Evening star., 1937-11-21
Russia Gets the Vote
nunt Supremacy Carefully Safeguard Election

n.unist party seems to be pre.deter-
mined. Yet there still remains room
for some fiies-and very unpleasant
one-in the ointment.
First Of all, f-either In the Union
at large or In some of its sections
the masses were violently dissatisfied
with their present rulers, they
though unable to vote for any opposi-
ton party-might express their pro-
test by striking out the names of all
the candidates.
Stalin's New Ruling STAFF.
Apparently. some months ago, Stain
and his lieutenants seriously feared
the possibility of such an outcome.
In any case. it is obvious that the
cleansing Of the Communist party
and of the administrative machinery
was prediction maneuver intended
to placate the voter. Stain now goes
to the polls with q new ruling staff"
composed chiefly OF young men whose
records are unblemished. They ap-
pear before the voter with the new
slogan: Respect the population In
all OF its legitimate wishes! Please
the customer" Incidentally, Comrade
Stain himself is a Moscow candidate
Tor the Supreme Council-and it is
unlikely that many of the customers"
will have the hardihood to strike his
name off the ballot!
Because of the national-defense con-
SlnprQf10nC VI tnh al
spoken (the desire not to antagonize
large groups of citizens), Communists.
about year and half ago, gave up
tneir long campaign Of persecution Of
the church (meaning not only the
Russian Orthodox Church, but also
all other confessions from Mahomet-
ism to Judaism). Enfranchisement of
the clergy has emboldened believers,
who now no longer have to hide the
fact that they do believe. AS a re-
suit, 1t has now become evident that
despite all the prosecutions Of the past
the church is still vigorously alive and
very popular. Religion has turned out
to be the only leftover" OF Old
Russia which the Soviet revolution
has been unable to eradicate. All over
the country, collective farmers are
signing petitions for the reopening
OF churches closed in other years; and
annoyed as they may be, the authori-
ties satisfy these requests-"Do not
irritate the people!
Now, the electoral law gives the
right to nominate candidates not only
to the organizations which is spe-
clflcally enumerates, but to all legal
ly registered societies as well-and
this includes religious communes. u
Until recently there were some 10000
such communes in the country (no,
counting the illegal ones): now their
number is rapidly growing.
Churchmen Prepare.
Apparently, upon the publicat ton
of the law, the "churchmen" at first
could not believe their own eyes.
Then, however. they began energetic
ally to prepare themselves for the
electoral campaign. In many places
| tentative lists Of church candidates
were drawn. The race threatened to
transform itself, in a great many
places. at least, into a struggle be-
tween the church and the Communist
party.
AS result. quite recently an off,
cial explanation" Of Article Sc was
published in Soviet papers. 1t stated
that religious communities would not
be allowed to nominate candidates.
Yet the religious groups continue
their preparations There is little
chance Of any large number Of Their
candidates being elected to Parlia-
ment. But their men, nominated by
various non-religious organizations
may win places of importance in the
village. district and even provincial
Soviets.
Finally, there is one more thing
of on-political -nature-which
greatly worries Soviet leaders.
The organization Of the election
presents endless technical difficulties
For instance. scores Of millions oi
pencils and tons Of paper are needed
But where to get them, when the
country is suffering an acute paper.
and-pencil shortage? Furthermore
uniform ballot boxes are required
but. although there was plenty Of
time for that, the timber has not beer
prepared for them. And 50 Pravdi
administers violent rebukes to ths
Peoples Commissar of Light Indus.
try and the Timber Industry, anc
accuses them Of "wrecking the elec.
ton campaign" -.
Such questions pop up daily. 1t L
for this reason that, in organizing the
great show Of December IL. Soviet
officials spend sleepless nights ano
talk themselves hoarse.