ELECTION IN RUSSIA

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 126, 13 March 1950, Page 3

ELECTION IN RUSSIA

PEACE OFFENSIVE SPEECHES BY LEADERS , • - < N.Z.P.A.—Copyright) (Rec. 11.30), LONDON, March 12. Observers in London saw signs of a “peace offensive” by Soviet leaders in their campaign speeches during the past week for elections to the Supreme Soviet, in which "Russia’s millions voted to-day. ' .

Reuter's political correspondent says the main emphasis in the foreign policy section of the election speeches has been on “peaceful competition” between the capitalist and Socialist worlds, coupled with denunciations of capitalism and assurances that the Soviet Government have campaigned on the lines that the Soviet" Union stands for peace, while the West plans aggression and threatens a “hydrogen bomb” war.

Politburo members—Molotov, Voroshilov, .Malenkov and Beria among them—have emphasised the LeninStalin theme that Socialism and capitalism can live side by side. In the last two General Elections—in 1937 and 1946—Stalin has wound up the campaign with an eve-of-the-poll address in Moscow, his own constituency, but so far there has been no report of a Stalin speech this year.