Evening star., 1937-11-21
BY ALEXANDER NAZAROFF,

BY ALEXANDER NAZAROFF.
A THOUGH reports Of the shoot
~ ing Of Fascist spies. Trotsky-
~ lists and wreckers" in the
a Soviet Union continue, the at
tention of its citizens Is already mon-
opolized by newer and much greater
political sensation. All thoughts turn
to December IL. On that day, in &C
cordance with the new "stalinist"
constitution. Russia will 60 to the
polls in order to elect by universal
suffrage the hierarchy of the local
Soviets and the newly created Parlia-
ment of the union. After the bull
lets-the ballots.
The whole huge country is deeply
stirred by the approaching event.
Government officials are spending
sleepless nights and talking them
selves hoarse discussing and building
up the machinery for the first elec-
ton of the kind in Soviet history.
Soviet papers, constantly and ag-
gressively reiterating the oficial as
sertion that this will be the most
democratic election in the world" de-
vote entire pages to an orgy Of elec-
tioneering.
And the people? Their reactions
differ sharply In that clashing di-
versity, what telling snapshot pano-
rama of the Soviets profound and
momentous transition they provide!
After listening to the speech Of
youthful Communist in the courtyard
of misunderstanding plant in Mos
COW, an old workman says: Free elec-
tions indeed! You know we will have
to vote for those whom you, and not
we, want!"
Priest Pleased by Outlook.
But glance at another scene. With
gusto village priest. in tiny tea
room beside the church, is reading
and explaining the electoral law to a
crowd OF peasants. AT last the Lord
has opened the eyes Of our govern
ment'-this Is the keynote Of his
comment.
Whatever the immediate political
consequences Of the red-letter day in
December, both skeptics and en-
enthusiasts feel that its psychological
significance will be enormous. The
coming elections are a symbol. They
close the 20-year revolutionary period.
They inaugurate an epoch.
| Contempt for democracy and uni
versal suffrage. and a militant as
sertion of the feminist class princi-
pie" always were one of the central
dogmas of the Communist faith. It is
the abandonment of this class prin-
ciple that constitutes one Of the chief
features Of the coming elections. On
December II, the whole nation. in
cluding former pariahs who now have
been fully equalized with proletarians,
| will flock to the polling places.
Soviet spokesmen explain this great
truly great-reform by the fact that,
after two decades of Sovietism. para
site classes have been completely
crushed in Russia. This, however, is
no explanation. Years ago priests and
ex-kulaks were stripped of all privi-
leges and "proletarianized"-yet up
to this time they have never been al
lowed to vote.
In reality, this change, like series
of other recent changes in Russia's
life. is due to one fundamental motive
which lately has been dominating all
Soviet policies-the requirements Of
national defense.
National Defense Urgent.
| Ever since the emergence Of the
NaZi- German and japanese military
threats to Russia around 1888, Joseph
Stain has understood that the bolster
ing Of Russia's fighting capacity was
his chief and most urgent task. Con-
sequently he has unhesitatingly dashed
overheard one after another Of the
Utopian principles and practices. and
replaced them with sound, conserva-
tive ideas.
The Soviet Unions gradual trans
formation from an internationalistic-
communist into a nationalist-fascist
state: the adoption Of a healthy de-
fensive diplomacy instead Of absurd
attempts to stir up world revolution:
the return from Revolutionary
morals" to the preservation Of the
bourgeois family"-such a7e some of
the steps in this process.
The equalization Of all citizens by
the new constitution Is one OF them,
too For equality is essential to ma
tional defense. When grave military
dangers confront a country. it would
be suicidal for a government to breed
discomfort by discrimination against
millions Of citizens.
Thus, by the coming elections-ahd
here lies their psychological signifi-
cance-Stalin bows to the nation, and
the Soviet government assume the
obligation Of Transforming itself from
a class into q national government.
In sheer physical magnitude. the
elections will be an impressive event:
upward of 100000, 900 voters will have
to choose more than 100000 depu-
ties to central and local Soviet insti-
tutions.
The hugeness of the last figure is
due to the extremely complicated
structure of the Soviet Union.
Parliament Highest Institution.
The highest institution in the coun-
try (now supplanting the Soviet Con-
gress) will be the Parliament, or the
Supreme Council Of the Union, which
will have the authority to legislate In
all pan-union matters and to which
peoples commissars (that Is. govern
ment ministers, will be responsible. It
will be composed Of two chambers en-
joying equal rights: The Council OF
the Union, with $50 members (cor-
responding to the American House OF
Representatives, and the Council Of
Nationalities (the Senate) with 574
members.
But the Soviet Union, Of course, Is
a federation of II independent