ATTACKS ON STALIN

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27928, 27 March 1956, Page 13

ATTACKS ON STALIN

View Of British

Party Leader

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, March 24.

Certain abuses and defects had been associated with Stalin’s personal leadership in the last 20 years, the general secretary of the British Communist Party, Mr Harry Pollitt. said today. In an article in the “Daily Worker’’ Mr Pollitt said the fact that criticisms of Stalin were now being openly and publicly made and discussed was an indication of how seriously the Russian Communist Party was facing its responsibilities.

“The real test of self-criticism is whether it leads to the putting right of past errors,’’ Mr Pollitt said. “It is precisely this that the leaders and members of the Russian Communist Party are doing today.”

Judged by results, the restoration of collective leadership had had great effects during the last few years, he said.

These results included Russia’s peace initiative, the healing of the breach with Jugoslavia, and the visits abroad of Russian leaders. Within Russia the measures to overcome weaknesses in agriculture and the prospects opened up by the sixth five-year plan also testified to the cor- ; rect policy of collective leadership. Historians Criticised In Moscow the Army newspaper "Red Star” has attacked the “vicious and harmful practice” of Russian war historians in exaggerating successes and concealing shortcomings in actions of Russian troops. This criticism is regarded as part of the current campaign against the Stalinist cult of personality. The newspaper said that many Russian _history books glossed over the Russian Army’s defeats, and nearly all. put Stalin in the role of the nation’s greatest war leader.

In Edinburgh, Lord ' John Hope, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, appealed for a disavowal from Russia of Stalin’s habit of “killing and oppressing so many non-Communists.” “They (the Russian leaders) maycurse Stalin’s memory, but we shall see whether they intend to stand by hie conquests.” he said. Tokyo Communist Party offices announced today through the party newspaper that classes are to be held throughout Japan to discuss the new party line developed from the Moscow Congress, says a message from Tokyo.

The article said that the decisions were “of historic importance” to the party in Japan and that two meetings had already been held to discuss new developments. At first, an introductory report and more than 30 questions were tabled for further discussion. These questions included that of what steps were to be taken with regard to peaceful coexistence, the transition to socialism, and the criticism of Stalin.

The second meeting failed to produce suitable answers and a third meeting is to be held on April 3 when questions on the criticism of Stalin are to be discussed.