Evening star., 1953-03-06

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similar to that which obtained
when Lenin died.
So long as Lenin lived, how
ever inactively, his prestige was
such that decisions were made in
compliance with his expressed
wishes and previously announced
policies. Would-be wearers of
his mantle kept their ambitions
to themselves. Three men &C
tually conducted the business of
government during this period:
zinoviev as head of the Third
International, Kamenev as
chairman of the Council Of La
Dor and Defense and Stain as
party secretary.
Lenin died on January 81, 1924.
Trotsky further weakened his
position by staying away from
Moscow. Within a few days, it
became apparent that Stain was
the dominant member of the
governing triumvirate.
Moving to consolidate his posi-
ton. he did not waste time on
lesser issues. He knew what he
was doing.
ITO choose the victim, to pre-
pare the blow with care, to safe
an implacable vengeance. and
then to go to bed There is
nothing sweeter in the world"
That, according to one biogra-
pher, is how Stain once ex.
pounded his philosophy to Kam-
enev.
Trotsky First Victim.
Kamenev himself eventually
was to feel the force Of the i'm
placable vengeance" and so was
Zinoviev. But Stain understood
the Importance of putting first
things first, and he therefore
went first after Trotsky.
He did not hurry-he knew
how to wait. 1t was a gradual
wearing away process. TrotSky's
pictures disappeared from gov
ernment offices; his friends, anx-
ious to keep their jobs, deserted
him. The results showed up in
the record. Within five years,
Trotsky was ousted as War Com
missar, removed from the Coun-
Gil of Labor and Defense, re-
duced to a minor post, expelled
from the party, sent to Turke-
stan and, finally. in 1929, BAN
1Shed from the soil of the Soviet
Union. Eleven years later he was
assassinated in Mexico by a
Communist agent who Dashed in
his head with a pick-ax while he
was working on an uncompli-
mentary biography of Joseph
Stain.
ZinOviev and Kamenev,
Zinoviev and KameneV Jared
no better, although Stain at first
used them against TrotSky.
When, in 1925, they criticized
him for making too many con-
ceSsions to capitalism, he had
them reduced to minor posts. In
1926, they attempted to switch
their support to Trotsky. In 1927,
along with Trotsky. they were
expelled from the party and
exiled the following year.
A promise to behave gained
Zinoviev and Kamenev subse-
quent restoration to the Commu-
mist ranks and permission to re-
turn to Russia. but in 1882 they
were again expelled from the
party for daring to criticize the
flve-year plan. They were exc
cuted in. 1886 for allegedly plot
ting, with Trotsky. the assassina-
ton of Joseph Stain.
mo revolution can be conduct
ed with kid gloves on" Stain
said, coming as close to apology
as was possible for him. Lady
AStor once asked him bluntly.
How long are you going to go
on killing people?" The reply
was equally blunt: GAS long as
1t is necessary" Eventualities
demonstrated that Stain was not
merely chatting over the teacups.
Lenin Called Him Rough.
Lenin apparently had arrived at
the conclusion, before his death,
that Stain was too rude" or
rough" (the Russian word is
"grub") to be intrusted with the
power that went along with the
job of party secretary. He sug-
gested, in a so-called. much-dis-
puted testament" that Stain
be removed from the position and
that there be appointed to it
another man who in all respects
differs from Stain only in su-
periority-some one more pa
tient, more loyal. more polite