Evening star., 1937-01-24

A - lKsk NI
Re-established. too, and energetically
protected. is the family-that 'indi-
vidualistic family" which only recently
was sneered at as a backward insti-
tuition unnecessary in the Socialist
society.
Freed From Utopia"
Thus, paradoxical as it may sound,
Hitler and the Japanese so far have
rendered an enormous service TO the
Russian nation. Thanks 10 their hos
tile glances, that nation is being freed
from the enslavement of life-killing
Utopia" and brought back to human
existence.
Such, then. was the balance sheet
OF the Soviet evolution by the be-
ginning of 1886. The year, however,
brought developments which we're
bound to affect it greatly-either one
way or the other.
The first of these developments was
the Unexpectedly decisive victory Won
by the parties of the Popular Front
in the parliamentary elections in
France. Contrary TO what the reader
may expect, this was bad-yery bad
news for Moscow. Premier Leon
Blum's government. especially during
its first months, proved to be discon-
certingly weak. What hopes were
pinned, only two years earlier. to win
ming over France as an invaluable
military ally in case of complications
with Germany! And now-was it not
obvious that, with the Popular Front
in the saddle. Frances military value
had dwindled? That the activities Of
the Third International, which at
home was safely under the mattress.
should have yielded their fruit in
France was a sad irony of fate, in
deed!
Spain's Revolt Held Blow.
The capitalization of what is re-
ferred to as the Fascist bloc only added
to Moscow's apprehensions by in
creasing Germany's weight in Euro
pean affairs. But the great blow to
Moscow came when the Fascist revolt
broke out in Spain. Should the rebels
win, France, already weakened by her
own domestic situation. would also
find herself surrounded (and obvious
ly paralyzed) by three Fascist powers.
Should not the whole new system Of
the Soviet governments foreign pol
itics be revised?
Apparently, for a week or two Mos
COW statesmen were completely de-
wildered. This, at least, is strongly
indicated by the hasty trial, convic-
tion-on the basis of childishly made
quate evidence-and execution of Is
old bolsheviks accused of "conspiring
with foreign meaning, no doubt, Ger
NAM Fascists to bring about the over
throw of the Soviet power"
These men, as inveterate fanatics
of Lenin's unconpromising, interna-
tionalistic communism, strongly disap-
proved of Stains turn to nationalism.
Now they could say: "Comrade Stain
has once more made a mess of things.
If, instead of reducing the Third In
ternational to zera, he had ordered it
to pump money, arms and propaganda
into France and Spain, we probably
would have today red and not i'm
potently pinkish France and red and
not Fascist-ridden Spain. Would that
not serve better even the interests of
Russia's defense, not to speak of the
interests of the world revolution?
q" Such criticism could greatly
undermine Stains prestige.
Stain Amends Policy.
But the moment of bewilderment
soon was over. Adverse international
developments, and especially the Span
ish civil war, prompted Stain to
amend, but not to give up, the general
line of his policy.
Doubtless the Soviet government
has sent arms and men to Madrid.
However, the Soviets are defending not
the Spanish proletariat, but Soviet
Russia's interests; they must, cost
what it may, save France, their ally,
from encirclement by Fascists-just
as in pre-war days some of the great
powers promoted their own interests
in Turkey by defending its Christian
minorities."
But in domestic affairs the Soviets
have adopted series of new measures
giving highly important finishing
touches to Russias transfiguration-
or to the first stage Of Russia's trans
figuration, perhaps. The most impor-
tant of these measures was the enact
ment early in December Of the new
Soviet constitution.
This constitution provides for the
creation of a Parliament composed OF
two chambers, the lower of which is
to be elected by universal suffrage.
Imitation Of Naxis Seen.
Some of the American commenta-
tors see in this an important step to-
ward democracy in their sense of the
word. I am afraid that this is case
of the wish being the father to the
thought. In my opinion, this Is a step
toward an imitation of those political
forms which now, under the Nazis,
exist in Germany. The formula ought
to be clear to every one: Universal
suffrage and Parliament with two or
more legally existing political parties
in the country is democracy; uni
versal suffrage and Parliament with
but one political party allowed to exist
in the country Is dictatorship OF that
party and Of its boss.
what howsYer. means . rery great