IN SOVIET RUSSIA

Evening Post, Issue 28, 1 August 1936, Page 5

IN SOVIET RUSSIA

A NEW CONSTITUTION

ELECTED PARLIAMENT

The text of the new. Constitution of Soviet Russia was announced last evening after its approval by the .U.S.SiR. Central Executive Committee, said' the "Manchester Guardian" on. June 13." It involves highly important changes. • The intention of the Constitution.^ if to indicate the passing of the dictatorship of the proletariat in. favour of a State structure ultimately assuring power to all,sections of the Soviet population, which is now presumably; approaching the classless condition. Significantly the word proletariat appears only once, and previous refer* ence to the trinity of . workers, peasants, and the Red Army, is replaced. The simple . classification of all citizens is as toilers, emphasising the principle of wiping out the distinctions between cities and villages.: There is a distinct tendency to „ reassert the rights of the individual—freedom to agitate; inviolability of person, homei and correspondence; immunity of deputies from arrest—in line would swing towards greater democracy expressed in provision for a secret ballot and representation. , All restrictions on criticism of the regime are removed—privately, in the Press, or at public meetings. The right of assembly is freely granted. Asylum is to be granted to all foreign Labour leaders persecuted by their,- home Governments. Although the- Communists Party remains the only legal party, all'citizens over eighteen—regardless of their social origin, religious belief! former employment, or race—will be-granted the franchise and the right to stand for office. •-■•.■.--. WORK COMPULSORY. Further details of the Constitution were given by Reuter: ' All private property, accruing as the result of earnings, is guaranteed State protection. The right to work is also • I guaranteed—as a result of the planned . Socialist economy—and is^ made, obligaj. Tory for every citizen, with wages to i be adjusted according to the import* > ance of the job. Holidays with pay," a - seven-hour working day, ' complete social insurance paid for by the Government, free medical care, and .educational facilities become the constiu- : tional rights of all workers. Organisations besides the Com- : munist Party which are given the : right to nominate candidates for eleo 1 tion are trade unions, youth organisa--1 tions, and consumers' co-operatives. '• The supreme.: legislative . body novr > becomes a body composed of two ' Chambers. In one there will be one " representative for every 300,000 of the [ population, and in the other ten from ; each of the eleven Federal Republics, ' five from each autonomous Republic, : and two from each autonomous pro- ' vince. The body is elected for a four--1 year tenure unless agreement cannot ; be reached as to given legislation, in ! which case there will be a new elee- ■ tion. ' : Under the Constitution there -will be 1 a President besides the Parliament | composed of an Upper and a Lower 1 House. All three will be elected by T a direct and secret ballot. Members of the new Parliament will sit for two 1 sessions of two months each annually. ■ During the rest of the year they will . return to their constituencies for ad--1 ministrative duties. Secret ballots will replace the pre--5 sent show of hands in open meetings. I Peasants will have equal votes with I city workers. At present every city - vole is equal to five peasant votes in. electing national delegates, of whom there have been one for every 25,000 a workers and one for every 125,000 " peasants. Though the Communist j Party will remain the only legal party, 3 the elections will be both direct and ~ secret. Judges, as well as. legislative and administrative public •■ servants, will be chosen by popular vote. Following the adoption by the party s executive the new Constitution wilUJt y is understood, be submitted to a speq|« c ally assembled Congress of Soviets at c the end of the year and then ratified, a The new Parliament would then b* •- elected and would meet for- the^ilni s- time in fahuary.