Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-03
Soviet Revamps
Ifs Ministries;
Three Dropped
Others are Shifted;
Greater Authority
Given Republics

LONDON, Sunday, June 3 UP.
The Soviet Union today
streamlined its government,
abolishing three ministries and
handing greater authority to the
various republics.
The Ministries of Justice. In
land Waterways and Road Trans
port have been abolished, Moscow
Radio said. Their duties were
transferred to the republics.
The Textile Ministry was
merged with the Ministry of
Light Industry. Twelve other
ministries were shorn of their
power over many key industries
and control was switched to the
republics.
An official Tass News Agency
statement broadcast by Moscow
said the reorganization was
made possible by an increased
number of experienced techni-
clans and administrators in the
republics.
Major Ministry Abolished
Most important ministry to be
abolished is Justice, which had
jurisdiction over all the judges
in the Soviet Union. Konstantin
P. Gorshenin has held the JUS
tice Ministry post.
The Justice Ministry's juris-
diction did not include the secret
police or the Soviet prosecutors.
Both Of these function sepa-
rately under their own chiefs.
TaSs said the government
changes were guided by the
decision of the goth Congress
of the Communist Party of the
Soviet Union" in February. The
party congress called for greater
responsibility for the republics,
which correspond roughly to
States in the United States.
Accordingly" said Tass, "the
Central Committee of the Com
muniSt Party of the Soviet
Union and the USSR Council
of Ministers (cabinet) have re-
solved to transfer industrial es-
adjustments and organizations
now under direct control Of the
USSR ministries to the control
OF the constituent republics.
Ministries Affected
This applies to Ministries of
Foodstuffs. Meat and Dairy In
dustry. Finishing Industry. Pro-
curement, Light Industry. Textile
Industry. Building Materials In
dustry, Paper and Woodworking
Industry. Automobile Transport
and Highways, Inland Water
ways. Health and also to the re-
tail trade network and to cater
ing establishments"
TaSS said the Switchover twill
encourage more efficient indus
trial management, better use of
available reserves for expanding
production, and fuller satisfac-
iton of national economic re-
quirements."
The Presidium of the Supreme
Soviet, the supreme governing
body, has approved five separate
DEGREES giving effect to the
changes, the broadcast said.
Tass said the Ministry of Tex
tiles and the Ministry of Light
Industry were merged into a new
Ministry of Light Industry under
Nikita S. Ryzhov. Mr.. Ryzhov has
been Minister of Textile Industry.
The Ministry of Procurements
was revamped and renamed the
Ministry of Grain Products. Its
new minister is L. r. Korniyets,
who has been Minister of Agri-
culture Procurements.
Republics Role Increased
Tass said the Justice Ministry
was abolished with the view to
ending Capitalization in govern
ing operations Of legal institu-
tons :. and increasing the role
of the union republics In this
matter"
A separate justice ministry
will be set up for each republic.
To coordinate these new JUS
Itice ministries. legal commits
sion will be formed under the
cabinet Ito be charged with
Icodifying and systematizing So
Wet legislation" TasS reported.
The commission also will draft
legislation to be introduced in
the Councihof Ministers.
The duties of the Road Trans
port Ministry are being taken
over by a national roadbuilding
administration under the cabi-
met.
The Ministry of Inland Water
ways will be succeeded by new
waterways ministries in each OF
the republics concerned.