Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-07-07
RED ARMY is SCHOOLED
In SPECTACULAR SCENES
Sons of Toiling Classes, All Picked
Men, Lead Forces, Teach
Citizenship.
BY W. CHAPLIN HUNTINGTON,
Author Of THE Homesick Million-or
Russia Out of Russia


place is the Red Square in
Moscow, heart of the Soviet
Union and focal point of CEN
turies of Russian history. The paved
rectangle, over half a mile long and
500 feet wide, Is covered with 10000
troops taking part in the May day
parade.
The west side is bounded by the
battlemented wall of the Kremlin.
citadel Of Russia's rulers today. as it
was yesterday. Midway along the wall
stands the tomb Of Lenin, a pyramid
of red polished granite. On the
tribune atop this tomb stands Lenin's
successor, Stain, dictator Of the Union
of Soviet Socialist Republics, sur
rounded by his ministers.
Suddenly Sabers are drawn and
arms presented. Voroshilov, people
commissar for war and navy, steps
forward and looks down into the faces
OF thousands Of new recruits who are
drawn up below him. His voice,
carried by amplifiers, intoneS the Red
oath OF allegiance:
Il, the son of the toiling people"
and the thousands of recruits shout
the hoarSe answer:
Il. the son of the toiling people"
Citizen Of the Soviet Union,' and
the crowd roars back:
Citizens of the Soviet Union"
Take upon me the calling OF
fighter Of the workmen's and
peasants Red Army. Before the work
ing classes of the Soviet Union and
Of the whole world, I pledge myself
honorably to fulfill this calling. con-
scientiously to learn the art of war
I pledge myself, at the first call
of the workmen's and peasants gov
eminent, to come to the defense of the
Soviet Union against all attacks
from its enemies and, in the struggle
for the Soviet Union. the cause of So
clallsm and the brotherhood Of peo-
pies to spare no effort nor even my
own life"
Great Parade Starts.
The thunder of cannon from the
Kremlin ends the ceremony and the
great military parade begins. There
are loud hurrahs; bands play. The
mass Of troops start to move, in
fantry in close formation marching
in perfect rhythm. cavalry with
mounted bands, rSe-draWn artillery
OF all calibers, heavy guns rumbling
on caterpillars, fleets of grim tanks
rafting and roaring, hundreds of
troops in motor transports. And all
the while 700 airplanes are flying
overhead with desfening exhausts. 1t
Is the finest spectacle in Russia and
perhaps the greatest military show
on earth. The men look healthy and
fit: uniforms. boots and rifles are
spick and span, the cavalry horses
have their legs smartly wrapped in
red cloths, the field guns and motor
transports appear modern and well
cared for.
What does 1t all mean? Obviously
the Soviet government is not pacifist.
And has not Stain said: we stand
for peace and We defend the cause of
peace, but We are not afraid of threats
We are ready to give blow for blow
with the meters of war!"
What We have just seen Is a small
segment of the workmen's and
peasants Red army, which is the full
title for all the armed forces of the
U. S. S. r. 1t has been built up in
the years since the revolution and the
disintegration of the old Czarist army.
Lenin drafted the decree for its estab-
lishment. but the credit for its organ
ization in the first years belongs to
man whose name is never mentioned
IN Russia today except to anathen.a-
TIE 1.-THE exiled Leon TrotSky.
Pledges to Fight.
In the oath of allegiance the new
recruit swears before the working
classes of the Soviet Union and of
the whole world" and he pledges him
self to fight not only in defense Of his
country, but for the cause of social
ism" In the beginning the two ideas
of defense of the Soviet fatherland
| and aid to the imminent world revolu-
ton went hand in hand. AS the
prospect of the world revolution faded
and the Soviet regime settled down TO
the arduous task of governing Russia.
the real purpose of the Red army be-
came the normal one of national de-
Tense. although fanatical communists
have not given up the old interna-
tional ideals and lip service is still
done them on all occasions
How big is the Red army? Up to
Ia uaar no OAoioI tNoano
strength of 562 900 men No one is
quite certain whether this included
the 100000 special troops of the dread
state political administration, or &c.
P. u" which constitutes an autonom-
Gus body used to patrol borders. guard
the railways and quell internal dis
orders.
Last January 1t was announced that
the pesce-time army had been in
creased to 100000 and that the war
budget had swollen to four times its
size of two years ago and was now
$500 900, 900 rubleS equivalent at par
to about $4,000. 900 OOO). The ulti-
mate war strength of the Red army is
estimated at not less than 100000
ulCl. II ID llOW lLlC sCoG NY Ill
the world.
Every year in the Soviet Union
1.2G0000 men become 81 years Of age,
and therefore liable for military
service, which is universal and COM
pulsory. Russia is now. as always. rich
in man power, and the authorities
can afford to be selective. One-third
of this contingent is therefore ex-
cluded from bearing arms, either
owing to unsatisfactory physique or
because of belonging to the disfran-
chised politically unreliable" classes
priests. peasants opposed to the gov
ernment's collectivist policy, and the
like. Such men serve as laborers on
various defense projects. The Red
army is strictly a class organization
and only "toiiers" are allowed to have
weapons. The Soviet authorities are
taking no chances of an armed counter
revolution