STALIN ORDERS PURGE

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24986, 21 September 1946, Page 7

STALIN ORDERS PURGE

State Agricultural

Officials

MANY ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 20. A large-scale purge in the Soviet land administration was announced last night by the Moscow radio, quoting a decree signed by Mr Stalin as chairman of the Council of Ministers and Colonel-General Zhdanov, secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party. The decree, which runs to several thousand words, accuses State agricultural officials throughout the Soviet with wholesale corruption, including fraudulent appropriation of funds, falsification of accounts. illegal diversion of labour, and in other ways the infringing of the democratic foundations of the agricultural administration. The officials also are accused of attempting to introduce the principles of private property by leasing the land of collective farms, thus changing their character and turning them into sources of private income. The decree orders their prosecution as “common criminals guilty of anti-governmental activity” and also orders a thorough investigation of the whole situation and the restoration of legality. This must be completed in two months. The decree shows that in addition to the State officials many collective farmers are also involved in the purge.