EXILED RUSSIANS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 83, 18 January 1928, Page 5

EXILED RUSSIANS.

AN UNKNOWN NUMBER. STALIN FORCED TO SHOW HAND. (Per Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, January 17 The Moscow correspondent of the Berliner "Tageblatt" has again succeeded in sending a message containing interesting details of the banishments. Up to January 14, 50 members of the Opposition had been expelled from Moscow, while an unknown number had been sent to the provinces. It appears that the. front-rankers forced Stalin to show his hand. When they first received the intimation that they were assigned to Party work in distant places, they made a united protest and refused to depart voluntarily, but demanded information as to their destinations and equality of treatment. Trotsky even insisted that the secret. police should attend at his residence and give orders instead of his going to the O.G.P.U. office. Stalin's supporters replied by sending premptory orders through the O.G.P.U. with the result that the front-rankers became exiles under a clause of the criminal code prescribing the punishments ior attempting a counter-revolution. Trotsky is due to leave M oscow on January 16 for Virny, on the frontier between China and Turkestan. Others are bound for an unknown destination, where they will be informed what thenfuture movements are to be. Zinovieff and Kameneff appear to have purchased an indulgence by surrender, and both remain in European Russia. Each of those banished receives about £5 for travelling expenses and is accompanied by a soldier. The Soviet Press has not yet, mentioned the matter. PLIGHT OF DISMISSED OFFICERS. PARIS, January 16. The Moscow correspondent of "Le Matin" reports that '4OOO Red officers, recently dismissed by the War Commissary (M. Voroshiloff) are now in a desperate plight, tramping from town to town in a vain search for work. The Government proposes to utilise them in repairing earthquake damage in the Crimea.