Evening star., 1937-11-07
Red Russia's Twenty Years.

Red Russia's Twenty Years.
Time has marched so fast that it is
hard to realize that twenty years have
passed since, on November Z, 1917, the
Soviet Union rode into power on the
ruins OF the Inflated Kerensky regime.
Long spurned by capitalist" and demo-
cratic nations because of its avowed pro-
gram of world revolution" the vast
Communist state is today recognized as
one OF the great powers-a full -fedged
member OF the League of Nations, DOS
SCISSOR OF the largest army in existence,
and, economically and politically, a sig
nif1cant factor in international affairs.
Recognition by the United States.
among the last to be granted, four years
ago this month, ushered in a period
OF relationship, marred by the non-ful-
hllment Of certain undertakings like ad-
Justment Of the pre-Soviet debt due
this country, but representing, on the
whole, an accord in keeping with old
time Russo-American friendship. The
U. s. s. r. has loyalty maintained its
pledge to purchase heavy quantities of
American produce, and, barring an iso-
lated protest against references to this
country at q Communist International
Congress two years ago, there has been
no need to call Moscow to account under
Its agreement to refrain from subversive
propaganda here.
American sentiment resolutely regards
Communism, to which the U. S. S. r.
remains welded, as the utter antithesis
OF everything typified by the United
States, Its institutions and ideals, but
that does not debar objective contem-
plation of the great experiment which
Russia, 1s17-1937, represents. Despite
contentious that the experimental stage
Is past and that the Soviet Union is
already in the full flower OF its purpose
and effectiveness, recent history is STEM
torian evidence to the contrary.
Indeed, the newest phase of experiment
is just around the corner. On December
IL Russians will 60 to the polls to exer-
else the first semblance of suffrage vouch-
safed them by their Soviet masters.
They will vote under the constitution
proclaimed last year-a charter which
honors the democratic process more in
the breach than in the observance. 1t
permits only one political party, the or
ganization which is under the iron heel Of
the government, while allowing only
such candidates for a national legis-
lative body as have government ap-
proval. The constitution, on its face,
provides for freedom of speech and press,
but exclusively such freedom" as is
adjudged not inimical to the regime.
Notwithstanding these serious limita-
tions, an advance toward popular gov
eminent is unquestionably about to be
made. No man can predict to wnat
wider goals 1t is destined to lead.
That the dictatorship is not as firmly
1ntrenched as it would have the world
believe is amply proved by last sum-
mer's purge of the group OF generals
headed by Marshal Tukhachevsky. Mr..
Troyanovsky, the Soviets respected AM
bassador at Washington, has lust re-
dected in an address at New York the
ofhcial Moscow view that Stains firing
squads decimated the Red Army's high
command because of the strong net
work OF spies" conspiring with certain
countries" to encompass the Soviets
downfall. There is wealth of inde-
pendent opinion that runs counter to
this alibi and holds that the purge was
the relationships ruthless and desperate
method of suppressing the professional
soldiers who insisted upon divorcing the
army from Soviet political control and
keeping 1t purely fighting machine for
Russia's defense. That Stain feared the
triumph Of the generals viewpoint might
eventually menace his power can hardly
be doubted. That he had them shot for
treason will remain open to grave
question.
The present regime seems in no visible,
or at least imminent, danger. Collec-
tivization Of the farms has rendered it's
peasantry docile, if not contented. In
dustrialization is progressing, though at
a slower rate than year ago. Danger
OF attack by Japan or Germany, or both,
fires the country with rugged patriot
ism. Perils beyond its borders and the
stupendous problems clamoring for solu-
ton within them probably mean that
Russia for the immeasurable future will
be too busy at home to have time or
energy for the communication of the
world program that once stirred the
imaginations Of the Lenins and the
Trotzkys. Other relationships, harplng
necessarily on that theme, are under
strong suspicion Of using 1t as smoke
screen for aggressive designs of their own.