Evening star., 1936-06-14
Soviet DemOcracy.

N0Gnmg snort OF pOlltlcal reVoiuIlon
Is involved in the plan proclaimed by
Stain TO establish within the framework
Of the Soviet proletarian dictatorship
something approaching constitutional
democratic government. The project,
ofncially hailed as advanced democ-
racy," Is scheduled to come into exist
ence after ratification at a convention
OF the All-Union Congress Of Soviets
next November. For the first time since
Communist rule was established on the
ruins Of czardom, the Russian people
are offered . regime comparable in GER
tain respects to the systems in vogue
in countries living under parliamentary
government.
II the proposed constitution is adopted
Moscow will become the seat Of a two
chamber national legislature. including
o popularity elected body resembling the
American House Of Representatives. 1t
will consist Of six hundred members,
each representing 100000 voters. A sec
ond body, more or less corresponding to
the United States Senate, will be made
up of three hundred appointed dele
gates from the eleven federated republics
of the U. 8. 8. r. The parliament as
q whole, to be known as the Supreme
Council Of the Union, will possess far
reaching authority, hold two sixty-day
sessions annually and legislate by simple
majority vote. 1t will have the right to
initiate and promulgate laws. declare
war, ratify international agreements and
appoint and discharge members Of the
Council Of Peoples Commissars, the
Soviet equivalent Of a cabinet.
Wide liberties will be extended to
citizens. There will be universal SUI
frage for all over the age of eighteen,
regardless Of sex, race, social origin, re-
ligious belief. previous activities or
amount Of property owned. The right
Of election TO the Supreme Council will
rest on the same basis. Voting will be
by secret ballot. There is to be freedom
Of speech, Of the press and Of religious
worship. Courts will be presided over
by judges elected for three-year terms
and responsible to an attorney general
appointed by parliament. Arrest will be
forbidden except on court orders. Citi-
Gems will be guaranteed employment and
remuneration corresponding to the work
performed. Women are to have equal
rights with men in every branch Of ma
tional life. Full protection is pledged
for private property, including dwellings
ana savings accounts.
Even though the Communist party Is
apparently to remain the sole legal po-
litical organization, mere enumeration of
these reforms suffices to depict their
revolutionary character. After nineteen
years of proletarian rule more or less
on lines formulated by Lenin, Stain and
his confreres have apparently con-
cluded that the Soviet Union is now 50
solidly intrenched and the foundations
Of communism 20 deeply laid that the
original system may safely be tempered
by government on more popular lines.
The U. 8. Q. r. has supplied the world
with o variety Of challenging expert
ments. The now projected innovation
of constitutional democracy under Com
munist domination win be watched with
no less interest than the ventures which
have preceded it. On its face the scheme
represents Q belated concession to the
merits Of capitalist" government which
Moscow hitherto has 50 contemptuously
spurned.