Evening star., 1938-01-04
By JOHN T. WHITAKER,


chicago Daily News Correspondent.
MOSCOW.-Has the morale of the
Red army been destroyed by the exc
cution Of Marshal Tukhachevsky and
the seven other generals? Can Rus
sia defend herself?
These questions are vital at a mo-
moment when the Fascists are. en-
couraged by Stalin's purge. To the
east. Japan is a threat to the mari
time provinces-not only Russia's out
let to the Pacific, but the jumping of
place for her bombers; to the west,
Germany is designing an army against
the rich and fertile Ukraine. To the
power OF these two militaristic states
Italy has now been added, while Brit
ain and France give no indication
that either would help if Russia were
invaded.
These questions have an internal
aspect, too. Trotzky was exiled large
" because Stain believed Russia had
to prepare for attacks on both from
tiers Everything. since, has been sac
rfnced In Russia to this major task
the creation Of the means of defense.
As Communism celebrates its twenti-
eth anniversary the lusty boy of 81,
who has never seen capitalism, has
very few Of the comforts Of life. The
good things of life must 70 for the
army. If everything has been sacri-
need to the army and the army fails,
then this boy has been betrayed.
A Frenchman's View.
I asked q shrewd Frenchman here
II the army had been weakened by
the execution Of the generals.
What are eight generals" he said.
I'VE fired a hundred generals in the
French Army during the World War.
We didn't shoot them, but we relieved
them OF their commands, or sent them
on leave, or put them in minor posi-
tions. The Russians don't fire men
they shoot them. That's their way of
doing things. But it amounts to the
same thing in the end We got along
without hundred-odd indispensable
generals. Why can't the Russian.
get along with the loss of eight?"
A German, on the other hand, as
sured me that the army had been
grievously weakened. When the army
was purged, Stain put in the system
OF political commissars. Now, military
commanders Of units from q company
up through an army corps must have
all orders countersigned by the Sec
ond military commander and the po-
litical commissar The German thinks
that this destroys initiative and swift
action.
100000 Under Arms.
First, let us look at the Russian
Army. Immediate advantages are
plain. Russia has man power. The
Red army stands today at 1900, 600
men and there are another half mil
lion men In border patrols, G. P. U.
and similar organizations. Contrast
this with Americas standing Army of
$4,000 men.) While In numbers 1t
dwarfs any other army, in unity Of
command 1t Is unique. Finance, in
dustry and transportation are already
on q wartime basis and answer to
Stain as directly as the army itself
Moreover, the country is virtually
modified today and the whole popu-
lation lives under strict military dis
cipline.
The Red army itself-once you
have seen its no mere repetition
Of the steam roller" the Csar fash
toned out of reluctant levies. It IL q
workers and peasants army under
the command Of men like Marshal
Voroshilov, son Of a shepherd: Marshal
Blucher, son Of a worker, and Marshal
Budenny, son Of peasant-not first
rate generals by world standards, ex-
cept, perhaps, Blucher. but officers
who know their men and who learned
their trade in war.
The eight generals who were killed
In the purge were ADLER, but six of
them had been officers Of the Car.
Tho generals Of Comrade Stains army
today are sons Of peasants and work.
ors and toilers themselves.
How It Was Trained.
This army Of the Communists is
trained in capitalistic technique and
equipped with capitalistic weapons.
First came the German officers. Un-