HUGE EXPENDITURE ON ARMS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 271, 12 August 1938, Page 11

HUGE EXPENDITURE ON ARMS

Quarter Of Total Russian Budget

OPENING SESSION OF SUPREME SOVIET

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received August 11, 7.30 p.m.) MOSCOW, August 11.

The Finance Commissar, M. Zvcryev, announced at the session of the Supreme Soviet to-day that armaments would absorb a quarter of the Russian Budget. The military budget amounts to 27,000,000.000 roubles, compared with 20,000,000,000 roubles last year. In addition 7,500,000,000 roubles have been provided for defence industries and 4,300,000,000 roubles for the Interior Department, which controls the border troops and industrial and military projects. The total expenditure is 123,000,000,000 roubles. Revenue is estimated at 125,000,000,000. Health expenditure accounts for 8,000,000,000, and education for 20,000,000.000 roubles. The' rouble is worth nominally 21 jd., but its internal value cannot be quoted.

The ravages of purge were apparent at the opening of the Supreme Council. Nine of the 25 People’s Commissars chosen in January; 1938, have disappeared, those missing being the VicePremiers Chubar and Kossior, both members of Stalin’s political bureau. Navy Commissar Peter Smirnof, Internal Trade Commissar Mikhael Smirnof, Agriculture Commissar Eiklie, Machine Construction Commissar Bruskin, Public Health Commissar Boldareffl, Food Industry Commissar Gheleusky and Agricultural Stocks Commissar Popoff.