plush
crowns; Caucasians with little en-
broidered skull caps; women, bare
headed, and with kerchiefs tightly
wrapped around their heads.
The Tt. I. X. is tabloid of the po-
litical organization of Soviet Russia,
next to the peak Of its pyramidal sys-
tenn of government. The peak itself.
elected by the TT. ]. K, is the pres
idium of 81 members, which includes
the six presidents. and is the legisla-
tive, executive and judicial authority,
except during the few days of each
year that the TT. l. X. is in session.
The TT. l. X. has 5S1 members, di-
vided into the upper house, or Coun-
Gil of the Union. of $50 members chos-
en- according to population, and the
lower house, or Council of Nationali-
ties, of 131 members, five from each
of the constituent republics and one
from each of the autonomous republics
or nationalities.
Theoretically, the Tz. 1. X. should
meet three times year, rotating In
the capitals Of the Russian, Ukrainian,
White Russian, Transcausian. Turko-
man, and Uzbek republics. The Tz. l.
X. also chooses the Council of Peoples
Commissars, corresponding to a cabi-
net in other countries. The identical
structural organization follows in each
Of the republics in the union