FRESH REVOLTS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3360, 15 August 1927, Page 2

FRESH REVOLTS.

Russia’s “Iron Man.” J. V. Stalin, is fighting for his life as dictator of the Soviet nation. Fresh rebellion within the Bolshevik rank has flared up as a result of England’s severance of relations with Russia, and and Stalin’s old foe, Leon Trotsky, backed up by Gregory Zinovieff and supported by a powerful opposition party, is seeking the overthrow of the dictator. Many observers feel that either Stalin, the moderate, or Trotsky, the extremist, must fall in the struggle, states tho London correspondent of the “San Francisco Chronicle.” If Trotsky wins, Russia will plunge into now attempts to overthrow established Government throughout the world. If Stalin wins, Russia will seek a new rapprochement with America, England, Germany, and other nations. While Stalin’s policy of comniuiiLsing gave promise of success the opposition kept silent. With the failure in Canton their hopes rose, and now that Britaip lias broken off with Russia Trotsky has seized tho opportunity to engage Stalin mi what he hopes will be a death grapple for tho dictatorship. A clear-cut division of the policies of (ho two contesting factions is discernible. Trotsky and Zinovieff demand economic reprisals against Britain by the transfer of trading operations to Germany, and also by tlio resumption of political activity against England in tho form of renewed propaganda on the part of the Third International. They urge immediate, intensified subterranean warfare against tho capitalist system, especially in England. Stalin being more moderate and more realistic, has noted the coldness of the German Government towards the transfer of tlio Arcos officials from London to Revlin. The dictator has decided that .Moscow’s international activities must be restricted and separated from the Soviet Foreign Office machinery. He favours stricter supervision of trade delegations abroad, the recall from China of Borodin, the maintenance in England of Russian companies, as far as it is allowed, and, if necessary, tho punishment as a gesture of Kholiu and Miller of Arcos notoriety. The battle between Stalin and Trotsky is thus far only in the stage of dire threats. The Executive Committee of the Commintern has handed to Trotsky a peremptory formal warning to ‘ cease disruptive work or leave the Communist Party.” The supremo party tribunal instructed : “Watch Trotsky and summarily exclude him if lie resumes factional activity,” Both sides recognise that the AngloSoviet break has created a crisis in the relations of Russia with other nations and that the crisis lias been giavely accentuated by tho fresh rebellion of the opposition. If Stalin now succeeds in crushing the Trotsky faction it is confidently expected that Russia, while maintaining its internal political and economic orgiiinisation, will attempt to maintain peaceable relations with non communist | Europe on the same basis as Fascist Italy, maintains relations with non-Fascist Europe, and efforts to foment revolutions in other countries will be slackened and l*)Ssibiy abandoned.

Should Trotsky succeed m his effort to overthrow Stalin, Soviet Russia will become an active- menace to the peace of tho world.